From PCB World.
Inkjet printing technology has been widely accepted for the marking of PCB circuit boards and solder mask ink printing. In the digital age, the demand for instantaneous reading of edge codes on a board-by-board basis and instant generation and printing of QR codes has made inkjet printing the only irreplaceable method. Under the market pressure of rapid product changes, individualized product requirements and rapid switching of production lines have challenged traditional craftsmanship.
The printing equipment that has matured in the PCB industry includes marking printing equipment such as rigid boards, flexible boards, and rigid-flex boards. Solder mask ink jet printing equipment has also begun to be introduced into actual production in the near future.
The inkjet printing technology is based on the working principle of the additive manufacturing method. According to the Gerber data produced by CAM, the specific logo or solder mask ink is sprayed on the circuit board through the CCD precise graphic positioning, and the UVLED light source is instantly cured, thereby Complete the PCB logo or solder mask printing process.
The main advantages of inkjet printing process and equipment:
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01
Product traceability
a) To meet the lean production control requirements that require a unique serial number and two-dimensional code traceability for each board or batch.
b) Real-time online addition of identification codes, reading board edge codes, generating serial numbers, QR codes, etc., and printing instantly.
02
Efficient, convenient and cost-saving
a) There is no need for screen printing and film production, effectively shortening the manufacturing process and saving manpower.
b) The ink is recirculated without loss.
c) Instant curing, continuous printing on the A-A/A-B side, and post-baking together with the solder mask ink, saving the character high temperature and long-term baking process.
d) Using LED curing light source, long service life, energy saving and environmental protection, without frequent replacement and maintenance.
e) High degree of automation and low dependence on operator skills.
03
Optimize quality
a) CCD automatically recognizes the positioning point; positioning is side by side, automatically correcting the expansion and contraction of the board.
b) The graphics are more precise and uniform, and the minimum character is 0.5mm.
c) The cross-line quality is better, and the cross-line height is more than 2oz.
d) Stable quality and high yield rate.
04
The advantages of the left and right flat double table equipment
a) Manual mode: It is equivalent to two equipment, and the left and right table can produce different material numbers.
b) Automation line: The left and right table structure can be produced in parallel, or single line operation can be used to realize downtime backup.
The application of inkjet printing technology has undergone rapid development in the past few years. From the initial stage, it can only be used for proofing and small-batch production. Now it is fully automated and mass-produced. The hourly production capacity has increased from 40 sides at the beginning to 360 at present. Noodles, an increase of nearly ten times. The production capacity of manual operation can also reach 200 faces, which is close to the upper limit of the production capacity of human labor. At the same time, due to the continuous maturity of technology, operating costs are gradually reduced, meeting the operating cost needs of most customers, making inkjet printing logos and solder mask inks become the main processes of the PCB industry now and in the future.