M. Grouchko, O. Shochet, T. Dolev
Copprint,
Israel
Keywords: PCB, additive manufacturing, conductive printing, copper
Summary:
The term PCB stands for Printed Circuit Board. When invented in 1925, it was indeed printed by Silver inks. Since the 1950s PCBs are not being printed but chemically etched. The transition in the 1950s was due to costs, solderability and standardization. At that time sustainability was not in focus. The attempt to move from etching the conductor (subtractive) to print it (additive) was a research goal for many years. A key limitation was that Copper oxidation prevented creating a simple additive process. This presentation delves into the transformative landscape of PCB production, showing the advantages of employing copper trace printing over conventional PCB etching techniques from an economic and environmental standpoint. And advantages of new technologies to overcome copper oxidation. The versatility of copper printing allows it to be seamlessly integrated into the current PCB production line, ensuring continued fabrication of durable products.