Printem: Instant Printed Circuit Boards with Standard Office Printers & Inks

Abstract

Printem film, a novel method for the fabrication of Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) for small batch/prototyping use, is presented. Printem film enables a standard office inkjet or laser printer, using standard inks, to produce a PCB: the user prints a negative of the PCB onto the film, exposes it to UV or sunlight, and then tears-away the unneeded portion of the film, leaving-behind a copper PCB. PCBs produced with Printem film are as conductive as PCBs created using standard industrial methods. Herein, the composition of Printem film is described, and advantages of various materials discussed. Sample applications are also described, each of which demonstrates some unique advantage of Printem film over current prototyping methods: conductivity, flexibility, the ability to be cut with a pair of scissors, and the ability to be mounted to a rigid backplane. NOTE: publication of full-text held until November 9, 2015.