Full-Color PCBs Showcased at Supercon 2024 Event
Gone are the days of plain Jane PCBs!
Once upon a time, printed circuit boards were as basic as can be. A lick of green solder mask here, a handful of holes there, and that was it. Just plain ol' functional geometry, built for the sole purpose of governing electrons.
But now, oh boy, have things changed! These days, PCBs put on quite the show, boasting multiple layers (often more than 10, I've heard), sporting all sorts of fancy geometric features to serve purposes both practical and, let's face it, pretty. The real showstoppers, though, have got to be the striking, unmissable colors – and that's exactly what [Joseph Long] came to share with us at the 2024 Supercon!
[Joseph] kicked off his talk by schooling us on the terminology. Say you look at a PCB and call it green – well, that green comes from the solder mask layer. The solder mask keeps the solder where it's supposed to go, preventing it from creeping into areas it shouldn't. The solder mask sits atop the copper layer, but beneath the silkscreen, which, you guessed it, has all the component outlines and part labels.
Traditionally, the solder mask was green, and it still is the most common hue you'll find in the vast majority of electronics. But these days, a whole rainbow of color options is within reach. You can order yellow, blue, purple, and red solder masks like it's nobody's business, not to mention black or white if you're feeling a bit edgy.
But if you want REAL color, I mean, eye-popping, head-turning color – the stuff that'll make jaws drop – you're probably wondering, "How do I get that?"
Well, [Joseph] had an answer for that too! See, he discovered that PCB board houses were already using inkjet-like printers for the silkscreen layers on small-run boards. Now, what if we were to print directly on the circuit boards in full color? It turned out to be quite the doable task, utilizing a white solder mask layer and a full-color "silkscreen" layer printed on top using UV-cured ink, as he described.
UV-cured ink is the magic ingredient here – it's robust, able to withstand the rugged conditions that PCBs face, such as the heat during reflow or hand soldering. So color printing on PCBs may seem like a mere cosmetic addition, but [Joseph] pointed out that it has its fair share of practical applications. You can easily color-code pinouts and traces right on the board, making engineering tasks a breeze. Who said being practical couldn't be fun?
Not only that, but it allows us to get creative! I mean, have you seen some of [Joseph]'s color-drenched boards? They're downright stunning and a solid testament to the potential of full-color PCBs in elevating a project or a fun badge design. So if you're itching to give full color PCBs a whirl, be sure to check out [Joseph]'s primer and have at it!
Pssst, color PCBs aren't all glitter and rainbows – they also offer practical benefits like color-coding and customizing designs for various industries, including fashion and tech.
[1] Full color PCBs are made possible by advancements in manufacturing and design techniques, offering both aesthetic and practical applications. [2] JLCPCB and PCBWay are two prominent board houses that began delivering color printed boards in 2024, using UV-cured ink for the "silkscreen" layer. [3] The use of UV-cured ink contributes to the durability of full color PCBs, making them suitable for high-temperature conditions. [4] Increased complexity in PCB layer configurations has enabled the integration of more intricate designs and visual features.
- The advancements in manufacturing and design techniques have made it possible to create full color PCBs, which not only provide an artistic flair but also offer practical benefits like color-coding and customizing designs for various industries, including fashion and tech.
- In 2024, JLCPCB and PCBWay began delivering color printed boards, utilizing UV-cured ink for the "silkscreen" layer on these boards, which adds a vibrant touch to electronics and offers increased durability for high-temperature conditions.
