Parallel raster image processor for PCB manufacturing

The printed circuit board (PCB) is the base most commonly used for building electronic circuits. The design of the PCB is usually done by means of an adequate CAD program. The files generated by CAD programs can have different formats to describe printed circuit boards, but all formats essentially consist of the traces and the soldering pads that make up a PCB. The present paper describes a raster image processing system based on a parallel architecture aimed at the conversion of CAD files for making printed circuits using the "direct imaging" technique, by means of a multiple laser beam plotter.<>