Direct Ink Writing as an Eco-Friendly PCB Manufacturing Technique for Rapid Prototyping

Printing the conductive structures with high-rel quality while realizing through non-contact digital writing techniques remains a challenge. Optimization of printing quality and adoption of precise control techniques in terms of morphology control and uniformity control are crucial in order to achieve uniformity during the fabrication of conductive circuit patterns. Non-contact Digital Direct Ink Writing (DIW) methods are becoming increasingly important in the area of Three-Dimensional printing (3D printing) technology for realizing printed circuit structures. They offer substantial reduction in the fabrication process steps, wastage of input materials and other chemicals and hence minimized production costs. To understand the benefits of PCB manufacturing using 3D printing technology for aerospace applications, a comparative study is performed realizing a predesigned circuit pattern using conventional subtractive lithographic technique and digital direct ink writing additive technique. In the case of additive 3D printing, digitally driven micro dispensing technique is used for direct writing of the conductive ink on the dielectric High-Tg substrate. The results demonstrate that a PCB realised through direct printing is comparable with one that is conventionally manufactured using a standard subtractive photolithographic method.