Conductive-Ink PCB Printing¶
Conductive-ink PCB printing is a desktop fabrication method in which conductive ink is dispensed onto a substrate to form traces, then cured. Drilling and solder-paste dispensing sit on the same machine. The board is built additively. Copper is not etched, and no photomask is required.
How conductive-ink PCB printing works¶
Gerber files drive a dispenser. A probe maps board height. Ink is laid as traces and pads, then cured on the heated bed. A drill makes holes. Solder paste is dispensed and reflowed on the same plate.
Voltera specifies the V-One at 128 × 116 × 3 mm print area, 0.2 mm minimum trace width and spacing, XYZ resolution 10 × 10 × 1 µm, double-sided layer capacity, FR1/FR4 substrates 1–3 mm thick, and 100–120 VAC (or 200–240 VAC), 575 W. Catalogue figures match the print area, 0.2 mm trace/space, 0.3 mm drill, and 0.6 mm pad.
The comparison with the LPKF ProtoLaser R4 is owned on that page: subtract copper at tens of micrometres, or print ink at 0.2 mm.
When to use conductive-ink PCB printing¶
- A classroom or prototype board needed the same day
- Double-sided boards at 0.2 mm class traces
- Designs that will change before a panel is ordered
- Teaching Gerber-to-board without a wet etch
What conductive-ink PCB printing cannot do¶
- It is not 35/20 µm laser structuring. That is the ProtoLaser.
- 0.2 mm is the floor. Fine-pitch BGAs are not this printer.
- It is not a four-layer production press. Double-sided is the specified capacity.
- Ink is not copper foil. Current-carrying capacity and RF loss differ. Do not treat a printed trace as a 1 oz copper equivalent without measuring it.
The V-One at MPaCT Lab, Flagstaff, Arizona¶
The MPaCT Lab at Northern Arizona University operates a Voltera V-One PCB printer in Flagstaff, Arizona. The catalogue specifies 128 × 116 × 3 mm print area, 0.2 mm minimum trace width and spacing, 0.3 mm minimum drill, 0.6 mm minimum pad, and double-sided and multi-layer workflows. The instrument is listed as available. It is open to NAU researchers, external academic users, and industry partners, on a fee-for-service basis or as a trained hands-on user.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Print area | 128 × 116 × 3 mm |
| Minimum trace width | 0.2 mm |
| Minimum trace spacing | 0.2 mm |
| Minimum drill | 0.3 mm |
| Minimum pad diameter | 0.6 mm |
| PCB capability | Double-sided and multi-layer workflows |
Figures follow the equipment catalogue and Voltera's published V-One technical specifications.
Full V-One specifications and booking →
Sample requirements¶
- Files. Gerber. Say layers, drill, and whether the board is double-sided.
- Substrate. FR1 or FR4, 1–3 mm, fitting the 128 × 116 mm area.
- Components. Paste and reflow are on the same bed. Fine-pitch parts still have to match 0.2 mm traces and 0.6 mm pads.
- Current. If a trace carries power, widen it. The minimum geometry is for signals.
Frequently asked questions¶
What is conductive-ink PCB printing?¶
Conductive-ink printing dispenses silver or similar ink onto a substrate to form traces, then cures the ink on a heated bed. The Voltera V-One also drills, dispenses solder paste, and reflows. The board is additive. Copper is not etched.
What is the difference between the V-One and the ProtoLaser?¶
Additive ink versus subtractive laser. The V-One prints 0.2 mm traces on a 128 by 116 mm area and is the fast classroom board. The LPKF ProtoLaser R4 structures copper-clad laminate at much finer line and space, and is the research PCB tool. The laser page owns that comparison; this page owns the ink process.
How fine a trace can the V-One print?¶
Voltera specifies 0.2 mm minimum trace width and 0.2 mm spacing, 0.3 mm minimum drill, and 0.6 mm minimum pad diameter, on a 128 by 116 by 3 mm print area. That is 8 mil class, not the ProtoLaser's tens of micrometres. QFN and 0402 are near the edge; 0201 is not the job.
Can the V-One make a multilayer board?¶
The catalogue lists double-sided and multi-layer workflows. Voltera specifies double-sided PCBs as the V-One layer capacity. Stacked layers beyond two are a workflow, not a four-layer production press. For laminated multilayers, the LPKF MultiPress is on the laser accessory list, not on this printer.
Why are my traces broken or too thin?¶
Nozzle height, ink rheology, and substrate probe. The V-One maps height before printing. A dirty nozzle, an empty cartridge, or a warped board that the clamp did not flatten will drop ink. 0.2 mm is the specified minimum, not a target for every design. Widen traces that carry current.
Request time on this instrument¶
MPaCT Lab - Building 98E, South Engineering Lab
561 E Pine Knoll Dr, Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Phone: 928-523-2343 · Email: mpct.nano@nau.edu