Hi All
A several years back, I found about the technology of making PCBs using a laser printer. Since I was so excited that the days of painstaking manual drawing of tracks were over, I proceeded to buy a brand new laser printer and try it out. However I quickly realized that the printer I bought wasn't good for that purpose. I could barely transfer the toner from the photo paper to the PCB because there was so little toner... Even with maximum possible settings for toner density the printer wasn't releasing enough toner. I COULD make PCBs but it was hard, and there was a failure rate, I mean there were wholes in some tracks, interrupted tracks, rough edges and track sides etc... You get the idea.
I had to stop making electronics for a while but I'm going to be back soon, so I'll be needing a new printer.
But considering my previous experience I thought I should watch out this time...
Now I know that standard laser printers nowadays are not good for making PCBs since all manufacturers aim at saving toner (print maximum number of copies per toner cassette)(I learned that soon after I bought the printer, I wish I knew it before that . My other options are: to buy a second hand printer of old (not economic) model that would have a thicker print, but I don't like this because I want the thing to be reliable and also there are connectivity and driver issues with these old devices and newer computers. Also I could use a service but that is out of the question too, because of sheer inconvenience, I just need the thing to be at hand.
So I'd to go with buying a new printer that I can be sure is suitable for making PCBs.
1. My specific question regards those laser-colour-photo printers. Since a printer like that is going to be used for printing images it needs to print a solid black, right? Or I'm not right on that one?
I'm looking at those:
- HP Color LaserJet Enterprise M553dn;
- XEROX P6600DN;
2. Or how about high end/professional printers. Would those be able to produce thicker prints, or have more settings for that purpose?
HP LaserJet Ent 600 M601dn?
I'm open for other suggestions too.
Now I should mention that I'm willing to spend some extra cash for a printer that I know would do the job so price isn't much of a problem...
Well that's it.
Thanks a lot, in advance!
A several years back, I found about the technology of making PCBs using a laser printer. Since I was so excited that the days of painstaking manual drawing of tracks were over, I proceeded to buy a brand new laser printer and try it out. However I quickly realized that the printer I bought wasn't good for that purpose. I could barely transfer the toner from the photo paper to the PCB because there was so little toner... Even with maximum possible settings for toner density the printer wasn't releasing enough toner. I COULD make PCBs but it was hard, and there was a failure rate, I mean there were wholes in some tracks, interrupted tracks, rough edges and track sides etc... You get the idea.
I had to stop making electronics for a while but I'm going to be back soon, so I'll be needing a new printer.
But considering my previous experience I thought I should watch out this time...
Now I know that standard laser printers nowadays are not good for making PCBs since all manufacturers aim at saving toner (print maximum number of copies per toner cassette)(I learned that soon after I bought the printer, I wish I knew it before that . My other options are: to buy a second hand printer of old (not economic) model that would have a thicker print, but I don't like this because I want the thing to be reliable and also there are connectivity and driver issues with these old devices and newer computers. Also I could use a service but that is out of the question too, because of sheer inconvenience, I just need the thing to be at hand.
So I'd to go with buying a new printer that I can be sure is suitable for making PCBs.
1. My specific question regards those laser-colour-photo printers. Since a printer like that is going to be used for printing images it needs to print a solid black, right? Or I'm not right on that one?
I'm looking at those:
- HP Color LaserJet Enterprise M553dn;
- XEROX P6600DN;
2. Or how about high end/professional printers. Would those be able to produce thicker prints, or have more settings for that purpose?
HP LaserJet Ent 600 M601dn?
I'm open for other suggestions too.
Now I should mention that I'm willing to spend some extra cash for a printer that I know would do the job so price isn't much of a problem...
Well that's it.
Thanks a lot, in advance!