Peters with inkjet solder resist at Productronica 2023
Peters plans to present the benefits of the brand-new inkjet solder resist at Productronica 2023. At the world's leading trade fair for the electronics manufacturing industry, the coatings manufacturer will focus on the Elpejet IJ 2467 inkjet soldermask.
"Our product is characterized by the fact that no cracks form in the lacquer layer under load and in the long term," says Detlev Schucht, Head of "Research and Development" at Peters. It is this property in particular, which has proven its worth in reflow soldering, that Peters will be presenting shoulder-to-shoulder with Würth Elektronik GmbH & Co KG Circuit Board Technology at Productronica in Munich from November 14 to 17. The company, which is part of the Würth Group, is one of Europe's largest circuit board manufacturers. "Together with Würth Elektronik, we will demonstrate to the interested electronics industry audience the outstanding properties our solder resist possesses," emphasizes the chemical engineer. "As a digital printing variant, the inkjet process offers possibilities for a finely structured application of solder resist, which offers many advantages for customers in the PCB industry," says Kevin Poth, Elpepcb project manager at Peters. Inkjet-coated PCBs can be labeled individually, for example with QR codes, so that each individual PCB can be reliably identified and traced, according to the inkjet project manager at the inkjet printer in the test facility in the Peters laboratory.
"In addition, the Elpejet IJ 2467 solder resist is solvent-free," says the coating engineer, referring to the environmental aspect. The coating is also extremely precise, so that the lacquer is only applied where it is actually supposed to go. Coverage at the PCB edges can be selectively controlled, which conserves resources and increases reliability. "We're talking about an economical process that also saves considerable energy," reports the 31-year-old, who joined Peters seven years ago after graduating with a bachelor's degree in engineering from the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, where he is advancing inkjet technology. "We can tell the Productronica trade audience that both the coating and the coating process are sustainable and meet the most modern demands of the industry," says laboratory manager Detlev Schucht, who points to both the economic and ecological advantages. Coating the solder resist via inkjet saves several process steps at once. "The bottom line: less waste, less energy input, economical use of the high-tech product, no solvents," summarizes the 56-year-old. "That puts customers who use this technology ahead in their CO₂ footprint."