Color PCBs  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: JohanH
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2023, 12:46:51 pm
content: Apparently one of the manufacturers can now create color PCBs.They use some kind of UV printing.https://prodocs.easyeda.com/en/pcb/other-draw-colorful-silkscreen/index.htmlImagine the possibilities for front panels.Photo by Robert Feranec.

author: CountChocula
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 08, 2023, 12:55:21 pm
content: Pretty neat. The quality doesn't seem great, but it'll probably get better over time if this catches on and is affordable enough to generate sufficient volume. Too bad this only works with JLC's own EDA software, at least for now.I wonder how expensive it'll be…—CC

author: JohanH
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2023, 12:58:53 pm
content: It shouldn't be hard to figure out the format of the color silkscreen from their gerber files.

author: CountChocula
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 08, 2023, 01:00:28 pm
content: Quote from: JohanH on November 08, 2023, 12:58:53 pmAgreed. Still, here's to hoping that eventually the functionality is built right into other EDA packages…thatwould be fun

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2023, 01:04:26 pm
content: I'd be surprised if they can't manage to understand a set of separate Gerber layers, one per colour.

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2023, 05:12:25 pm
content: I want one of those bare PCBs, it's beautiful.

author: 1276-2449-1-ND
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2023, 07:32:18 pm
content: It's done with a UV flatbed printer. Chinese ones are down to around $2000 last I looked. I was going to get one for making front panels, but the printers need to be used every day or the UV ink solidifies in the print head, and I don't have that kind of volume.The quality of that print doesn't look so great. UV printers can get inkjet quality prints (they use Epson print heads), and they also print white so colours can be printed on the white printed parts so the colours pop. UV LEDs on the print head cure the epoxy ink as soon as it's printed.

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 07, 2023, 09:39:47 pm
content: It probably has it's uses, but this looks lie a bad example. For this one I'd rather have a single color silkscreen with crisp letters instead of these mushy color blobs.

author: Sagar
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2024, 06:11:13 am
content: I used the color PCB service from JLCPCB, these PCB looks amazing. adding color to PCBs is making them alive. This service is only offered by JLCPCB and the cost is not too much high I ordered the 5 pcs of 2 layer colored PCB board in just $10.

author: johnboxall
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 08, 2024, 06:12:58 am
content: Quote from: Sagar on July 07, 2024, 06:11:13 amIf possible, could you share some photos?

author: Sagar
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 09, 2024, 07:24:59 am
content: See this one of my friend posted a whole video on it:https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=eGQCPkBmFwc

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 09, 2024, 04:40:49 pm
content: Pity it's only available if you use EasyEDA Pro.