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This paper aims to develop an ideal technique for the preparation of print circuit boards (PCBs) with ladder conductive lines on practical industrial process lines.

First, the raw materials of ladder copper-clad laminates were prepared by plating double-sided copper-clad laminates with vertical plating line. Second, etching compensation experiments were designed and conducted to set up the relationships between etching compensation and width of conductive lines on ladder line print circuit boards (LLPCBs). Third, to evaluate the process technique for the preparation of LLPCBs through etching compensation, verification experiments were designed and conducted on a practical industrial process line, and the quality of lines on LLPCBs was observed and evaluated.

Under the judgment of the quality of conductive lines on LLPCBs as well as the feasibility with a practical industrial process line, the process technique for the preparation of LLPCBs with etching compensation is a simple and reliable method which has the potential to be applied in the industry.

It is the first successful report of a new method that produces LLPCBs with etching compensation and has the potential to be applied in the industry.

The purpose of this study is to present the entry drilling process of flexible printed circuit board (FPCs) and its influence on hole quality, especially hole location accuracy. Compared with the traditional PCB drilling process, the technology of drilling FPCs is facing more problems, such as hole location accuracy, smear on the hole wall surface, burned hole wall surface, etc. Moreover, the materials of FPCs are quite different from the rigid printed circuit boards (RPCs). FPCs no longer contain glass fiber cloths to reinforce resin, resulting in flexibility. Micro-hole quality is the most important issue in FPC drilling. Suggestions were given to obtain higher hole qualities and higher FPC reliability.

The entry drilling process of FPC with different kind of entry boards was observed by a high-speed camera. The hole qualities of FPC micro-drilling, especially hole location accuracy and hole entrance quality, were measured. The relationship between entry boards and hole quality was analyzed.

Significant sliding occurred when drilling FPC with using no-entry board or pure aluminum plate entry board. On the contrary, no significant sliding occurred when using LC-110 or resin-coated aluminum foil (MVC) entry boards. The type, thickness and use-pattern of entry boards influenced hole location accuracy of FPCs seriously. In addition, entry board also influenced the micro-hole entrance quality and micro-hole diameter. The entrance quality of drilling FPC with LC-110 entry board was the best. The diameter variation of drilling FPC with MVC entry board was the smallest. The hole location accuracy decreased as the thickness of entry board increased. Thus, the best use-pattern of entry board was putting a LC-110 under MVC entry board, resulting in best entrance quality and hole location accuracy.

The technology and manufacturing of FPCs in China are obviously behind. Research of FPCs micro-drilling and research data are lacking so far. Thus, it is most necessary to improve the technology level of FPCs micro-drilling in China. Researches on hole quality, especially hole location accuracy of FPCs drilling, were performed in this paper. Suggestions were given to obtain higher hole quality of FPCs.

This paper aims to demonstrate the practicability of the liquid metal printer, developed in the authors’ laboratory, in the direct manufacture and assembly of circuit boards at the end customer side using GaIn24.5 alloy as printing ink at room temperature.

A practical procedure for printing a real designed frequency modulation (FM) radio circuit on flexible and transparent substrate using liquid metal printer was established. Necessary electronic components are then assembled on this circuit board. To enhance the mechanical stability of the FM radio circuit board, we further package the circuit board using room temperature vulcanizing silicone rubber. Finally, an efficient way to recycle the liquid metal ink and electronic components is presented at the end of circuit board’s life cycle.

Methods of designing the circuit patterns that are applicable to liquid metal printer are similar to the conventional printed circuit board (PCB) designing strategies. The procedure of applying liquid metal printer for printing the circuits is entirely automatic, cost-effective and highly time-saving, which allows the user to print out desired device in a moment. Through appropriate packaging, the FM radio circuit board can be flexibly used. These PCBs own many outstanding merits including easy modification and stretchability. Nearly all liquid metal ink and components can be recycled.

The present end-customer-oriented liquid metal printing opens the way for large-scale personal electronics manufacture which is expected to initiate many emerging applications in education, design, industry, entertainment and more maker targets.

The purpose of this paper is to present a clear picture of the challenges of micro drill bit and the developments of novel micro‐drill bits for flexible circuit boards, environmental‐friendly printed circuit boards (PCBs), high aspect ratio drill bit and ultra‐small micro drill bit, as well as the developments of geometry design of micro drill bit.

The paper details the developments trend and challenges of micro drill and PCBs first. Then the current research status of novel micro drill bits for flexible circuit boards, environmental‐friendly PCBs, high aspect ratio drill bit, ultra‐small micro drill bit are described. Finally, the developments of geometry design and drilling process are reviewed.

To achieve excellent performance for drilling flexible PCB, a large helical angle, large flute/land ratio and small web thickness that guarantee the sharp evacuation capability, are adopted in drill bit design. A small helix angle and an appropriate primary face angle are employed for drill bit to process environmental‐friendly printed circuit boards. It is beneficial to implement big helix angle, small primary face angles and small point angles in the design of ultra‐small micro drill bit. An optimum web thickness and step feed should be taken into consideration in high aspect ratio drill bits design.

The paper reviews different solutions of micro drill bits for the state‐of‐the‐art PCB and the developments of geometry design of drill bit for printed circuit boards.