Computerized Thick-Film Printer

The computerized thick-film printer has been developed as a manufacturing tool for the efficient and economical production of small quantities of thick-film hybrid microcircuits. Its capability for fine-line definition onto ceramic substrates is based on the use of a high-speed orifice printing process. The printer reduces the time and cost of developing and producing thick-film hybrid microcircuits. Timesavings result because the printer can eliminate some of the steps involved in progressing from the design to screen printing of the circuits. Costsavings result because the printer can eliminate certain key labor-intensive thick-film manufacturing processes. Specifically, savings should be realized by the elimination of 1) critical artwork generation procedures, 2) photolithographic preparation of stencil screens for microcircuit fabrication, 3) intermediate production tooling as represented by the stencil screens, and 4) lengthy prototypeand-redesign cycles. The computerized thick-film printer provides the user with a pattern-design and printing capability suitable for producing prototypes and small-quantity production runs of hybrid.