It has been common for manufacturers to outsource their electronics manufacturing and assembly overseas. This is because they intend to find a cheaper labor force in recent years. Printed circuit boards are one example of an electronic product that they can manufacture and assemble at a lower cost offshore.
When you outsource PCB, you need an experienced contract manufacturer like Rayming PCB & Assembly. In addition, you need one that can provide the right manufacturing facilities and quality assurance inspections for the end product. Assembling a PCB is not as simple as it looks, and many aspects need consideration, from component suppliers to the final product.
What is Orange PCB?
Orange PCB is a special printed circuit board with orange solder mask. The orange has been helpful for many years in the electronics field. It is a unique and reliable component. Furthermore, the orange component is transparent. Therefore, we can easily distinguish Orange PCB uses advanced color printing technology. We use clear film printing under UV light to create a fine contrast between the component layers. As a result, orange PCB shows different color layers of component groups, unlike other printed circuit boards. It also shows the solder mask to enhance visibility. In addition, the orange solder mask prevents components from picking up grease and other harmful substances.
Why orange?
The problem is that, although the component is orange, it is not easy to differentiate between the component and surrounding traces on the PCB. In addition, the component is not for sale at a low price because of its orange color. Customers demand quality products with high reliability and precision. However, they are reluctant to pay for a product that one can confuse with other components on the board.
How does Orange PCB work?
With its unique printing technology, the ink works in two ways to produce a unique color when heat-processed. First, we print the base layer under UV light, which lights up the product’s colors in bright orange. The surface treatment of the printed circuit board is then heat-processed. As a result, we use special printing equipment that exposes it to heat for a short period. When exposed to UV light again, we lose the base color. Then we transform the film layer to a darker orange.
Orange PCB materials
Most PCB companies focus on their convenient manufacturing process and product cost. Thus their products are generally classified into two types: Rigid-rigid and flexible-flexible. Rigid-rigid PCBs are for fixed electronic equipment. They are necessary for permanent installation, local adjustments, and repair. For example, the LCD backlight of laptops and computers, the power board of a stable radio receiver, and the front panel board of a home TV set are all rigid-rigid printed circuit boards.
Orange PCB has been helpful extensively in LCD backlights. This is because it provides efficiency and costs in the product development cycle.
1. Metal:
We use metal to the specification of different components included on the board. Therefore, we arrange the metal continuously, with no gaps or spaces between layers. As a result, a transparent film coating covers the top surface of all metal layers.
2. FR4:
FR4 is a glass fiber (fiberglass) epoxy resin that is the basic material for manufacturing the board. It consists of the high-quality materials necessary to produce printed circuit boards. At Orange PCB, FR4 with standard specifications that comply with IPC-A-610, JIS C6220. So, we use IEC 60112 without any modification to ensure that the same FR4 board is essential for all layers. It reduces waste and improves precision in production.
3. Teflon PTFE:
We coat the copper foil layer using the Teflon PTFE. It forms the nickel plating on the surface of the Teflon PTFE.
The material of the Teflon PTFE helps maintain a stable and smooth finish and prevents possible solder shorts. The Teflon fabrication process also strengthens the board. In addition, it reduces warping when exposing FR4 boards to heat.
Orange PCB printing technology
Inkjet Technology: Printing technology that sprays tiny drops of ink onto a clean surface using a jet mechanism. It is one of the most advanced printing technologies available. We spray liquid ink in tiny droplets directly onto the board surface. The droplets are only 15 to 20 µm in diameter, and we must spray them evenly onto the surface without clumping or dripping. Therefore, a high degree of precision is necessary, especially on the soldering mask. We cover it with tiny lines, curves, and small spaces less than 0.5mm² in area.
Orange PCB printing technology uses the following processes:
1. UV light exposure:
The transparent film coating is exposed to an ultraviolet (UV) light source. This process uses a special machine that exposes the film layer to 8-12 hours of UV light at a wavelength of 365-370 nm
2. Partial curing:
The printed circuit board is cured by drying or heating with air.
3. Post-curing:
The printed circuit board is heated in an oven at 250±5 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes to complete curing.
4. Etching:
We clean the exposed areas of the printed circuit board to remove the photoresist without damaging the underlying layers.
Orange PCB advantages:
1. High precision:
Quality control during production ensures that we place each layer correctly on the previous layer. It accurately exposes it according to specifications. This creates a high-precision, high-quality product that meets customer requirements. It also reduces wastage, thus reducing costs too.
2. Safety:
Orange PCB uses ultraviolet curing technology to create a high-quality product with no harmful substances. Also, the ink used for printing is non-toxic.
3. Cost reduction:
Compared with other printed circuit board materials. It can induce serious allergies and cause skin irritations. Teflon PTFE is not toxic for the human body and does not cause any problems in terms of health or safety to humans and animals. In addition, its durability is much better than FR4 and therefore reduces production costs.
4. Durability:
Using Teflon PTFE as a substrate material is an effective method of preventing warping. It occurs when the substrate material is subject to high temperatures during the manufacture
5. Environmental protection:
Teflon is a material that has low environmental pollution and is not easily oxidized. Also, no harmful substances are helpful in the production process and during use.
Orange PCB technology applications
Products with Orange PCB technology have a wide range of uses. We can apply it to electronic equipment that requires mobility, stability, portability, or safety. They can be helpful in IT, communications, medical treatment, scientific research, military, and aerospace.
Other usages:
- Smart household appliances: Portable computers (laptops), GPS navigation devices, PDAs, heater/air conditioners;
- Entertainment industry: MP3/MP4 players, mobile phones;
- PC components: Power supplies, graphic cards, interfaces, general-purpose input/output, and drives
- Industrial embedded Cables: Industrial LCD and LED monitors;
- Medical equipment: Medical equipment with wireless connection standards (GSM, CDMA 2G, W-CDMA);
- Marine applications: Sonar device control box
Conclusion
The FR4 printed circuit boards, widely used in electronic products, have many advantages. They have been widely helpful due to their low cost and good quality. However, their quality will suffer if we do not produce them with Teflon board materials. Orange PCB is an innovative technology to improve the printing process of printed circuit boards. Therefore, a new era in the printed circuit boards industry has been born.
