Circuit board manufacturing system and method

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a circuit board manufacturing system that includes a drill bit that can cut through-holes in a sheet having a dielectric substrate and an outer conductive layer to form a user-selected arrangement of the through-holes that forms conductive vias in a circuit board. A laser source may generate and direct a laser onto the outer conductive layer to etch away portions of the outer layer and form conductive traces in the sheet. The laser source may generate and direct the laser to etch away the portion of the outer conductive layer and form electrically disconnected trenches around the conductive traces, thereby forming a user-selected pattern of the traces. A controller may control operation of the drill bit and the laser source. The circuit board may include the user-selected arrangement of the vias at the vias and the user-selected conductive traces in the outer conductive layer.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 110,129 (filed on February 15, 2023), which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 397,654 (filed on August 12, 2022), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. Background Art Technical Field

[0003] The subject matter described herein relates generally to manufacturing circuit boards.

[0004] Prior art

[0005] Circuit boards electrically connect and / or mechanically secure predetermined electronic components. While mass production of circuit boards can be a quick process, producing prototype or "one-off" circuit boards can be an expensive and time-consuming process. Slow production times and high costs can result in extremely high development costs in terms of parts and labor. It can take weeks or even months from the time the factory receives the initial circuit board design request to the time the user receives the final circuit board. Furthermore, if the user requires any modifications, or the circuit board is unsatisfactory in any way, this lengthy process may require starting over from the design stage.

[0006] Industrial manufacturing facilities may also use large amounts of toxic chemicals in the production process, which can be harmful to the environment and dangerous to the workers who make the circuit boards.

[0007] It may be desirable to have different systems and methods than those currently available. Summary of the invention

[0008] According to one example or aspect, a system may include one or more movable arms, a via cutting tool, a trace cutting tool, and a controller. The via cutting tool may be detachably coupled to the one or more movable arms. The via cutting tool may cut one or more vias in a sheet to form a user-selected arrangement of the one or more vias. The trace cutting tool may be detachably coupled to the one or more movable arms. The trace cutting tool may cut one or more traces in a sheet to form a user-selected pattern of one or more traces in the sheet. The controller may control movement of the one or more movable arms relative to the sheet to form a user-customizable circuit board in the sheet. The user-customizable circuit board may include a user-selected arrangement of one or more vias and a user-selected pattern of one or more traces in the sheet.

[0009] According to one example or aspect, a method of manufacturing a circuit board may include securing a conductive material to a substrate to form a board medium. The method may include cutting one or more vias in the board medium in a user-selected arrangement. The method may also include cutting one or more traces in the conductive material to form a user-selected pattern of one or more traces. The one or more traces may be surrounded by a trench area on the board medium. The method may include cutting a high temperature material in a user-selected pattern. The method may include applying the high temperature material to the board material.

[0010] According to one example or aspect, a circuit board includes a board medium, a user-selected pattern, and a high temperature material. The board medium can be formed of a substrate covered by a conductive material. The conductive material can include a user-selected pattern so that the user-selected pattern can have a non-conductive groove surrounding the conductive material. The high temperature material can include a user-selected pattern. The high temperature material can be coupled to the board medium above the conductive material. The user-selected conductive material pattern can be exposed through the high temperature material. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The subject matter may be understood by reading the following description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0012] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an example of a manufacturing system for producing or building a circuit board according to an example;

[0013] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of an example of a plate;

[0014] Figure 3 is a front view of another example of a plate;

[0015] Figure 4 is a perspective view of an example of a manufacturing system for producing or building a circuit board according to an example;

[0016] Figure 5 is a perspective view of another example of a plate;

[0017] Figure 6 is a system for aligning and mounting a board according to one example;

[0018] Figure 7 is a front view of an example of a board having traces, vias, and other features;

[0019] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of another example of a manufacturing system for producing or constructing a circuit board;

[0020] Fig. 9 is a front view of the markings that can be added to the board;

[0021] Fig.10 is a schematic diagram of another example of a manufacturing system for producing or constructing a circuit board;

[0022] Fig.11 is a schematic diagram of another example of a manufacturing system for producing or constructing a circuit board;

[0023] Fig.12 is a front view of a high temperature material according to an example;

[0024] Fig.13 is a schematic diagram of another example of a circuit board; and

[0025] Fig.14 is a flow chart of one example of a method of manufacturing a circuit board. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Embodiments of the subject matter described herein relate to systems and methods for manufacturing circuit boards. It may be advantageous to give individuals, small companies, development teams, and others more control over the design and production of circuit boards. This may reduce the cost and time investment associated with the production of customizable circuit boards, provide a more personalized product, provide a more accurate and consistent product, may reduce environmental impact, and may reduce negative health effects associated with manufacturing circuit boards through other known techniques.

[0027] The present subject matter may relate to a method or system for manufacturing a circuit board by fixing a conductive material to a substrate to form a board medium and using a machine to drill and cut vias and / or traces in the board medium, respectively, based on an arrangement or pattern selected by a user. Alternatively, the traces may be formed in another manner, such as using focused energy (e.g., a laser). The formation of the vias and / or traces may be performed by the same machine or a different machine. By providing users with the ability to manufacture their own circuit boards, this may reduce manufacturing time, reduce manufacturing costs, enable more customization, and / or benefit innovators and engineers around the world, compared to some known large-scale circuit board manufacturing techniques.

[0028] Figure 1 One example of a manufacturing system or machine 100 for building or producing circuit boards is shown. The manufacturing system includes one or more movable arms 102, a via cutting tool 104, a trace forming or cutting tool 106, and a controller 110. The system can use the via cutting tool and the trace forming tool to produce a customizable circuit board on or using a sheet of material.

[0029] The arm may be movably mounted to the machine so that the arm can move upward, downward, left, right, backward, forward, and any combination thereof. The arm may include or be connected to one or more motors capable of moving the arm in one or more directions. The motor may be a direct current (DC) drive motor, an alternating current (AC) drive motor, a servo motor, a stepper motor, or the like. In addition, the arm may communicate with a controller so that the controller can guide the movement of the arm. The arm may include a coupling portion, such as a drill chuck, a fixture, a press fit, a quarter-turn lock, a snap fit, or the like. The coupling portion may allow tools such as a via forming tool to be connected to the arm. These tools may be interchangeable with the coupling portion, such as a via forming tool may be removed and a trace forming tool may be connected to the coupling portion of the arm.

[0030] The controller of the system may include one or more processors (e.g., microprocessors, microcontrollers, field programmable gate arrays, integrated circuits, or other logic devices) that may operate based on instructions stored on a tangible and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, such as a software application stored on a memory and / or a software application hardwired to the circuitry of the controller. The controller may store or access information such as circuit schematics, computer-aided design (CAD) files, Gerber files or equivalent files, GCODE files, or any equivalent computer numerical control (CNC) programming language, etc. The controller may control the movement of the movable arm relative to the sheet. The controller may transmit the stored information to the system and the movable arm.

[0031] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of one example of a sheet 108 is shown. The sheet can be a starting material or stock material for manufacturing circuit boards using the systems and methods described herein. The sheet can include a substrate 200 that is non-conductive or substantially insulating. For example, the substrate can be formed from an insulating or dielectric material that cannot conduct electronic signals or energy without more material. The substrate can include a composite material made of resin and fiberglass, which can impart strength to the board as well as flexibility. In one example, the substrate can be insulated aluminum. Insulated aluminum can have advantages in situations where high heat dissipation is required. Users can select different substrates depending on the desired finished product. The substrate can be rigid, flexible, or a combination of rigid and flexible, depending on user preference. A sheet is formed when the substrate is covered with an external conductive material, layer, film, or coating 202 on one side 204 or both opposing sides 204, 206 of the substrate. In one example, the conductive material can be copper and can be secured to the substrate with an adhesive. Optionally, Figure 2 The conductive material shown may represent conductive tape, such as copper tape. The conductive material may include aluminum, iron, etc. The conductive material may be heat set to a substrate. This sheet may be a blank canvas for which any number of custom circuit boards may be produced.

[0032] As one example, the sheet material may represent or be formed from a copper clad layer comprising one, two, or more thin conductive sheets (e.g., copper) bonded to an insulating layer (e.g., a layer of fiberglass resin, such as FR4) using an adhesive (e.g., epoxy). As another example, the sheet material may represent or be formed from a conductive tape (e.g., copper tape, which may be 1 to 3.15 mils or other thickness) bonded to a substrate. This may make flexible, recyclable, metallic, and other circuit boards possible without the typical high costs involved in manufacturing circuit boards. Additionally, due to the etching methods described herein, more fragile materials (such as plastics) may be made of color to prevent overheating or other damage during the etching process (as described below).

[0033] The system can manufacture single-sided circuit boards, where the board has components mounted on only one side 208 or 210 of the board. Double-sided circuit boards can also be produced, where both sides 208, 210 of a board can include components. Multi-layer circuit boards can be produced, where multiple boards can have connected components, and multiple boards are coupled together to form a multi-layer circuit board.

[0034] The via cutting tool can cut one or more holes 212 in the sheet to form a user-selected arrangement of holes. One or more of the holes can be through holes that extend completely through the sheet, or can extend partially but not completely through the entire thickness of the sheet. The user-selected arrangement can be performed by a software tool such as CAD. The user can input the desired design, including the overall electrical components, routing, number of boards, and board dimensions. In one example, the via cutting tool may include a mechanical device that mechanically forms the via through physical contact between the via forming tool and the sheet. The device may include a drill, a milling machine, etc. In Figure 1 In the example shown, a via cutting tool can be coupled to a movable arm of the system. The via cutting tool can be coupled to the movable arm during a first time period to cut a through hole in a sheet of material. In another embodiment, the via cutting tool can be coupled to a first movable arm. The via cutting tool can be removably coupled to the first movable arm or can be permanently coupled to the first movable arm.

[0035] The trace forming tool can cut one or more traces in the sheet to form a user-selected pattern of traces in the sheet. These traces can be formed between two or more vias and / or other areas of the sheet to form conductive paths between vias, between traces, and / or between components that will be added to the sheet later in the manufacturing process. Similarly, the pattern selected by the user can be implemented using software tools such as CAD. In one example, the trace forming tool can be a cutting tool, which includes a blade, a knife, a drill, a milling tool, or other cutting tools. This tool can mechanically cut the conductive material on the sheet. For example, the tool can cut the conductive material 202 on one or both sides of the substrate to remove the conductive material 202 and form a conductive trace. The conductive trace can be formed by the conductive material retained between the areas where the conductive material is removed. Excess conductive material can be removed, leaving a pattern selected by the user as a trace for electrical connection. Removing the conductive material will produce an electrically disconnected area or groove on the sheet. For a multi-layer circuit board, this step can be repeated. Multiple layers can be electrically connected through the vias cut in each board.

[0036] exist Figure 1 In the example shown, a trace forming tool can be coupled to a movable arm of the system. The trace forming tool can be coupled to the movable arm during a second time period to cut a trace in a sheet. The second time period can be different from the first time period. For example, the first time period can be before the second time period and the second time period can be directly after the first time period. In one example, a user can remove a via cutting tool and attach a trace forming tool. In another example discussed in detail below, the via cutting tool and the trace forming tool can be replaced autonomously. In other words, the via cutting tool can be removed and the trace forming tool can be attached without direct user interaction. A controller can guide the autonomous replacement of the tool. In another embodiment, the trace forming tool can be coupled to a second movable arm. The trace forming tool can be removably coupled to the second movable arm or can be permanently coupled to the second movable arm.

[0037] The sheet can be placed under the movable arm. In one embodiment, the system may include a mounting plate or work surface 112 to support or contain the sheet. In one example, the mounting plate can be a platform or a clamping plate. The system may include a carriage or sled 114 (which can be one or more of the above-mentioned conveyors) that can place the sheet under the movable arm. For example, the mounting plate may include a movable belt or platform that can move the sheet under the arm. The sheet can also be manually placed under the arm through user interaction. The carriage may include a self-aligning device to center the sheet under the movable arm. A via cutting tool can be connected to the movable arm. The controller can transmit a specific user-selected arrangement of vias to the movable arm. With the via cutting tool connected to the arm, the controller can guide the movable arm to cut or drill a user-selected arrangement of vias in the sheet.

[0038] like Figure 3 As shown, this can result in a sheet 108 having a series of through holes 212 that can be filled with conductive material to form conductive vias extending through the sheet. In one example, the sheet can be prepared to cut or otherwise form electrical traces in or on one or more sides 208, 210 of the sheet. However, in examples where multiple sheets can be used, additional sheets can be placed on the mounting plate for the same series of vias to be cut or drilled. Once one or more sheets are drilled, electrical traces can be cut on the sheet, as described below. The via cutting tool can then be removed from the movable arm, and a trace forming tool can be coupled to the movable arm for cutting electrically disconnected areas or trenches in the conductive material to form conductive traces in the board, as described below. Optionally, the traces can be formed using a laser, also as described below.

[0039] Figure 4 Another example of a via cutting assembly 400 is shown that moves a via cutting tool to cut a through hole through a sheet of material. Figure 5 An example of a sheet of material is shown before holes are cut through the sheet of material. Figure 6 A plate on or within a via cutting tool is shown. The via cutting assembly may include a mounting plate or working surface 112 on which the plate may be placed. The working surface may include an alignment member or body 600 ( Figure 6 These components or bodies may be fasteners (such as screws or bolts), columns, pins, blocks, etc. Figure 5 As shown, the sheet may include an alignment socket 500 (eg, a through hole) through which the alignment member of the via cutting tool extends. Figure 6 This can help to align the sheet with a via cutting tool (e.g., a drill or drill tip such as Figure 1 The one shown is aligned.

[0040] The via cutting assembly may include a conveyor 102, such as a movable arm, which may support a via cutting tool and move the via cutting tool relative to the sheet. These movable arms or conveyors may include or represent an axis (threaded or non-threaded) along which the arm supporting the via cutting tool moves, a belt that moves the arm supporting the via cutting tool, or a combination of the like. The conveyor may include a motor that moves or translates the via cutting tool in different directions, such as left-right (e.g., relative directions along an x-axis that is parallel to the surface of the sheet facing the via cutting tool) and up-down (e.g., relative directions along a y-axis that is perpendicular to the x-axis and also parallel to the surface of the sheet facing the via cutting tool), so that the via cutting tool can be moved above the sheet in a two-dimensional plane parallel to the surface of the sheet to position the via cutting tool at the location of the through hole to be cut. The conveyor may also lower the via cutting tool to the sheet and pass through the sheet to form a through hole (e.g., in a direction opposite to the z-axis that is perpendicular to the x-axis, the y-axis, and the surface of the sheet facing the via cutting tool). Alternatively, one or more conveyors may move the sheet material instead of or in addition to moving the via cutting tool.

[0041] The via cutting assembly and / or tool can cut a via through the sheet at a desired or oriented location. The sheet with the via can then receive a conductive material into the via to form a via (e.g., a conductive path extending vertically through the thickness of the sheet, or a conductive path extending in a thickness direction perpendicular to the relative surfaces 208, 210 of the sheet along the orientation of the sheet. For example, the via formed by the via cutting tool can be filled with a conductive material. This can be achieved by melting solder paste or a high temperature metal paste into the via, inserting a conductive epoxy into the via, using a metal (e.g., copper) plating technique (e.g., electroplating, chemical plating, etc.), etc.

[0042] In one example, the system can form conductive traces in a sheet by the controller transmitting a user-selected specific pattern for the traces in the sheet through a movable arm. The controller can then direct a trace cutting tool coupled to the movable arm to cut the user-selected pattern of traces on the sheet. For example, if the controller is to form a conductive trace from one via to another via (or to another trace, a conductive pad 332 to which a component will be mounted to the board, etc.), the trace forming tool can cut a portion of the conductive material 202 on the opposite side of the path that the trace will extend. This can remove conductive material outside of the trace or along the outer boundary of the trace, thereby forming a trace through the remaining conductive material.

[0043] A user-customizable circuit board can be produced according to a user-selected arrangement of vias and a user-selected pattern of traces in the board. Where one or more boards are used, the boards can then be joined together to form a multi-board arrangement with appropriate vias and traces formed. In one example, the boards can be joined with glue. In one example, a machine can then test the board to ensure that the electrical connections and traces function as expected.

[0044] like Figure 7 As shown, once the through holes have been cut (and filled with conductive material to form vias 400), and traces 320 have been formed by cutting away excess conductive material in electrically disconnected areas or trenches 330, the sheet 108 can be shown. Excess conductive material can be removed, leaving a user-selected pattern as traces for electrical connections. Removal of conductive material creates electrically disconnected areas or trenches 330 on the sheet, with traces disposed between or bounded by these areas or trenches. This can create conductive traces without involving photolithography, etching, etc., which can be time consuming and / or potentially expose hazardous chemicals. Additional steps discussed below can then be performed, in which the sheet and its components can be marked for easy identification.

[0045] Alternatively, the traces can be formed without or in addition to mechanically removing the conductive material from the substrate using a blade or sharp edge. For example, as described below, a laser can be directed onto the conductive material on one or more sides of the substrate to etch, ablate, or otherwise remove portions of the conductive material. These portions can be removed to form electrically disconnected areas or trenches, thereby also forming conductive traces.

[0046] Figure 8 An example of a trace forming tool 800 is schematically shown. The trace forming tool can be used to form conductive traces in a sheet of material. In one embodiment, a controller directs the trace forming tool to create traces in a sheet of material by removing conductive material in electrically disconnected areas or trenches without mechanically or physically contacting or cutting the conductive material of the sheet of material, without applying any chemicals (e.g., photolithography chemicals or etchants) to the sheet of material, without immersing the sheet of material in any chemicals, etc.

[0047] The trace forming tool may include or represent an energy source that directs energy 802 onto or toward the surface 208 and / or 210 of the sheet to remove portions of the conductive material on the surfaces 208, 210. The removal of these portions forms trenches or electrically disconnected areas, leaving conductive traces between the electrically disconnected areas or trenches. The energy source may represent a laser source that directs focused light (e.g., laser) onto the sheet to ablate, etch, or otherwise remove desired or selected portions of the conductive material on the substrate of the sheet. In one example, the trace forming tool includes a Q-switched laser that produces high-energy short laser pulses. Such a laser source may accumulate lower levels of energy (e.g., in one or more crystals or other devices) and then release or discharge the accumulated energy. This may achieve higher peak powers relative to other types of lasers (such as continuous wave lasers). In addition, because the laser may be applied in a very precise manner, using a laser to remove conductive material and form traces may provide greater precision and / or finer details for circuits formed on and / or in the sheet. Using a laser to ablate conductive material and form pads and / or traces can allow different types of materials to be used as the substrate for the board that would otherwise be unusable in a mechanical or industrial manufacturing process. For example, lighter, plastic, flexible, etc. materials can be used (instead of fiberglass boards). In order to prevent damage to more fragile materials caused by the laser during the etching process, the bulk materials can be given a color that reflects more of the laser energy, thereby preventing them from burning, melting, or other damage that may occur due to contact between the laser and the bulk material. In addition, the bulk material can be made partially or completely transparent or translucent, allowing the laser to pass through the bulk material instead of being absorbed by the bulk material, thereby preventing damage to the bulk material.

[0048] The trace forming tool may optionally form one or more conductive pads by cutting or ablating conductive material on one or both sides of the substrate. These pads may be two-dimensional conductive areas of conductive contacts or pads to which electronic components may be mounted. These components may include processors, graphics cards, ribbons, capacitors, resistors, inductors, etc. Conductive traces may be formed to interconnect different combinations of vias, pads, other traces, etc. to form a circuit board.

[0049] Once the vias, pads, and / or conductive traces are formed, markings can be made on the board. In one example, the marker can be removably coupled to the movable arm. Fig. 9As shown, the marker can apply a mark 900 on the sheet to identify vias, traces, and / or other components of the circuit board. These marks can be drawn on conductive materials that are not removed by the trace forming tool. The mark can also be drawn on high temperature materials covering the conductive material. In one example, the marker can be connected to the movable arm during a third time period. The third time period can be different from the first time period and the second time period. For example, the third time period can be after the first time period and the second time period, so that the mark can indicate the vias cut during the first time period and the traces formed during the second time period. In one example, the user can remove the via cutting tool or the trace forming tool and attach the marker. In another example discussed below, the via cutting tool, the trace forming tool, and the marker can be replaced autonomously. For example, without direct user interaction, the via cutting tool or the trace forming tool can be removed and the marker can be attached. The controller can guide the autonomous replacement of the tool. In one example, the marker can be connected to the third movable arm. The marker can be detachably connected to the third movable arm or can be permanently connected to the third movable arm.

[0050] In another example, the screen can be placed directly on the conductive material or on a cover layer formed by a non-conductive material located on or outside the conductive material (e.g., Kapton), as described below. The mark can then be printed on the conductive or non-conductive material using a marker or pen. Optionally, the non-conductive material (e.g., Kapton) can be exposed to energy (e.g., a laser) to etch or form a mark in the non-conductive material. Some of this energy can pass through the non-conductive material and etch or mark the conductive material below. This can make the mark formed by the screen or other ink more resistant to water, alcohol, flux, or other cleaning materials used for circuit boards.

[0051] Once the vias, pads, and / or traces are formed and applicable markings are optionally applied, the result can be a functional circuit board. The functional circuit board can be the shape of the initial sheet material used. In one example, the machine may also include a board cutting tool. The board cutting tool may be coupled to the movable arm. In one example, the user may remove the via cutting tool, the trace cutting tool, or the marker and may attach the board cutting tool. In another example discussed below, the board cutting tool, the via cutting tool, the trace forming tool, and / or the marker may be replaced autonomously. The board cutting tool may be an end mill, a drill, a blade, etc. The board cutting tool may cut the functional circuit board into a customizable shape. This may allow the user to select the shape of the finished circuit board according to the desired use case. For example, a circuit board having a triangular, circular, rectangular, square, hexagonal, or irregular shape may be advantageous. Optionally, the via cutting tool may cut a plurality of through holes around the periphery of the circuit board to be formed. The circuit board may then be separated from the rest of the sheet material (similar to cutting along the perforated line). The listed shapes are exemplary only and are not intended to limit the shapes that the board cutting tool may produce. The controller may guide the board cutting tool to cut the circuit board according to the input selected by the user.

[0052] Fig.10 An example of a machine 1000 for manufacturing a circuit board is shown, which includes an automatic tool changer 1002. The machine may include an arm 1004 for detachably connecting one or more tools. In one example, the automatic tool changer may be part of the arm. In another example, the automatic tool changer may be separated from the arm. In one example, the tool may include a via cutting tool 1006, a trace forming tool 1008, and a marker 1010. The tool may be replaced autonomously by the automatic tool changer. The automatic tool changer may be a drum changer, a chain changer, a linear changer, etc. The automatic tool changer may include one or more clamping arms and a tool magazine or rack 1012. The automatic tool changer may be coupled to the machine and may be substantially positioned within or adjacent to the machine. For example, the automatic tool changer may receive instructions from a controller that a via cutting tool needs to be replaced with a trace cutting tool. In one example, the arm of the machine is capable of positioning itself above a tool rack and retrieving the tool from the tool rack through a locking system. Once the tool is no longer needed or a new tool is needed, the arm can return to the tool rack to store the tool in its original location, leaving the arm free to position itself over and pick up another tool. This process can be repeated for the removal and placement of any desired tool. An automatic tool changer can allow the machine to run more efficiently and require less user input.

[0053] Fig.11Another example of a machine 1100 for manufacturing a circuit board including an automatic tool changer 1102 is shown. The machine may include an arm 1104 for removably connecting tools such as via cutting tools, trace cutting tools, and markers. The automatic tool changer may be a drum changer, a chain changer, etc. The automatic tool changer may include one or more clamping arms, a base 1106, and a tool magazine 1108. The automatic tool changer may be connected to the machine and may be substantially positioned within or adjacent to the machine. For example, the automatic tool changer may receive instructions from a controller that a via cutting tool needs to be replaced with a trace forming tool. The automatic tool changer may then enter a position for a first clamping arm 1110 to remove the via cutting tool from the arm. The second clamping arm 1112 may retrieve the trace cutting tool from the tool magazine. The automatic tool changer may then rotate so that a second clamping arm with a trace cutting tool is positioned to attach the trace cutting tool to the arm. The first clamping arm may then place the via cutting tool in the tool magazine for storage. This process can be repeated for the removal and placement of any desired tools.Automatic tool changers can allow machines to run more efficiently and require less user input.

[0054] The automatic tool changer may include surface mount technology (SMT) or pick and place machinery. The automatic tool changer may include a verification imaging device, such as a high-resolution camera, to verify which position on the movable arm needs to remove the previous tool and which position on the movable arm the current tool needs to be placed. The machine may have an adjustment system, such as a high-precision linear encoder, to remove and place tools with high accuracy. In one example, the tool may include an identifier that can be read by the verification imaging device to confirm which tool is being removed / placed and where it is being removed / placed. The identifier may be a reflective marker, a quick response (QR) code, a near field communication (NFC) tag, image recognition, etc.

[0055] Fig.12An example of a cover layer 1200 is shown, which can be applied to one or more sides 208, 210 of the sheet once the pads, traces and / or vias are formed in or on the sheet. In one example, the cover layer can be or can include a high temperature material, tape, etc., which can be applied to the sheet to act as a solder mask and / or protective layer. The cover layer can be a thin layer of material, such as a polymer, which can protect the conductive material on the circuit board from oxidation and short circuits during operation, and can act as a solder mask. The cover layer can include Teflon, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Kapton, etc. In one example, the cover layer can be formed from a resin material that can be hardened by exposure to ultraviolet light. The cover layer can also protect the circuit board from environmental factors, such as dust, debris, and other contaminants that may affect the function of the circuit board. When the trace forming tool is connected, the cover layer can be placed under the movable arm. As shown in FIG. Fig.12 As shown, the trace forming tool can cut or ablate a user-selected pattern into the cover layer. This may produce the same pattern on the cover layer as on the board. The through hole 1202 in the cover layer can act as an exposed pad. Fig.13 The coating is shown applied to one or more sides 208, 210 of the sheet. Fig.12 An example of a coverlay is shown. The coverlay can be attached to a board. The coverlay can be attached manually by a user or can be attached using a self-aligning device or fiducial markers. This process can be repeated for a two-layer board or a multi-layer board. A user-selected pattern of the coverlay can be aligned with a user-selected pattern of the board so that traces, pads, and / or vias can be exposed through the through holes in the coverlay.

[0056] Once the cover is secured to the board, solder paste or conductive epoxy can be placed on pads, in holes to form vias, etc. to conductively connect different layers of the circuit board and / or attach components to the circuit board. The conductive epoxy can solidify or cure with temperature or time, while the solder paste can melt within the hole to form an electrical connection between the layers of the circuit board. In order to minimize the possibility of solder paste leaking out of the via or hole and damaging the electrical contact, the solder paste can be placed within the via or hole and then covered with a cover to form a tight seal, which can prevent the solder paste from leaking during heating.

[0057] Alternatively, instead of marking the conductive material of the sheet or in addition to marking the conductive material of the sheet, the trace forming tool may use a laser to mark the cover layer on the sheet. One or more operating settings of the laser may be changed according to the settings used to form the conductive trace. These changed settings may cause the laser to change color or otherwise change the appearance of a portion of the cover layer without ablating, etching or removing the cover layer. These settings may include changing the pulse frequency of the laser pulses (e.g., reducing the frequency) or otherwise reducing the power of the laser. The pulse frequency may be the frequency at which the laser is generated and directed to the sheet. For example, the energy source may accumulate energy over time and then direct the light pulses at a pulse frequency (e.g., 40 kHz or another value). The pulse frequency and the frequency of the laser may be different from each other. For example, the pulse frequency may be 40 kHz or about 40 kHz, while the frequency of the laser may be in excess of two hundred and eighty terahertz. Different materials may react differently to different light pulse frequencies. For example, a conductive material (e.g., copper) on the substrate of the sheet may absorb more laser light and reflect less laser light at a first pulse frequency, but the cover layer may absorb less light and reflect more laser light at a smaller second pulse frequency. Light at a first pulse frequency can be used to form traces and / or pads, and light at a second pulse frequency can be used to discolor or otherwise mark an overlay without removing the overlay or damaging any underlying layers. This can enable the use of a laser to form a mark on an overlay. Alternatively, the output power of the laser can be varied to interact with different materials. For example, a high output power can be used to flatten a conductive material and form traces, while a lower output power can be used to discolor or otherwise mark an overlay without removing the overlay or damaging any underlying layers.

[0058] The laser can also be used to remove unwanted material from one or more areas of the circuit board. For example, the laser emitted by the trace forming tool can be directed to the exposed areas of the conductive material (e.g., pads, traces, etc.) by removing or ablating areas of the covering material above the conductive material. In addition, the laser can be used to remove oxidized areas of the conductive material, improving the solderability of the area. In addition, one or more solvents (e.g., water, isopropyl alcohol, etc.) can be applied to remove carbonization of the conductive material caused by laser ablation.

[0059] Fig.14An example of a method 1400 for manufacturing a circuit board is shown. In 1402, the method may include fixing a conductive material to a substrate to form a sheet. The sheet may include a composite material made of resin and glass fiber. This may provide the board with strength and flexibility that may be required. The conductive material may be copper, aluminum, iron, etc. In 1404, the method may cut one or more through holes in the board medium according to a user-selected arrangement. The user may input the desired arrangement into a software program, which may include a circuit schematic, a CAD file, a Gerber file or equivalent file, a GCODE file, or any equivalent computer numerical control (CNC) programming language, etc. In 1406, the method may form one or more traces in the conductive material to form a user-selected pattern of traces. The traces may be surrounded by a groove area on the board medium. The traces may be formed by cutting off an area of ​​the conductive material or laser ablating or etching an area of ​​the conductive material. In 1408, the method may cut a cover layer according to a user-selected pattern. The cover layer may be a high-temperature tape or other material. In 1410, the method may include applying a cover layer to the board medium. The cover layer may act as a solder mask. The cover protects the conductive materials on the circuit board from oxidation and short circuits during operation. The cover also protects the circuit board from environmental factors such as dust, debris and other contaminants that may affect the function of the circuit board.

[0060] In one example, a machine for making circuit boards may be intended as a consumer machine. This machine may be a desktop circuit board printer that allows individual consumers to design, customize, manufacture, and print circuit boards in a home or office environment. The consumer machine may be small and suitable for home use. In another example, the machine for making circuit boards may be a professional machine. Professional machines may be larger than consumer machines and may include more components. Professional machines may make circuit boards faster than consumer machines. Consumer machines are capable of producing large quantities of customized or customizable circuit boards, which can then be sold to individual consumers.

[0061] In one embodiment, a circuit board manufacturing system may include a drill, a laser source, and a controller. The drill may cut through holes in a sheet having a dielectric substrate and at least one outer conductive layer to form a user-selected arrangement of through holes for forming conductive vias in a circuit board. The laser source may generate a laser and direct the laser onto at least one outer conductive layer to etch away portions of at least one outer conductive layer and form conductive traces in the sheet. The laser source may generate and direct the laser to etch away portions of at least one outer conductive layer and form electrically disconnected trenches around the conductive traces to form a user-selected pattern of conductive traces in the circuit board. The controller may control the operation of the drill and the laser source to form a circuit board. The circuit board may include a user-selected arrangement of through holes for forming conductive vias and a user-selected pattern of conductive traces in at least one outer conductive layer.

[0062] In one embodiment, a system may include a via cutting tool, a trace forming tool, and a controller. The via cutting tool may cut one or more holes in a sheet having a dielectric substrate and at least one external conductive layer to form a user-selected arrangement of the one or more holes. The trace forming tool may form one or more traces in the sheet by one or more of mechanically cutting electrically disconnected grooves using a sharp tool or exposing at least one external conductive layer to a laser to form electrically disconnected grooves, thereby forming a user-selected pattern of one or more traces in at least one external conductive layer. The controller may control the operation of the via cutting tool and the trace forming tool to form a user-customizable circuit board in the sheet. The user-customizable circuit board may include a user-selected arrangement of one or more holes and a user-selected pattern of one or more traces in at least one external conductive layer.

[0063] In one example, the trace forming tool can form one or more traces by exposing at least one outer conductive layer to a laser. The trace forming tool can change one or more of the pulse frequency or wavelength of the laser to mark the cover layer on the at least one outer conductive layer with one or more marks, the one or more marks identifying one or more holes, one or more traces, or both one or more holes and one or more traces. The system may include one or more arms that can move the via cutting tool under the control of the controller. The sheet material can be a flexible material.

[0064] In one embodiment, a method for forming a circuit board may include drilling one or more holes in a sheet having an inner dielectric layer and at least one outer conductive layer. The method may include forming one or more vias by inserting a conductive material into the one or more holes. The method may include forming one or more conductive traces or conductive pads by laser ablating a conductive material around the one or more conductive traces or conductive pads.

[0065] In one example, the method may include applying a cover layer to at least one outer conductive layer. The cover layer may include one or more openings corresponding to at least one of the one or more conductive traces or conductive pads. The method may include forming a mark on the cover layer by exposing the cover layer to laser energy. In one example, the method may include removing oxidation from at least one outer conductive layer by exposing the at least one outer conductive layer to laser. The one or more vias and the one or more conductive traces or conductive pads may be formed without using photolithography or chemical etching.

[0066] In one embodiment, the circuit board may include a board dielectric and a high temperature material. The board dielectric may be formed of a substrate covered by a conductive material. The conductive material may include a user-selected pattern such that the user-selected pattern may have a non-conductive groove surrounding the conductive material. The high temperature material may have a user-selected pattern coupled to the board dielectric above the conductive material. The user-selected conductive material pattern may be exposed through the high temperature material.

[0067] The conductive material may be copper. The high temperature material may be a high temperature tape. The non-conductive trench may be a substrate. The board dielectric may be formed by a substrate and a second substrate covered by a second conductive material. The substrate and the second substrate may be adjacent. The conductive material and the second conductive material may include a user-selected pattern. The user-selected pattern may expose traces, pads, mounting holes, and vias. The substrate may be a flexible material. The substrate may be a non-toxic material.

[0068] The use of phrases such as “one or more of… and…,” “one or more of… or…,” “at least one of… and…,” and “at least one of… or…” are intended to encompass phrases that include only a single item of the items used in conjunction with the phrase, at least one item of each of the items used in conjunction with the phrase, or a plurality of items of any or each of the items used in conjunction with the phrase. For example, “one or more of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” and “at least one of A, B, or C” may each mean (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, (3) at least one C, (4) at least one A and at least one B, (5) at least one A, at least one B, and at least one C, (6) at least one B and at least one C, or (7) at least one A and at least one C.

[0069] As used herein, an element or step described in the singular and followed by the word "a / an" does not exclude a plurality of said elements or operations unless such exclusion is explicitly stated. In addition, reference to "one embodiment" of the present invention does not exclude the existence of additional embodiments incorporating the described features. In addition, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments that "comprise", "comprises", "including", "includes", "have" or "have" an element or multiple elements with a specific property may include additional such elements without the property. In the appended claims, the terms "comprising" and "wherein" are used as concise equivalents of the corresponding terms "including" and "wherein". In addition, in the appended claims, the terms "first", "second" and "third" etc. are used only as labels and do not impose numerical word requirements on their objects. Furthermore, the appended claim limitations are not written in a means-plus-function format and are not intended to be interpreted based on 35 U.S.C. §112(f) unless and until such claim limitations expressly use the phrase "means for..." followed by a recitation of the function without further structure.

[0070] The above description is illustrative and non-restrictive. For example, the above embodiments (and / or aspects thereof) can be used in combination with each other. In addition, without departing from the scope of the present invention, many modifications can be made to adapt specific situations or materials to the teachings of the subject matter of the present invention. Although the size and type of the material described herein limit the parameters of the subject matter of the present invention, it is an exemplary embodiment. By reviewing the above description, other embodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, the scope of the subject matter of the present invention should be determined with reference to the complete scope of the equivalents given by the attached claims and these clauses.

[0071] This written description uses examples to disclose several embodiments of the inventive subject matter, including the best mode, and to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to practice the embodiments of the inventive subject matter, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the inventive subject matter is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.

Claims

1. A circuit board manufacturing system, comprising: a drill bit configured to cut through holes in a sheet of material having a dielectric substrate and at least one outer conductive layer to form a user-selected arrangement of the through holes for forming conductive vias in a circuit board; a laser source configured to generate and direct laser light onto the at least one outer conductive layer to etch away portions of the at least one outer conductive layer and form conductive traces in the sheet, the laser source configured to generate and direct laser light to etch away portions of the at least one outer conductive layer and form electrically disconnected trenches around the conductive traces, thereby forming a user-selected pattern of the conductive traces in the circuit board; and a controller configured to control operation of the drill bit and the laser source to form the circuit board including the user-selected arrangement of the through holes for forming the conductive vias and the user-selected pattern of the conductive traces in the at least one outer conductive layer.

2. A system comprising: a via cutting tool configured to cut one or more holes in a sheet having a dielectric substrate and at least one outer conductive layer to form a user-selected arrangement of the one or more holes; a trace forming tool configured to form one or more traces in the sheet by one or more of mechanically cutting electrically disconnected trenches using a sharp tool or exposing the at least one outer conductive layer to a laser to form the electrically disconnected trenches, thereby forming a user-selected pattern of the one or more traces in the at least one outer conductive layer; and a controller configured to control operation of the via cutting tool and the trace forming tool to form a user-customizable circuit board in the sheet material, the user-customizable circuit board including the user-selected arrangement of the one or more holes and the user-selected pattern of the one or more traces in the at least one outer conductive layer. 3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the trace forming tool is configured to form the one or more traces by exposing the at least one outer conductive layer to the laser.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the trace forming tool is configured to change one or more of a pulse frequency or a wavelength of the laser to mark a covering layer on the at least one outer conductive layer with one or more marks identifying the one or more holes, the one or more traces, or both the one or more holes and the one or more traces. 5 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising one or more arms configured to move the via cutting tool under control of the controller.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the sheet material is a flexible material.

7. A method for forming a circuit board, the method comprising: drilling one or more holes in a sheet having an inner dielectric layer and at least one outer conductive layer; forming one or more vias by inserting a conductive material into the one or more holes; as well as The one or more conductive traces or conductive pads are formed by laser ablating the conductive material around the one or more conductive traces or conductive pads.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: A cover layer is applied to the at least one outer conductive layer, the cover layer having one or more openings corresponding to at least one of the one or more conductive traces or conductive pads.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising: A mark is formed on the cover layer by exposing the cover layer to laser energy.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: Oxidation is removed from the at least one outer conductive layer by exposing the at least one outer conductive layer to laser light.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more vias and the one or more conductive traces or pads are formed without using photolithography or chemical etching.

12. A circuit board, comprising: a sheet dielectric formed of a substrate covered by a conductive material, the conductive material comprising a user-selected pattern such that the user-selected pattern has non-conductive trenches surrounding the conductive material; and A high temperature material having the user-selected pattern coupled to the plate dielectric over the conductive material, wherein the user-selected pattern of the conductive material is exposed through the high temperature material.

13. The circuit board of claim 12, wherein the conductive material is copper. The circuit board of claim 12 , wherein the high temperature material is a high temperature tape.

15. The circuit board of claim 12, wherein the non-conductive channel is the substrate.

16. The circuit board of claim 12, wherein the board medium is formed by the substrate and a second substrate covered by a second conductive material, wherein the substrate and the second substrate are adjacent to each other.

17. The circuit board of claim 16, wherein the conductive material and the second conductive material comprise the user-selected pattern.

18. The circuit board of claim 12, wherein the user-selected pattern is configured to expose traces, pads, mounting holes, and vias.

19. The circuit board of claim 12, wherein the substrate is a flexible material.

20. The circuit board of claim 12, wherein the substrate is a non-toxic material.

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