Single and double-sided printed circuit boards
The most common application is the production of high quality professional printed circuit boards in a prototyping environment. The S42 can mill isolation lines as small as 4 mil (100 µm)* and drill holes as small as 150 µm (6 mil). This reproduces a prototype accurately from the original design data, including the precise geometry needed for SMT components.
*Minimum isolation width depends Cu clad thickness and milling speed chosen. LPKF recommends the use of plotters with higher spindle speed (S62, S100, etc.) for frequent fine applications. |
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Double sided prototype PCB |
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Plated through-holes (PTH)
LPKF offers a variety of through-hole plating solutions for prototype circuit boards including the silver polymer based ProConduct® systems and MiniContac RS electroplating tanks. All of these through-hole plating methods are compatible with the ProtoMat S42. |
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Cross-section of a plated through-hole |
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Multilayer boards
The ProtoMat S42 can fabricate multilayer boards if used in conjunction with a board lamination press such as the LPKF MultiPress systems and a through-hole electroplating system such as the MiniContac systems. |
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LPKF MultiPress S |
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Routing slots, cut outs and board profile
LPKF circuit board plotters easily route out complex board contours. Slots, cut-outs, break-out tabs and other features are also simple to program and cut. |
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Routed board contour |
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Reworking bare boards
The S42 can easily be used to rework bare boards for example, by removing a plated hole or severing key tracks. The optional fiducial camera system allows quick and easy registration. |
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Bare board production panel |
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Solder mask / legend printing
Prototype PCBs produced on an S42 can be finished with a production quality solder mask and legend printing using the LPKF ProMask system in about 40 minutes. |
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Instant Solder mask on prototype boards with LPKF ProMask |
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Front panels, signs and plaques
LPKF circuit board plotters are also useful for engraving front panels, signs and plaques with extraordinary precision, on various materials such as plastics, Plexiglas, aluminum, brass, and others. |
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Engrave text on front panels |
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Inspection templates
The LPKF ProtoMat S42 is well suited for the precise machining of inspection templates -- a crucial element in the assembly of printed circuit boards. |
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Inspection template for SMT assembly |
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