Production of up to 8 layers in-house
A multilayer printed circuit board are multiple layers that are laminated together to form a printed circuit board. The outer layers are usually single-sided PCBs, while the inner layers are made from double-sided material. Insulating layers, also known as prepregs, are inserted between the conductive layers. Up to four layers can be through-hole plated in a chemical-free process. For electrical connection of up to eight layers, through-hole electroplating is recommended.
LPKF offers a complete prototyping product line for production of multilayers in an in-house lab. The multilayers are produced in three simple steps: structuring, lamination, and through-hole plating.
1. Structuring
An LPKF ProtoMat circuit board plotter or an LPKF ProtoLaser structures the traces on the base material using the layout data. Supported by automatic tool change and a camera for recording of fiducials, the system accomplishes this layer by layer – nearly automatically.
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LPKF ProtoMat S104 Specialist for RF and microwave applications |
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LPKF ProtoLaser S4 Structure, engrave and cut in a single operation |
2. Lamination
After structuring, the layers are aligned precisely and stacked. “Prepregs” insulate the traces on the different layers, connecting the various layers during lamination. The LPKF MultiPress S4 hydraulic press is used for lamination, with the preset process profiles producing perfect results, even for HF multilayers.
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LPKF MultiPress S4 Intuitive software for PCB lamination |
3. Through-Hole Plating
The electrical connections between the individual layers form the final conductor structure. The LPKF Contac S4 drills the through-holes. LPKF ProConduct is used for electrical connection – in a chemical-free process using a special conductive paste. For more than four layers, through-hole electroplating is recommended.
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LPKF ProConduct Chemical-free system designed for lab use |
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LPKF Contac S4 Easy and safe to operate without chemical know-how |