{"id":1753,"date":"2017-10-09T08:00:02","date_gmt":"2017-10-09T15:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/eagle\/blog\/?p=1753"},"modified":"2023-09-25T10:41:20","modified_gmt":"2023-09-25T17:41:20","slug":"additive-pcb-manufacturing-desktop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/additive-pcb-manufacturing-desktop\/","title":{"rendered":"Additive PCB Manufacturing On Your Desktop"},"content":{"rendered":"

From Subtractive to Additive: PCB Manufacturing is Heading to Your Desktop<\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n

3D printing is booming for businesses and hobbyists. In the <\/span>2017 State of 3D Printing report from Sculpteo<\/span><\/a>, it reports that <\/span>57% of all 3D printing work is done in the first stages of a new product development<\/b>. What does this mean for businesses and the engineers behind it? Ideas can be tested faster, designs can be refined without the heavy costs of traditional manufacturing, and consumers win with more innovative products. While 3D printing has hold of mechanical engineering, architecture, and product design, we have to ask, <\/span>what about us in electronics<\/b>? <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

Subtractive vs. Additive in Electronics Manufacturing<\/h2>\n\n\n

3D printing and additive manufacturing for electronics is still in its infancy, but not because of a lack of interest. The problem has more to do with limitations in materials, and the simple yet challenging question of you how print all of the various layers, materials, and components found in today\u2019s densely packed PCBs?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These days, PCB<\/a>s are still manufactured in a traditional subtractive process. Here, the entire surface of a PCB is plated with copper and the areas that don\u2019t require copper are etched away from the board. It\u2019s like taking a piece of wood and cutting it down to get your required shape and structure. There\u2019s a lot of waste in the process.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"traditional-subtractive-pcb-manufacturing\"\/
The traditional subtractive PCB manufacturing process. (Image source<\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

With additive manufacturing, the process works in reverse. Instead of starting with more material than you need, you build up materials as you need it. For example, rather than etching away copper on an FR4 substrate, in an additive process you\u2019ll start with a thin FR4 substrate and then add copper traces with conductive ink. This additive approach has some serious implications for both engineers and manufacturers, including:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

Freedom to Design and Innovate<\/h3>\n\n\n

As engineers, we\u2019re all accustomed to redesigns and respins, which typically comes later in the design process than we\u2019d like. With additive manufacturing machinery deployed in-house, engineers can enjoy the creative freedom to make changes to a design without traditional time or cost penalties. Imagine being able to iterate on a design and create a prototype on your desktop without waiting around for your fab house to send boards back. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"pcb-prototypes\"\/
Need prototypes without the wait? Additive manufacturing is your answer. (Image source<\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

Less Waste and Costs<\/h3>\n\n\n

Additive manufacturing generates way less waste than traditional subtractive methods. Because materials are being added layer by layer, machines are only using materials that are needed for the task at hand without any of the added waste of removing materials. It has been found that additive manufacturing can reduce material costs and waste by up to 90 percent. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

Protected Intellectual Property<\/h3>\n\n\n

With in-house additive manufacturing businesses no longer need to ship off their intellectual property to a third-party. This keeps the risk of an IP exposure in-house, and allows businesses to rapidly prototype and iterate on ideas while keeping development costs low. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"protected-intellectual-property\"\/
Prototyping with a third party can increase the risks of IP theft. Keep it safe by keeping it in-house. (Image source<\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The benefits of additive manufacturing also extend to the PCB itself. Circuit boards made with an additive manufacturing process provide:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n