Limata, a professional LDI equipment manufacturer, has officially released its unique and market-proven LUVIR technology ® for all X series products. This unique LDI technology can significantly increase the imaging speed of solder mask ink while reducing equipment maintenance costs.
Innovative technology reduces the energy of UV light required for imaging, and at the same time brings an increase in imaging speed
In the PCB manufacturing process, the imaging quality of solder mask inks has been challenged by the ever-increasing requirements for alignment accuracy and imaging accuracy. Compared with dry film imaging, the imaging of solder mask ink requires higher UV energy. Therefore, the multi-wavelength DI solutions on the market (multi-wavelength corresponding to the UV light band) are too slow for high output requirements, and the cost of manufacturers is also higher (more imaging units or more machines are required).
To meet this challenge, Limata has developed a new combination of infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) solder mask imaging solutions. This solution can shorten the imaging time, increase the output, and at the same time provide the highest specification imaging quality solution for all traditional ink imaging. “Compared with the LED/DMD solution that requires 400 to 1,000mJ/cm2 of UV energy, with LUVIR technology, only 100 to 250mJ/cm2 of UV laser energy can achieve the same imaging effect without affecting solder mask surface’s quality, resolution and accuracy.” Limata Chief Technology Officer Matthias Nagel said, "The use of IR light allows us to reduce the use of UV lasers, thereby reducing the cost of equipment. Compared with other DI solder mask imaging system products on the market, Limata provides a very high cost performance. "
Excellent imaging quality for all traditional inks
The high-efficiency and high-output LUVIR® technology is suitable for all traditional inks, including ink types and colors (such as green, blue, black and white). This prevents PCB manufacturers from switching to more expensive DI special inks. This change in ink materials increases the cost of the ink itself and the certification and time costs of the new ink production process. In addition, LUVIR can support digital direct imaging of solder masks from 4 mil (100 µm) to 6 mil (150 µm) thickness without obvious undercut. At the same speed and yield, this is impossible for a multi-wavelength DMD/LED imaging solution.
Lower production costs, lower equipment maintenance costs
From the production data collected on site, compared with other DI systems, for the traditional ink digital imaging process, the use of LUVIR® technology can reduce the digital imaging process cost by up to 40% each time. The UV/IR module with fully self-developed automatic remote laser calibration function reduces maintenance requirements and reduces the cost of after-sales maintenance. It avoids that manufacturers purchase expensive long-term after-sales service agreements during the equipment production cycle.
The LIMATA X2000 series equipped with four UV/IR imaging units can be used for high-output applications. At the same time, LIMATA also provides the compact X1000 series, which can quickly transfer from the mask/film process to laser direct imaging at a lower cost.
LIMATA's UVIR® technology won the 2019 Productronica Innovation Award in the PCB & EMS Cluster. This technology is equipped on all LIMATA's X series products to meet the needs of PCB customers in different markets and regions. All X series products also support digital direct imaging of dry film at the same time, which can reach 1mil (25µm) line width and line spacing.
