In printed circuit board (PCB) marking, silk screens must be made for each circuit pattern, and each screen must be kept in stock for a long time, resulting in the need for a large warehouse. Yokogawa Ibiden Components, a manufacturer of PCBs used in electronic equipment, was determined to eliminate its warehouse and initiate a fully digital PCB marking system to provide high-quality marks and quick turnaround time for its customers. To accomplish this, the company chose Markem Corp.'s (Keene, NH) Q2001 OptiMark laser printing system.

The Q2001 system is suitable for semiconductor manufacturers who require permanent, crisp and opaque marks through a completely plateless and digital process.

Yokogawa installed the Q2001 system on a customer-designed, computer-controlled X-Y table handler to mark the images on the PCB. Both the Q2001 and the X-Y table are connected to a computer network that programs each for the operation.

By incorporating Q2001 marking system, Yokogawa was able to combine the high mark quality and package integrity of the silk-screen process with the flexibility and simplicity of a digital process. The result was improved yield, greater uptime and lower operating costs without sacrificing the quality of the mark, which is required for very short production runs.

The Q2001's OptiMark film also made the system ideal for Yokogawa. The Q2001 system uses a sealed CO2 laser that transfers ink from the OptiMark film onto the substrate, creating a permanent, opaque mark without altering the package surface.

Yokogawa is pleased that its vision of introducing a fully digital system into its manufacturing facilities reached fruition.

For more information on PCB printers, call 603-357-4255 or visit www.markem.com.