Solder Mask Color Quandry

N

Neophyte

Guest
I working on a retail project which involves a PCB enclosed in an
acrylic case. We want to turn this PCB in different colors, but we're
getting a lot of flack from manufacturers that say they only offer
"green".

We're interested in turning this project in ... yes ... green, as well
as yellow, lavender, a raspberry red, some tone of blue, and clear.

Checking the web, we have found some manufacturers that allow
different color masks, but none offer all the colors - or the types of
colors (raspberry red, for example) that will meet the design spec.

What to do? We've thought of trying to contact soldermask manufactures
(the people who actually make the mask material) but we don't know who
we should communicate with.

Also, the actual PCB needs to retain it's translucency - i.e. the
color cannot be too opaque. Is the opacity of a solder mask an issue
of the mask material it self? Or can the thickness of the applied mask
be specified so we can end up with a product that comes close to the
color and opacity we're interested in?

This is my first visit to this group, and I appreciate any and all
guidance in advance.

Neophyte
 
On 30 Apr 2004 02:08:27 -0700, cole@grailtechnology.com (Neophyte)
wrote:

I working on a retail project which involves a PCB enclosed in an
acrylic case. We want to turn this PCB in different colors, but we're
getting a lot of flack from manufacturers that say they only offer
"green".

We're interested in turning this project in ... yes ... green, as well
as yellow, lavender, a raspberry red, some tone of blue, and clear.

Checking the web, we have found some manufacturers that allow
different color masks, but none offer all the colors - or the types of
colors (raspberry red, for example) that will meet the design spec.

What to do? We've thought of trying to contact soldermask manufactures
(the people who actually make the mask material) but we don't know who
we should communicate with.

Also, the actual PCB needs to retain it's translucency - i.e. the
color cannot be too opaque. Is the opacity of a solder mask an issue
of the mask material it self? Or can the thickness of the applied mask
be specified so we can end up with a product that comes close to the
color and opacity we're interested in?

This is my first visit to this group, and I appreciate any and all
guidance in advance.
Click to expand...
Solder masks are available in a number of colours, for example red is
fairly common.

I have also seen PCB's made from black FR4 laminate with a clear
solder resist. With gold plated pabs the result is stunning.

sPoNiX
 
On 30 Apr 2004 02:08:27 -0700, cole@grailtechnology.com (Neophyte)
wrote:

I working on a retail project which involves a PCB enclosed in an
acrylic case. We want to turn this PCB in different colors, but we're
getting a lot of flack from manufacturers that say they only offer
"green".
Click to expand...
It is also possible to mix solder resist colours:

http://www.p-m-services.co.uk/solder_resist.htm
 
In article <2af7647d.0404300108.74eb3735@posting.google.com>, Neophyte
<cole@grailtechnology.com> writes
I working on a retail project which involves a PCB enclosed in an
acrylic case. We want to turn this PCB in different colors, but we're
getting a lot of flack from manufacturers that say they only offer
"green".

We're interested in turning this project in ... yes ... green, as well
as yellow, lavender, a raspberry red, some tone of blue, and clear.

Checking the web, we have found some manufacturers that allow
different color masks, but none offer all the colors - or the types of
colors (raspberry red, for example) that will meet the design spec.

What to do? We've thought of trying to contact soldermask manufactures
(the people who actually make the mask material) but we don't know who
we should communicate with.

Also, the actual PCB needs to retain it's translucency - i.e. the
color cannot be too opaque. Is the opacity of a solder mask an issue
of the mask material it self? Or can the thickness of the applied mask
be specified so we can end up with a product that comes close to the
color and opacity we're interested in?

This is my first visit to this group, and I appreciate any and all
guidance in advance.
Click to expand...
It's only silk screen printing of a masking ink, nothing more technical
than that. I don't think there is such a thing as a "solder mask
manufacturer".

Most PCB manufacturers will print a range of colours; nonstandard ones
usually costing a bit more. If the one you are talking to can't, keep
looking.
--
Tim Mitchell
 
On 30 Apr 2004 02:08:27 -0700, the renowned cole@grailtechnology.com
(Neophyte) wrote:

I working on a retail project which involves a PCB enclosed in an
acrylic case. We want to turn this PCB in different colors, but we're
getting a lot of flack from manufacturers that say they only offer
"green".

We're interested in turning this project in ... yes ... green, as well
as yellow, lavender, a raspberry red, some tone of blue, and clear.

Checking the web, we have found some manufacturers that allow
different color masks, but none offer all the colors - or the types of
colors (raspberry red, for example) that will meet the design spec.

What to do? We've thought of trying to contact soldermask manufactures
(the people who actually make the mask material) but we don't know who
we should communicate with.

Also, the actual PCB needs to retain it's translucency - i.e. the
color cannot be too opaque. Is the opacity of a solder mask an issue
of the mask material it self? Or can the thickness of the applied mask
be specified so we can end up with a product that comes close to the
color and opacity we're interested in?

This is my first visit to this group, and I appreciate any and all
guidance in advance.

Neophyte
Click to expand...
Try these guys:

http://www.peters.de/index_e.htm
http://www.taiyo-america.com
http://www.coates.com/


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
--
"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com
 
cole@grailtechnology.com (Neophyte) wrote ...
I working on a retail project which involves a PCB enclosed in an
acrylic case. We want to turn this PCB in different colors, but we're
getting a lot of flack from manufacturers that say they only offer
"green".
Click to expand...
One place to look is the Board house list on http://www.cadsoft.de
(the people who make the Eagle layout program). I know some of those
board houses offer colors. For example, http://www.avanticircuits.com/
offers for silkscreen...
[quoted...]
Mask Colors: Green, Blue, Red, Clear, Black, White
Legend Colors: White, Black, Yellow

So there is one place. Maybe not the raspberry you want, but at least
they offer colors as a standard, so you might be able to get them to
custom do other colors for you for a premium.

Another one, http://www.finelinecircuits.com/capabili.htm doesn't
specify the actual colors but does say "Different colors available".

So keep looking and good luck!
PT
 
"Neophyte" <cole@grailtechnology.com> wrote in message
news:2af7647d.0404300108.74eb3735@posting.google.com...
I working on a retail project which involves a PCB enclosed in an
acrylic case. We want to turn this PCB in different colors, but we're
getting a lot of flack from manufacturers that say they only offer
"green".

We're interested in turning this project in ... yes ... green, as well
as yellow, lavender, a raspberry red, some tone of blue, and clear.
Click to expand...

I'd been wondering how we were going to generate the equivalent of
limited-edition colored vinyl LP's in this age of MP3's. Now I know :)
 
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