Advantages and disadvantages of pcb laser cutting machine

What is PCB Laser Cutting Machine?

• It is a laser system used to peel, separate and separate individual circuit boards from an array of multiple circuit boards on a large panel.

• This is an alternative method and has distinct advantages over other forms of PCB deboarding such as routers, dicing saws or punch presses.

• PCB laser cutting is a process of cutting materials using a high-power laser beam based on computer software controlled parameters.

Other types of ordinary lasers:

Due to the cold ablation characteristics of the UV wavelength, it is ideal for PCB deboarding because it greatly reduces the heat affected zone (HAZ), allowing the beam to cut directly to the edge of the circuit board component.

Other common lasers, such as CO2 (IR wavelength), generate too much heat and the potential to char or carbonize the edge of the board to be considered a viable option for PCB de-boarding (not to mention that CO2 lasers cannot cut copper).

Benefits of PCB Laser Cutting Machines:

No Stress: Solder joints on PCBs are difficult to process with mechanical methods.

No Burrs: Laser cut boards have smooth and clean edges, requiring no further processing.

No Particles: Lasers do not generate the dust particles that are produced by traditional mechanical cutting methods, such as saws and routers.

Therefore, any downstream cleaning can be completely eliminated from the production line.

This is particularly important for PCBs with optical components such as camera lenses, but it also helps reduce failures of on-board sensors.

PCB Laser Cutting MachineVersatility:

Lasers are more versatile than mechanical methods in both application and materials.

They are typically capable of cutting, drilling, ablating metals, and cutting a variety of PCB materials, such as FR4, Rogers microwave substrates, polyimide, sintered ceramics, LTCC, etc.

Disadvantages of PCB Laser Cutting Machine:

Slow cycle: When processing thick materials, the cycle time of laser depaneling is usually slower than using a mechanical router, however, increasing throughput and eliminating cleaning steps usually put lasers first.

Limited Substrate Thickness: Maximum substrate thickness greater than 2mm is not generally recommended. However, this processing envelope will cover the vast majority of all PCBs today.

Initial Investment: The initial equipment investment may be higher than traditional mechanical die cutting or sawing, but the ROI is significantly faster when comparing running costs because lasers do not require expensive carbide dies or frequent saw blade changes.