MGI Digital Technology and Altix present the AltiJet, an industrial inkjet production press for the printed circuit board market. The two French companies, which generate the majority of their sales from exports, have developed this press entirely in-house "disruptive innovation in a market largely dominated by conventional processes.
Responsiveness "hitherto unknown on the market"
The AltiJet, which is aimed at a large number of PCB manufacturers, offers, according to the manufacturers, a level of reactivity hitherto unheard of on the market, for extreme versatility of use.
Combining Altix's expertise in printed circuit board machines with MGI's know-how in inkjet print engines and consumables for printed electronics, this new machine enables prototypes to be produced in record time, and short and medium runs to be launched on demand.
"The production of printed circuit boards is a complex industrial process, requiring numerous manufacturing steps and calling on technologies that have hardly evolved in recent years." emphasizes MGI.
Altijet cuts manufacturing steps in half
Using a digital process, this solution developed by MGI and Altix considerably simplifies and accelerates the production of printed circuit boards (PCBs). What's more, it reduces the company's carbon footprint, according to Altix CEO Jérôme Van Straaten.
The Altix executive explains: "AltiJet reduces the number of steps required to apply the Solder Mask by 50-60%. Processing time is cut in half, as is the number of personnel required.
From an environmental point of view, the replacement of a conventional subtractive process based on solvents and multiple manipulations by an additive inkjet process greatly reduces environmental impact by totally eliminating solvents and showing a sharp drop in energy consumption."
AltiJet, a complementary solution to conventional systems
With this solution, the printed circuit board industry will begin its shift to digital, following the example set by the graphics and printing industries some twenty years ago, believes MGI.
And as in the printing and packaging sectors, this inkjet solution is positioned as a complementary technology to conventional solutions dedicated to large-scale production.
Edmond Abergel, President of MGI Digital Technology, emphasizes: "Since 1982, MGI has developed by offering the printing and packaging market successive breakthrough innovations, with 100% digital production technologies. The culmination of this approach is the AlphaJet, the very first 100% digital 5.0 printing plant on the market.
When we looked at related markets where our expertise in supporting industrial digital transition could be immediately applied, the printed circuit board production market immediately stood out. The meeting with Altix, a major French player in the PCB market, was a natural one, and the very similar DNAs of our two companies immediately led us to envisage joint developments".
The AltiJet will be on show at the Productronica in Munich, from November 14 to 17, 2023.
