making circuits with conductive glue

I had a thought today. I've read about how a goal is to be able to print circuitry. And most people tackle this with embedding wire/thread. I was thinking though that because that needs a cutter and more moving parts what about using conductive glue like that sold by thinkgeek. I've used it in other projects and can attest that it does conduct as if not careful and it leaks out somewhere you can get a pretty good shock from it if you don't pay attention. Since its a paste/liquid/suspension i figured this was the right section to post that idea. Why not just load it into the paste extruder and just lay down the path of the glue, when dried you have a circuit. I don't know about its solderability but i think if you just use a little of the glue on the components it could work just as well on both surface mount and through hole components. Just a thought, i won't be experimenting with it for a while as i'm in the process of making my mendel through my cupcake printer i bought.

Without trying, you won't find out. Soldering is no issue, as glue usually sticks to what it's applied to. It should not only stick on a PCB surface, but also in IC pins.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

... i used a high conductive (and really expensive) conducting glue mixed from polyimide with embedded silver-flakes.

It's mostly meant for connecting/sealing wires on bond-pads, so the current has only to gap the distance between the wire and the pad ... we had to heat-cure the glue in the oven for an hour to lower the resistance.

Most conducting glues and epoxies will have high resistances when used for tracks, so you can't drive the typical currents for common PCB's ...

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Viktor
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Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

well, i guess i'm not the only one who's thought of it then. thanks for the input.

... i've found recently a cheaper source of conducting polymers - [www.neuhaus-elektronik.de]

The price is with about 30 Euros per 10g or 40 Euros per 25g not so extraordinary high like with the polyimide-paste we used prior ...

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Viktor
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Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

... tried with dispensing thin trays with the conducting 1K-polymer (moisture-curing) - when fresh, a 20cm-tray had around 200 Ohms, after two hours around 5 Ohms ... tomorrow i'll measure, what's the resistance when complete dry ...

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Viktor
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Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

... let it cure over night - measured with two tips pressed on top give the result of 0.5 to 1 Ohm per centimeter ... could be slightly better when measured with embedded pins, as the open surface of the track has some additive contact-resistance on its own ...

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Viktor
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Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

What about copper ink?

What about the conductive paint from bare conductive?

Ben

hmmmm interesting, is there anything based on carbon? or even tin powder? SMD soldering uses these pastes, i reckon at certain mixture levels, they could be cheaper than the 40e per 25g? then prolly heat cure it, or if there is a good filler/resin to go with it?

just a thought though :p

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__my mixed bag blog || aka --> [http] || ___ so 3D printing is everywhere ... dont worry, hospitals can now 3Dprint body parts, they will charge you $1million excluding surgical fees ... you will die paying your debts. thats their aim ___ if every patent expires tomorrow, everybody will surely get a 3dprinter and make EVERYTHING ! ____ there is a "DIY-DTG" t shirt printing forum, you can mod an EPSON printer to PRINT like a pro. ___ CNCzone? overly commercialized it seems ___ my country? they will be taxing you for every cm of road you use and track you to your grave using GPS and its government authorized, now they will fire all the traffic wardens instead.___ EEVBLOG? there is only 1 way to do things --> take it apart like a pro

i have wondered if any one has tried using the reprap to print a circuit onto a pcb then etching it off, i wonder what would work best PVA, PLA, ABS.

This came out in November:

[www.kickstarter.com]

And the company can make custom inks: [www.electroninks.com]

-Rob A>