SOLDER MASK VACUUM LAMINATOR CONVERSION

摘要

A method of and apparatus for eliminating waste of dry film solder mask material in an existing solder mask vacuum laminator in which dry film being laminated to printed circuit boards also spaces the boards from each other and serves as an interconnection therebetween comprises modification of the laminator to adapt it for use in the vacuum lamination of boards to the surfaces of which dry film already has been loosely applied by tacking of the film to the leading and trailing edges of each board. Such modification comprises substituting a reel of carrier film for that one of the dry film supply reels that supplies dry film beneath the boards to be laminated. Additionally, an automatic rewind or takeup unit for the carrier web is provided at the discharge end of the laminator. The original machine shafts for the supply reels of dry film are retained for use with the supply reel for the carrier film and for the rewind unit. All other machine functions are retained.