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Old 14th Jul 2017, 12:53 pm   #1
David G4EBT
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Cottingham, East Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 5,761
Default 'SENO' Rub-down PCB transfers are no more.

For more years that I can remember, I've been using SENO rub-down PCB transfers for making PCBs when it's not worth creating artwork for UV production. Indeed, back in the 60s and 70s prior to getting into using UV, I made all my PCBs by photocopying magazine designs, taping the layout onto the laminate, drill through all of the holes, then having cleaned off the burrs, 'joining the dots' so to speak, using rub-down transfers. I'm getting low on some transfers - pads, I.C. pads and tracks, so went onto ESRs website and was very disappointed to see that SENO have stopped making the transfers - ERS only have a few of the less desirable ones left - bends with tracks:

https://www.esr.co.uk/electronics/pcb-transfers.htm

MEGA don't have them any more, and no-one else seems to.

Years ago another firm called ALFAC made them, but they seem to have disappeared.

I guess that demand has evaporated. The transfers date back to a time when drafting film and a light-box were used to create a layout with rub-down transfers, then a mask photographically created from that. CAD has long since put paid to that rather primitive technique. SENO transfers were made by a high tech German company, Kepets GmbH and were quite a departure from their normal line of business:

http://kepets.com/

Oh well, just a sign of the times I guess - it's beneath my dignity to use Dalo pens so I guess I'll have to fall back on modelling paint, a magnifying glass and find tipped brush as and when. I've tried a fruitless search using various word strings such as 'rub-down PCB transfers' - don't know if anyone else might like to join the search for 'unobtainium!
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