Abstract: There is herein described a method and apparatus for photoimaging. More particularly, there is described a method and apparatus for photoimaging a substrate (e.g. a web) covered with a wet curable photopolymer wherein a rotatable phototool is pressed and rotated against the substrate to create an imaged substrate which is used to form images suitable for forming electrical circuits such as for printed circuit boards (PCBs), flat panel displays and flexible circuits. There is also described a method and apparatus for directly photoimaging a substrate covered with a wet curable photopolymer, wherein the photoimaged substrate is used to form images such as electrical circuits and a method and apparatus for exposing at least part of a solder mask on a printed circuit board (PCB) using a wet curable photopolymer wherein an imaging process may thereafter occur on the area above the solder mask.

Abstract: There is herein described apparatus and method for directly coating a liquid onto a substrate. More particularly, there is described an apparatus and method for directly coating a liquid onto a substrate where a programmable traversing dispensing head facilitates controlled dispensing of a liquid wet material with respect to size, shape, position, quantity, width and/or length.

Abstract: A contact cleaning machine for removing particulates and other undesirable debris from the surfaces of articles moving along a curved path under the cleaning machine, without disturbing the orientation of the articles which cannot be clamped against movement. Cleaning is performed by a roller (22) which is mounted in the machine to roll across the tops of articles as they pass underneath. The peripheral surface (28) of the roller is coated with a tacky adhesive to lift off the undesirable particles. To avoid the roller applying differential forces to the article, the roller is made conical and convergent towards the axis of curvature of the path followed by the article. The avoidance of differential forces on the unclamped articles eliminates any tendency for the cleaning roller to turn the articles.

Abstract: A laminate such as a PCB material is formed by stacking resin impregnated prepreg sheets (10) between copper foils (12), applying heat and pressure around the periphery of the stack to form an edge-sealed unit, and subjecting a number of such units to a lay-up process in a separate clean area into which they are introduced via surface-cleaning means.