How do the big companies print planar traces?

[TheAHan]

From what I've heard, companies like Hifiman and Audeze print the aluminum traces onto the diaphragms to make their planar magnetic headphones.

Does anybody know what method or machine they use to print the aluminum trace rather than etch from a sheet?

 

[sofaspud]

Just a guess... some kind of sputtering technique.

 

[rayma]

Does anybody know what method or machine they use to print the aluminum trace rather than etch from a sheet?

Magnepan MG 1.7 Speaker Its greatest strength is its lack of personality, excellent coherence and low coloration. Review By Ron Nagle

"The Magneplanar 1.7 is now a three way full range Quasi-Ribbon design with a quasi-ribbon bass/midrange, tweeter and super tweeter.
The term Quasi Ribbon refers to a fabrication technique that differs from a true ribbon in that the conductive metal is laminated to
a thin sheet of Mylar film. The super tweeter in the 1.7 is improved by bonding the conductive aluminum foil to a much thinner Mylar backing. "

 

[TheAHan]

@sofaspud thank you, that seems like it would work. And if that is indeed the case, just as I expected that method is well out of diy range.

@rayma thank you, but I'm more talking about planar headphones with very small precise traces where a laminate probably wouldn't be feasible.

 

[lcsaszar]

I think the pattern is printed on an aluminized sheet, and then etched. I am thinking to do it by a laser printer at home. Print on a shiny thick paper, then iron the black paint onto the foil, dissolve the paper in water, then etch it. Same method as transferring the pattern to a PCB copper foil.

 

[Few]

You'll need to decide what small is. Using a Silhouette computer controlled cutter you can easily cut 1 mm wide traces for headphone sized conductor patterns. You could also etch the pattern using a resist layer to control the etching. Screen printing, laser printing... lots of options for creating the pattern. As always, the devil is in the details. I think etching is most common commercially but that doesn't make it the best choice for diy. My experiments (and advice from others) have lead me down the Silhouette path.

Few

 

[TheAHan]

You'll need to decide what small is. Using a Silhouette computer controlled cutter you can easily cut 1 mm wide traces for headphone sized conductor patterns. You could also etch the pattern using a resist layer to control the etching. Screen printing, laser printing... lots of options for creating the pattern. As always, the devil is in the details. I think etching is most common commercially but that doesn't make it the best choice for diy. My experiments (and advice from others) have lead me down the Silhouette path.

Few

That would be excellent if there was an easy and precise way to transfer the resulting cut trace onto a sheet of mylar. How would one go about this?

 

[WrineX]

That would be excellent if there was an easy and precise way to transfer the resulting cut trace onto a sheet of mylar. How would one go about this?

use transfer paper. it sticks but wont adhire. put it on trasnfer paper then spray glue the other side then put it on the mylar. then remove transfer paper.

its used verry often for letter stuff on windows etc.

first stretch the mylar before transfering. after transfer glue ur magnet structure or spacers that hold the whole thing on to the mylar. use markers to align it properly

 

[TheAHan]

use transfer paper. it sticks but wont adhire. put it on trasnfer paper then spray glue the other side then put it on the mylar. then remove transfer paper.

its used verry often for letter stuff on windows etc.

first stretch the mylar before transfering. after transfer glue ur magnet structure or spacers that hold the whole thing on to the mylar. use markers to align it properly

Thank you! Would you say 14 microns is too thick for the aluminum foil for headphones? Could you recommend an aluminum foil supplier possibly?