Dainippon Screen will start selling a laser plotter for printed circuit boards in August that will reduce running costs to 1/15 current levels. Such laser tools for writing the circuit pattern directly through the resist without a mask are used for prototype and small volume production, but usually use gas lasers that have to be replaced frequently, making them costly to run. Screen’s new product instead uses a long lasting solid state laser. And the laser itself does not need to be replaced, but only the low cost laser diode. The tool will cost ?94 million (approximately US $754,000).

//Nikkei Micro Devices