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Under this heading, the PCB manufacturers Starteam and Würth Elektronik, along with Peters as inkjet coating supplier, have taken the initiative and worked together for months in trusting and target-oriented cooperation, to promote this innovative digital coating technology for solder resists and establish it on the market.
Innovative printing strategies open up completely new possibilities in PCB design – in particular through the development of innovative solder resist structures. These 3D structures and optimized material properties take latest developments to a new technical level. Compared to conventional standard PCB manufacturing, they offer not only functional advantages but also significant progress in terms of CO2 reduction. Less materials consumption and shorter energy-intensive process steps contribute to reducing the environmental impact.
More details, interesting solutions, and spectacular design options are available at the Peters booth B3.343 of productronica 2025, as well as from the technical presentation "s.mask: Inkjet-based PCB design for smart manufacturing“ held by Michael Matthes, head of design services at Würth Elektronik and member of the s.mask initiative, on 19 November 2025 at 3 p.m. at the ZVEI PCB & EMS Forum (Hall B3).
All those involved are convinced that this digital inkjet printing technology will prevail.
Picture from left to right: Benjamin Alfes (Peters), Martin Schneider, Tobias Jerzembek (both Starteam), Ralf Schwartz (Peters), Tobias Niethammer, Michael Matthes (both Würth Elektronik), Tobias Borgert (Peters). Photo: Sabine Bohner
