Description
Set up, operate, and control wet-process equipment to image and etch printed circuit patterns on copper-clad laminates. Apply photoresist, expose, develop, etch, strip, rinse, and inspect panels to meet specifications, while maintaining chemical baths, machine settings, documentation, and safety.
- • Adjust etch rate and line widths by setting conveyor speed, spray pressure, bath temperature, and chemical concentration.
- • Image and etch circuit patterns on copper-clad laminates using photoresist lamination, exposure, development, and spray-etch equipment.
- • Load and fixture panels in laminators, exposure frames, developers, and etchers.
- • Set exposure energy, focus, and alignment to reproduce PCB designs to specification.
- • Inspect etched circuits for line width, undercut, bridges, opens, and other defects using microscopes or AOI.
- • Measure and record trace widths, spacing, registration, and copper thickness per travelers.
- • Start and monitor laminators, exposure units, developers, etchers, strippers, and rinse stations.
- • Clean and scrub panels to ensure proper resist adhesion and post-etch cleanliness.
- • Read job travelers, Gerber files, and work instructions to determine process steps and settings.
- • Mix, replenish, and titrate etchants, developers, and strippers; adjust additives to maintain target chemistry.
- • Operate conveyorized spray-etch machines to remove exposed copper from panels.
- • Set registration pins and artwork alignment to achieve required feature sizes and overlay.
- • Rinse and neutralize panels between wet processes; control dwell time and water quality.
- • Inspect etch uniformity and edge quality using calibrated microscopes, test coupons, and gauges.
- • Laminate dry film or apply liquid photoresist at specified temperature, pressure, and speed.
- • Install, align, and clean spray nozzles, filters, rollers, and phototools; perform minor equipment adjustments.
- • Verify first-article panels and phototools against job data; make rework or parameter changes as required.
- • Align and image panels using contact printers or direct imaging equipment.
- • Perform resist touch-up or spot etch rework with approved pens, tape, or micro-etch solutions.
- • Unload panels and place in labeled racks or carriers to prevent damage and cross-mix.
- • Strip photoresist and protective tapes after etch; verify complete removal.
- • Record process parameters and inspection results in logs or MES; tag nonconforming material.
- • Expose panels to etchant to remove unwanted copper while protecting intended circuitry.
- • Use CAM or imaging software to load artwork, scale as required, and assign polarity or layers.
- • Follow safety procedures for acids, solvents, and oxidizers; use PPE, ventilation, and proper waste handling.
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
