YB-1000A UV-Curable Etch-Resist Ink

What Is It?

YB-1000A is a UV-curable etch-resist ink for selective protection of metal and glass substrates during chemical etching. Unlike a thermal-bake resist, the film is hardened by exposure to UV light — roughly two minutes under a 5–7 kW mercury lamp at 1200–1300 mJ/cm² — which means no hot oven, no long pre-bake, and a much faster line cycle.

YB-1000A is the right resist for short production runs and for jobs where thermal bake is impractical — large aluminium panels where the oven is the bottleneck, glass parts that cannot survive a hot bake, or mixed-material lines that need a single resist that works on metal and glass.

Key Features

• UV cure, no oven. 5–7 kW mercury lamp, 8 m/min belt speed, 1200–1300 mJ/cm². Full cure in roughly two minutes.
• 200–420 mesh screen print. Fine mesh for fine detail, coarser mesh for thicker deposits. Standard polyester mesh, no special preparation.
• Works on metal and glass. Aluminium, copper, stainless steel, glass. Use ferric chloride for metal, hydrofluoric acid for glass.
• Strip in 2–3% NaOH at 40–50 °C. Mild stripper conditions — lower temperature and concentration than thermal-bake resists. The cured film lifts cleanly in 1–3 minutes.
• Coverage up to 36 m²/kg. With appropriate dilution and screen, a single kilogram covers up to 36 square metres of substrate. One of the most economical UV resists in its class.
• 3-year shelf life. Sealed, 5–25 °C, away from strong light. Long shelf life means the ink can be ordered in bulk without waste.

Process Flow

The full sequence from substrate to finished part. Exact temperatures and times depend on the application; full details are in the operating parameters table below.

Technical Specifications

Operating Parameters — Step by Step

1. Substrate preparation. Clean and degrease the substrate. For glass, ensure the surface is dry and dust-free. For aluminium, the natural oxide layer does not need to be removed — the cured UV film bonds well to the oxide.
2. Ink preparation. Stir thoroughly before use. Dilute with the supplier's recommended UV thinner only — a generic thinner can inhibit UV cure and leave a tacky surface.
3. Screen printing. Use a 200–420 mesh polyester screen. Higher mesh for fine detail, lower mesh for thicker film. Print a single pass; the wet film should be glossy and fully covered.
4. UV cure. Pass the panel under a 5–7 kW medium-pressure mercury lamp at 8 m/min. UV dose should be 1200–1300 mJ/cm². The film is fully cured when it is hard and glossy to the touch — usually after one or two passes.
5. Etching. Metal: run on a metal etching machine with ferric chloride. Glass: use hydrofluoric acid in a fume hood with HF-rated equipment. The cured UV film holds up to both chemistries.
6. Strip. 2–3% NaOH at 40–50 °C for 1–3 minutes. The film lifts off cleanly without attacking the substrate.

Typical Applications

• Aluminium nameplates, signage and decorative panels
• Copper and stainless steel industrial templates
• Glass decorative panels, instrument dials and labware marking
• Architectural glass etching
• Mixed metal/glass product lines
• Short production runs and rapid prototyping where oven bake is impractical

Storage and Safety

• UV safety. UV lamps emit dangerous UV-C and UV-B. Operators must wear UV-blocking face shields and long-sleeved clothing. Interlocks on the lamp housing must be operational.
• HF safety (glass etching). Hydrofluoric acid is highly toxic. Use only in a fume hood with HF-rated gloves, apron and face shield. Have calcium gluconate gel on hand for skin exposure.
• Storage. Sealed, 5–25 °C, away from strong light. Shelf life 3 years. Avoid contact with strong acids and bases.
• Ink preparation. Stir thoroughly before use. Dilute only with the supplier's UV thinner.
• Ventilation. UV cure should be vented to outside air. Strip bath should be in a fume hood. Etching in a properly designed etching line with fume treatment.

Quality Inspection

Each batch is checked on a production test panel before it ships. Below: typical adhesion, exposure and development results on PCB and metal substrates.