Automatic interconnection system for electronic components

The printed circuit is now accepted as a convenient and economic method of interconnecting electronic components. However, the design of printed circuits (especially multilayer types) is both complicated and expensive. The system described here enables a logic or circuit diagram to be translated into a printed-circuit board within a few hours by using computer techniques. A milling machine is described which processes a standard printed-circuit board into the final circuit. However, if very large numbers of the same circuit are required, the machine can produce photographic masks to be used in the usual method of printing and etching of copper-clad laminates.