Printed circuit boards (PCBs) have evolved over time from simple one or two-layer constructions to more complex multi-layered boards with various fancy features.
One of the most obvious changes in PCBs is the option to use different colours in the solder mask, with common colours including green, yellow, blue, purple, red, black, and white.
However, it is also possible to have multiple colours on one board by using different shades of solder mask over the fiberglass or copper.
The Hackaday Supercon 2024 conference hosted a talk by Joseph Long, who showcased his experiments with full-colour PCBs.
He explained that two major PCB manufacturers, JLCPCB and PCBWay, began offering colour printed boards in 2024 using a white solder mask layer with a full-colour silkscreen layer printed on top using UV-cured ink.
Full-colour PCBs can be useful for colour-coding pinouts and traces, and for adding photorealistic footprints to indicate where other board-level modules should be soldered in.
