Comment by coderjames
7 hours ago
For the 2D version, you might not need very much custom. Use a regular pen plotter and use a pen with conductive ink. These both exist today, though personally as a hobbyist PCB designer, I can get 2-layer and 4-layer boards cheap enough from JLCPCB or Oshpark or PCB Unlimited that I don't bother trying to make them myself.
I always thought conductive ink had too high a resistance to use to make PCBs. That’s not the case?
How do you attach the components to it?
Yes, conductive ink has too high resistance; at least the one that works on a basis of carbon; a "trace" can easily have kilo-Ohms, and the metal ink interface makes things worse.
I remember reading some "Sputnik" magazines from the 1970s where Russian scientists were searching for the holy grail of a good conductor resin. I didn't understand at the time why they found the (concept of the) thing so valuable; but now I've got an inkling...