Easy pcb making
Contents
Photo transfer
Needs
- You need access for printer or photocopier able to print slides.
- You need pcb plate material coated with photoresistive lack or buy such lack from shop.
- you need ferrocloride and 2-5% lye (sodium/potassium ok)
- you need lamp. Spot style is better than pipe. Some old mercury steet light is fine.
Method
Print/copy circuit to slides. If ink is weak you can stack several slides to get black enough film.
Get dark room/night, some red lamps don't harm. Open pcb protecting slide. Put slide film on pcb. Some people use glass plate for weight. Put dark cloth or something on film. Put lamp on. When lamp is full warmed take darkening cower off. Keep light on about 5min (400w mercury, 1 meter distance). When time is full shut off lamp. Put board in lye liquids. 5% lye is aggressive, it melt lack almost instantly, 2% give more time. When lack is fine take board and wash it with water. If some parts are missing you can fix it special pen. Put board to ferrocloride solution to melt unwanted copper away.
Plus/Minus
This process is fast (can use big area same time). It is non contact so no wear out tools. Less energy. Needed chemicals are cheap and are posible to manufacture. This is common industrial process to make pcbs.
"Vitamins": Printer, slides. Half vitamins: (currently buy, later maybe own produce), pcb plate, [lye], ferrocloride.
Three step production and every need separate machine (or machine sectors).
Future
* Todo: plans to automate process. Use Mendel to print parts for light chamber etc. * Method to recycle copper from ferrocloride. * Plans for pcb plate material production (induction furnace, upcast, rodex machine + rollers to thin copper plate. Glass fiber is best (heat resistive), but cotton/lina/paper works too. Some epoxy or permanent plastics like bakerlite (phenol+urea) for binder.) * integrate pcb cnc drill.
