Plexiglass PCB

GlidingDutchman · 22nd April 2008, 02:40 PM

Hi there,

I am pondering the idea of doing a pleixglass PCB.
Yes, I know, the idea seems strange but here is what I want to do:

Print the circuit design (top and bottom) (as per normal PCB) on stickable vinyl and stick on a piece of plexiglass (persex). Drill holes for component leads. Wire everything up with point to point technique following the circuit of the print.

What do you think?

GD

jackinnj · 22nd April 2008, 03:25 PM

Plexiglass has a dielectric constant of 2.2 to 3.4 -- which is very good, but it is hard to drill without chipping or causing fatal cracks (you can get special drill bits). There are a lot of methyl methacrylate materials out there and the dielectric constants range from the 2's to 3's.

If you can get polypropylene (2.2) it is a much easier to work material. Almost as good as Teflon which is about 2.0

FR-4 fiberglas has a dielectric constant -- around 4.5 to 5, phenolic PCB material is 5-7.

Dry balsa wood -- around 1.2.

SY · 22nd April 2008, 03:55 PM

Watch the heat. Acrylics melt, discolor, and burn at relatively low temperatures.

obso · 22nd April 2008, 07:29 PM

Aside from the heat and workability problems, doesn't plexi build up an internal static charge? Not sure how that would effect circuit workings.

And where would you get copper clad stickable vinyl that would survive the etching process? You could probably get one of the companys that make flex cables to print your circuit to that and then attach it to the plexi.

jackinnj · 23rd April 2008, 02:57 PM

I use copper and aluminum tape from 3M all the time. You can use it as conductors or for RFI mitigation.

22nd April 2008, 02:40 PM	#1
GlidingDutchman diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2007	Plexiglass PCB Hi there, I am pondering the idea of doing a pleixglass PCB. Yes, I know, the idea seems strange but here is what I want to do: Print the circuit design (top and bottom) (as per normal PCB) on stickable vinyl and stick on a piece of plexiglass (persex). Drill holes for component leads. Wire everything up with point to point technique following the circuit of the print. What do you think? GD

22nd April 2008, 03:55 PM	#3
SY diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Chicagoland Blog Entries: 1	Watch the heat. Acrylics melt, discolor, and burn at relatively low temperatures. __________________ If there's a sucker born every minute, where do the rest of them come from?

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22nd April 2008, 03:25 PM	#2
jackinnj diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Llanddewi Brefi, NJ	Plexiglass has a dielectric constant of 2.2 to 3.4 -- which is very good, but it is hard to drill without chipping or causing fatal cracks (you can get special drill bits). There are a lot of methyl methacrylate materials out there and the dielectric constants range from the 2's to 3's. If you can get polypropylene (2.2) it is a much easier to work material. Almost as good as Teflon which is about 2.0 FR-4 fiberglas has a dielectric constant -- around 4.5 to 5, phenolic PCB material is 5-7. Dry balsa wood -- around 1.2.

22nd April 2008, 07:29 PM	#4
obso diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2008	Aside from the heat and workability problems, doesn't plexi build up an internal static charge? Not sure how that would effect circuit workings. And where would you get copper clad stickable vinyl that would survive the etching process? You could probably get one of the companys that make flex cables to print your circuit to that and then attach it to the plexi.

23rd April 2008, 02:57 PM	#5
jackinnj diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Llanddewi Brefi, NJ	I use copper and aluminum tape from 3M all the time. You can use it as conductors or for RFI mitigation.