Normally, I just give the file to a PC house and they do it. Otherwise, there are some transfer materials that use a photocopier and an iron. I think it's called Tek Film or something like that. I haven't used them myself, but people I know who have are pretty satisfied.
If you buy a board with photosensitive material, you can print the pattern on a piece of clear film, then expose and develop the board according to the instructions.
If you buy a board with photosensitive material, you can print the pattern on a piece of clear film, then expose and develop the board according to the instructions.
I have good results with Press-n-Peel from www.techniks.com
You will need a laserprinter and an iron.
You will need a laserprinter and an iron.
This is from my own experience:
The iron-on method seems to work for some people quite well but others such as myself have found it to be a wast of time and money (one usable board out of four tries). I'm only guessing, but the choice of iron may make a difference. The latest high-tech, tecflon coaded micro-controlled ones were of no use to me. The ones that worked somewhat were the the old fashioned kind like your granny had.
For drawing a resist pen is required. Regular markers don't resist the etchant sufficiently (or at all). One approag is to tape the patteren to the blank PCB and using a punch make a "ding" where each whole goes. Then draw in the traces free hand. Ugly but works well for simpler layouts. It makes copperfill a no brainer if you want/need that. Sucess depand on you drawing skill which doesn't need to be great.
Although a photo-etch process sounds like the hardest, I found it the easiest and most reliable. I recomend presensitized posative prosess PCBs. Dataek sells some through www.partsexpress.com and www.jameco.com that do not require UV but just a redular 100W bulb. If you find after etching that the traces have a thin or swiss cheesy look you just need to reduce the exposure time by a minute or two. I found this to be the case with a brand new bulb. The chemicals are not all that nasty, just wear gloves old cloths and goggles. Rember Ferric Chloride leaves a really nasty stain so use it only where you don't mind leaving a small mess behind.
The iron-on method seems to work for some people quite well but others such as myself have found it to be a wast of time and money (one usable board out of four tries). I'm only guessing, but the choice of iron may make a difference. The latest high-tech, tecflon coaded micro-controlled ones were of no use to me. The ones that worked somewhat were the the old fashioned kind like your granny had.
For drawing a resist pen is required. Regular markers don't resist the etchant sufficiently (or at all). One approag is to tape the patteren to the blank PCB and using a punch make a "ding" where each whole goes. Then draw in the traces free hand. Ugly but works well for simpler layouts. It makes copperfill a no brainer if you want/need that. Sucess depand on you drawing skill which doesn't need to be great.
Although a photo-etch process sounds like the hardest, I found it the easiest and most reliable. I recomend presensitized posative prosess PCBs. Dataek sells some through www.partsexpress.com and www.jameco.com that do not require UV but just a redular 100W bulb. If you find after etching that the traces have a thin or swiss cheesy look you just need to reduce the exposure time by a minute or two. I found this to be the case with a brand new bulb. The chemicals are not all that nasty, just wear gloves old cloths and goggles. Rember Ferric Chloride leaves a really nasty stain so use it only where you don't mind leaving a small mess behind.
Banned
Joined 2002
I have use this stuff from www.techniks.com and it worked awesome all you need to do is print out a few samples on normal paper and see the layout and see if it has errors. one problem i did have was if the pressure and heat was not applied properly your screwed. also HAIr a single stan of hair will wreck a trace so yeah be careful of hair : O )
Banned
Joined 2002
See this link of my Experience.
http://h24-69-72-2.ca.shawcable.net/photo/view_album.php?set_albumName=etching
http://h24-69-72-2.ca.shawcable.net/photo/view_album.php?set_albumName=etching
I have discovered a decal sheet called lazertran that I now swear by. You just print off whatever you want, and take it to your local copy house and use a photo copier to transfer it to the decal sheet. You can also print off in color on an inkjet and use a color photo copier for awesome color decals. Then, soak it in water, slide it off the paper backing and on to your surface it dries nice and hard. At this point, if you want a durable surface, you bake it on and it gets incredibly hard and stays clear. For stuff like pcbs where you want the actual decal material gone to leave just the laser toner, you soak it in turpentine, which takes the clear coat off but leaves the black pads and lines. The beauty of it is that theres no ironing and peeling off the backing, so your image is transferred perfectly. Throw it in your favorite etchant, and its pro quality (I will soon be using a chemical called cupric chloride, which is looking very promising, as it can be refreshed unlike ferric chloride and the other common ones). One warning, don't try running it through an hp laserjet or any printer with a fusing temperature above 200 degrees C. The clear decal part fuses to everything inside the printer. Dont ask how I know. Its 20 dollars plus shipping for 10 sheets, which may seem like a lot, but its much less than buying presensitized boards and you can also make killer front panel decals for preamps and such. Good luck.
-Chris
-Chris
Oh yeah, the manufacturer website is www.lazertran.com . They have instructions on how to get a decal on pretty much anything.
-Chris
-Chris
Banned
Joined 2002
One can try what what is called Laser Printable Film. There is also a translucent kind of paper which can be used to transfer layouts. Both are widely used in the newspaper industry. I work for a newspaper and have seen the process. But it involves exposing for some time and the equipment will be out of reach for most amateurs.
But I think the LPF can be used for the pressing iron transfer method.
But I think the LPF can be used for the pressing iron transfer method.
If it were me, I would send the files to a pc board making company and have them do it for me. The boards will be much nicer and they don't cost too much.
However, if you really want to do it yourself, I have to recommend the photo method. Just layer your transparencies so that the traces are really opaque. This prevents any swisscheasing on the board. Its quite easy and can make fairly high quality boards.
However, if you really want to do it yourself, I have to recommend the photo method. Just layer your transparencies so that the traces are really opaque. This prevents any swisscheasing on the board. Its quite easy and can make fairly high quality boards.
Although the Press-and-Peel has got a bad reputation when it does work, it works really well. The iron temperature must be right (too hot and the plastic film starts to warp) and the board must be super-clean.
Top tip for cleaning a board: use fine grade glass paper to get the worst of the oxidation off then pop it in your ferric chloride for 30 seconds. The board comes out so clean that the Press-and-Peel doesn't stand a chance of coming off.
Nice one,
David.
Top tip for cleaning a board: use fine grade glass paper to get the worst of the oxidation off then pop it in your ferric chloride for 30 seconds. The board comes out so clean that the Press-and-Peel doesn't stand a chance of coming off.
Nice one,
David.
The lazertran material looks even more suited to putting labels on the front pannel of DIY enclosres. I'm bookmarking this for future use.
For PCB etch it looks less messy than the photo process but sounds like it could take longer that either that or press-n-peel. Also, it's not clear to me that it would be as adaptable to 2-sided pcbs as either of those.
For PCB etch it looks less messy than the photo process but sounds like it could take longer that either that or press-n-peel. Also, it's not clear to me that it would be as adaptable to 2-sided pcbs as either of those.
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