8. PCB Production

Hero Shot of the Week

Summary

Work Process

Calendar

Date To be done What was done
Thursday - 9h Santi meeting
- 10h local meeting		 - Santi is a nice guy
- Intro to stuff
- Vinyl Cut
Friday - FabLab normal work morning
- 3D Print PCB
Saturday
Sunday
Monday - Morning Optic Laser PCB
- Bantam PCB
Tuesday - FabLab normal work
Wednesday - 12h Local
- 13h Regional
- 15h Global

Introduction

Henk and Erwin made an introduction.

They showed us how to use the little PCB CNC and how to control it from ModsProject

So I have a lithography machine but I guess I can put that away into a cupboard and forget about it.

My work

Vinyl

So I wanted to try out to make a battery level indicator. For some reason most of them are doing it with 15V. I want to use it for 1.5V AA & AAA batteries.

The simplest one I found is this one.

That I will combine with this table.

The LED I have are the following

  • RED
  • BLUE
  • GREEN

So I quickly did a KiCAD file. Printed to save it as PDF.

Found an online PDF to JPEG and also to PNG converter. For JPEG Silhouette Studio said that the resolution was too low. No error message for the PNG type.

After some parameter testing I tried to cut my file.

Vinyl Test

The lines are too small.

Back to KiCAD. Need fatter lines.

...

It does not work.

Even with 1mm line width. I am still loosing traces in the cutting process. 😕

Vinyl Cut

From left to right: 0.2mm - 0.5mm - 1.0mm

The copper paper might be too old ? Maybe I am doing something wrong ?

Who knows. It is a fail.

3D Printing

Bantam

Export file:

PCB Editor

File > Fabrication Output > Gerber >

  • F.CU
  • Edge.Cuts

& Other settings if needed

.> Plot

FabAc Schedule

.> gerber2img

drag & drop onto the web

Settings:

  • Black & White
  • Fill edge cut to have the edge cut separately

DL the images. They now can be used in ModsProject to be cut out.

Learning Outcome

Digital Files and Links

Assignment Check

  • group assignment:
    • characterize the design rules for your in-house PCB production process
    • submit a PCB design to a board house
  • individual assignment:
    • make and test a microcontroller development board that you designed
    • extra credit: make it with another process