Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange
Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [etching]

59 questions
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In PCBs, why is copper etched away instead of added?

I know that in virtually every case, PCBs start as a substrate with a layer of copper laminated on top, which is then etched away, leaving the traces. But why are the traces not added on an empty substrate instead? I am well aware that the etching…
David Cian
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4 answers

PCB test patterns to assess etch quality

Does anyone know of a good test sheet for assessing the quality of home etching? Rather than create something and reinvent the wheel, I'm looking for a PDF/PS file featuring tracks of different thicknesses at different orientations. Ideally, it…
Toby Jaffey
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How to rinse container used for ferric chloride etching?

From what I have gathered online, after etching one stores the "used" ferric chloride (more specifically FeCl2 and CuCl) in some container which can then be taken to a waste disposal facility. What about the equipment you use? For example the…
Jet Blue
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9 answers

Ferric Chloride or Muriatic Acid + Hydrogen Peroxide for etching?

Currently purchasing the required kit to start etching my own boards and have gotten to the etching solution stage. Ferric Chloride seems to be the standard for etching but I have also read about Muriatic Acid + Hydrogen Peroxide ecthing, which…
Mr. Hedgehog
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Disposal of ferric chloride etchant

I've just got hold of a nice little PCB etching kit, which uses ferric chloride as the etchant. I know it's re-usable for at least a few etches (though the kit doesn't actually specify an estimated re-use count) but after that I'll need to dispose…
Polynomial
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6 answers

PCB prototyping with Presensitized copper boards

I'm currently working on my first PCB prototyping by using some pre-sensitized PCB board, purchased from Maplins UK. However, I'm having terrible trouble exposing and developing the board, it just never seems to turn out right. I haven't even…
H3liosphan
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4 answers

My PCBs etch all bad! (sodium persulfate)

I've recently started having problems with etching my PCBs. I use a permanent marker to do the traces and etch them in a stainless steel cup, heated with a tea light (small candle.) The PCBs come out very badly, the traces have holes in them and…
thegamebusterpl
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Disposal of the used acid/hydrogen peroxide etchant?

This thread repeated the question how to dispose the used acid/hydgogen peroxide etchant. So how can I dispose acid/hydrogen peroxide etchant? Perhaps interesting thread to other readers, Disposal of ferric chloride etchant.
hhh
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Ferric Chloride Etchant Disposal

I am a beginner with PCBs and wanted to start making some. But before I did, I wanted to make sure I was completely prepared. I just wanted to make sure that the information I have is correct and had another question. How do you dispose of Ferric…
Legend ile
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Does ferric chloride etchant "go bad" after some period of time?

I have some old circuit board etching solution (ferric chloride) that is unused but a few years old and has not been in a temperature controlled environment. It has been sitting, all but forgotten, on a shelf in my garage. I'd like to etch some…
Edward
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5
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How to etch finely-packed SMD boards?

I have tested HCl+peroxide etching with the light/transparent for SMD but it is very easy to get lines broken -- even though I had blue liquid and a proper etching equipment that I could monitor. I am thinking about using just ready fabs such as OSH…
hhh
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What is the typical PCB fabrication process in a professional PCB house?

I have been etching my own boards as part of my hobby interest into electronics, and I can't help but wonder how exactly is the typical printed circuit board manufactured? Unfortunately, details on the process are extremely scarce online. I am aware…
jms
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PCB etching troubles. Over etched?

I'm trying out making PCBs for the first and I'm using the UV photo resist method. It seems to me I have the exposure and developing working very well but I'm having some issues with etching. I'm using standard ferric chloride for now. Here is my…
binarysmacker
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What's Special about Resist Pens?

Just what is special about the resist pens used to draw directly on PCBs before etching? Would a permanent marker work as well, or some other kind pen or marker? Naturally I have in mind something cheaper but good enough. This is for one-off…
DarenW
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Determining the best UV exposure time

I would like to manufacture DIY PCB. I am planning to make a UV box like on this link, then I wonder how I can determine the best UV exposure time? or if I use the Sun as the UV source, how I can determine the exposure time as the strength of sun…
Angs
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