About the manufacturing of PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards).
PCBs are typical 63 mils (1.6 mm) thick (1 mil = 1/1000").
Questions tagged [pcb-fabrication]
693 questions
114
votes
8 answers
Best One-Off DIY PCB Creation Technique
I have finally built up a lab to design electronics in. I have quite a few designs I would like to test. I have tried the printer toner/iron technique a few times but have found that I cannot create small pitch sizes as they tear off while removing…
ThaKidd KG5ORD
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88
votes
6 answers
Looking for circuit board material that can be dissolved
We are working on a product where the entire device needs to be dissolved in liquid after the device has operated and the device is no longer usable or desired.
This is a down-hole application. The device body is either aluminum or magnesium. …
Dwayne Reid
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72
votes
6 answers
What is Copper Thieving and why use it?
On many boards I've seen, there are little copper dots used for the purpose of "Copper Thieving". They're small round copper dots connected to nothing and arranged in an array. Supposedly they're for balancing the copper on the boards to improve…
Gustavo Litovsky
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65
votes
17 answers
How do you cut PCB?
I just spent about 20 minutes trying to cut through a PCB with a hacksaw. These things are really tough.
What is the correct tool to cut PCB material, and get a nice straight line?
I saw something about a guillotine, but can't find a vendor.
littlebirdceo
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41
votes
10 answers
Do dead weight 'components' exist?
After making a prototype circuit board, I usually glue four rubber pads/bumpers to the bottom, to keep it stable on my desk:
Unfortunately, my boards are usually too light. When connected to a few cables, they float around to wherever they're…
K.Mulier
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41
votes
2 answers
What did the manufacturer mean by asking if an angle should be made for the fingers?
I sent in Gerber files designed by someone else to PCBWay. It's a cartridge for a Commodore 64.
They responded today with this question, and I'm not 100% sure what they are asking.
Ref attached screenshot, please advise if we should do 30° degree…
Oggie
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38
votes
8 answers
How to prototype?
How is prototyping done in a professional EE environment? Do you do your prototypes on breadboards, on copper clad boards, Manhattan style, or do you just draw schematics, order PCBs made and assembled and work with them, hacking here and there if…
miceuz
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30
votes
6 answers
High PCB copper thickness: What are the pitfalls?
We need to carry high currents on a PCB (~30Amps sustained), so we are likely to order our PCBs with high copper thickness. So far we've only used 35 microns (1 oz) in our designs, so 'high thickness' for us means, 70 (2 oz) or 105 (3 oz).
We do not…
SomethingBetter
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29
votes
6 answers
Is it better to route a pad to a trace, or a trace through a pad?
When routing a PCB, is it better to route a trace through a pad as in 1 below, or to route a pad to a trace as shown in 2 below?
Nate
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27
votes
3 answers
Mounting hole on a PCB
Here is a picture of 3 mounting holes on three different PCBs.
The red one is what I prepared on Eagle CAD and used "hole" button on the left side menu , something like this:
Do I need to use "via" in order to have the same style mounting hole…
Angs
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26
votes
10 answers
What PCB fabrication methods for *prototypes* are used by professional engineering departments today?
Ten years ago, I worked at a small engineering department within Philips Semiconductors that prototyped all designs before getting them professionally fabricated outside. The method was pretty standard:
Print artwork using a cheap laser printer…
Larry Harson
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25
votes
1 answer
Why is "silkscreen" called that way?
Why is the set of white labels on a PCB called the "silkscreen"?
Randomblue
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25
votes
6 answers
Have I placed too much on this PCB layout?
I am doing my first PCB layout (using Altium) and have finally gotten past the auto-router stage. The result is a mess and there are some missing nets and design rule violations. Have I packed too much on this board or do I just need to re-think my…
user8908459
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23
votes
6 answers
Standard via sizes?
Is there a standard for via sizes, or can you make them any size you want?
(I'm going to be using traditional PCB houses to manufacture my PCB's.)
Thomas O
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23
votes
4 answers
Environmentally sustainable electronics
I am part of my company's work to become more environmentally friendly and sustainable. On a high level for the company that means pursuing ISO certifications (such as ISO 14001) and working according to other standards. But I'm trying to figure out…
Lars Petersson
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