Saturday, 17 August 2013

Steps To Follow In Manufacturing Of PCB

By Cara Torres


Manufacturing of PCB has been made simple with the introduction of technology in design and preparation. This innovative approach allows manufacturers to achieve better and more precise results. You will be required to get an appropriate photo resist board that has plastic reinforcements on glass. One of the faces of this board is photo sensitive and coated with copper. This surface is initially covered with a plastic film.

You will then place the now transparent printed circuit board beneath the photo resist board. They should be of exact same size. The surface is sensitive after the removal of the plastic film. Placing the mask in the right way-up ensures that the tracks do not end up facing the wrong direction. The board is then ready for transfer into the UV light box.

An appropriate cover should be placed on the box to ensure that it is completely shut. The UV light box is then switched on and left to run for approximately two and a half minutes. Plastic tongs will be used to get the board out of the box after which it is placed on a tank ready for development. The approximate time the board should be left in the box is ten seconds. It should not exceed this limit or go below it by considerable margin.

Plastic tongs are used to transfer the board to the etching tank after it has been thoroughly cleaned using water. The box is switched on for heating until bubbles form. This process is supposed to remove excel copper material in order to leave the tracks clean and clear. This process should be closely monitored to ensure that the tracks are not damaged.

The entire process of etching lasts fifteen to forty five minutes. Exposing your board for less time makes it undeveloped while allowing it to stay for too long will lead to damage. The tracks may even be removed. Monitoring must be on a minute to minute basis. It takes experience to master the entire process.

The layout for PCB is best produced using an auto CAD or Computer Aided Design system. This is a system that allows you to input your own data and later transfer it to your manufacturer. The system allows you to earmark and define the copper layers you need for each job. The component notations and soldier marks will also be clear.

A controlled dark room makes preparation of photo tools easier. This is done using laser driven photoplotters. The room has the right temperature and humidity conditions for work. Converting the data used in manufacture of the images into a pixel image simplifies the process of manufacture. The film is written using a laser writer. The film is ready for unloading by the operator after automatic film development.

Manufacturing of PCB is not complete until profiling or V-cut scoring is done. This is done from the production panel. A scoring machine is used in this process. Cutters are either above or below the panel. The cut is made at a third of the entire thickness in order to leave a film that connects the board together. The board is then checked thoroughly by an experienced person to ensure that everything is in order.




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