[sdiy] Re: Possibly quick / cheap pcb service - anyone interested?

[Julian]

Hi Seb,

> Did you mention double-sided?

Yeah, although ive only made single side so far.

Double side are quite possible though, but as you say, the trick is in registration accuracy.

> Any idea what kind of registration accuracy you can achieve - I'm thinking minimum via size here.

When making panels, there are times when ive had to remove a panel from the clamping, maipulate it in some way or other, and then 
re-clamp it.

Providing the machine isnt powered down then the panel goes back in exactly the same place, relative to the cutter.

Of course, when a job is flipped, as would be needed for doing DS boards, its impertative that the absolute width of the board is 
know, as, any inaccuracy here will cause the alignment to go out.

(Incidently you may have seen videos on you-tube of people aligning with pins etc by eye - i dont do any of that at all.  I take 
measurements, and then do what the numbers say - ie no 'opinion')

My smaller verniers are about as accurate as you can get without spending crazy money.  In that, i cant see too much reason why the 
alignment shouldnt be pretty good, but, like i say, i havent done any DS boards, so its all very well talking the talk....

> Can you do plated-through-hole also, or would this need to be done manually?

Nope, no plated through hole.  And, additionally, no auto tool change.  So different size drill holes require human intervention, 
which isnt ideal.

> Or did I mis-read, and this is a service for single-side only?

As above : )

(and more to the list than to Seb now...)

Just to make it clear, as im concerned that i may have inadvertently mislead some people with my original post -

The boards are not silk screened, they have no solder mask, and no plated through holes.  They wont even be tinned!

If i was to do it, it wouldnt be marketed as a luxuary service - itlld be aimed as a (hopefully) cheap n' chearfull alternative to 
spending big money on 1-off boards from the usual suspects.

Think along the sort of qualtiy of well etched diy boards that have been drilled by a robot, and youre getting there.

I dont want anyone to think im some sort of new pcb house or somthing - im just aware that i cut the boards for myself, and theyre 
usefull / perfectly usable for me, and, possibly, with some adjustments in the hardware here, i could simplify production enough 
that i may be able to make it economically viable to offer the same to other people.

If youre the type of person who enjoys etching and drilling pcbs, then the service would have nothing to offer you.  If youre somone 
who gave up before they ever managed to get the timing / mix etc. right, but grimace at the price of getting boards made at the 
usual pcb houses, then this (could be) the type of production that would be ideal for you : )


Julian