Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: Homebrew PCBs

previous by date index next by date
previous in topic topic list next in topic

Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Double Sided Pcb Plotting

From: JanRwl@...
Date: 2003-06-18

In a message dated 6/18/2003 1:21:55 PM Central Standard Time,
gmanca101@... writes:

> I have an HP 7475A
> plotter that will never plot in alignment.

That kind of plotter may be fine for plotting graphics on PAPER, but I'd
never consider one for plotting something that required the mechanical resolution
of a PCB, particularly a double- or multi-sided one!

If your need is "professional enough" that you require plotter-drawn artwork,
then you must simply go BUY what you need!

If your need is avocational, and/or only very occasional, the use of
manually-applied Bishop Graphics PC-component patterns to 0.1" grid paper is not yet
considered a mortal sin!

An acquaintance who worked for a large chemical firm GAVE me a like-new 7475
that his employer was "throwing out"! I removed the cover to clean it with
solvent, and dust-out the innards, and I saw that it moved the paper with RUBBER
ROLLERS, and the quill across the page with a RUBBER "timing belt" with
considerable "wiggle and flop". And both of those axes were moved by little DC
servo-motors with "shaft encoders" and custom "electronics". This may have been
an acceptable mechanism for moving a felt-tip pen about on smooth paper, but
NOT for plotting something like PCB art! NO way! Now I grant you, I DID
repeat the buillt-in Demo-Plot on the same sheet of paper, and it repeated all
probably within 0.01", or even better---hard to tell, running a PEN about over
paper! I put an ad on e-bay, and sold it to an artist in a State far, far away
in a few hours! NO regrets!

Jan Rowland


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]