On Fri, 08 Jan 2010 07:36:21 -0000, you wrote:
>Hi,
>
>While bumbling around the Internet, I ran across a company that sure sounds good for easy PCB fab. It is "Pulsar Professional FX" at http://www.pulsarprofx.com/pcbfx/main_site/pages/start_here/index.html. Has anyone used these products? Are they as good as claimed? Or is it maybe "too good to be true?"
>
>Briefly, their system uses a thin PC board, their special toner transfer paper, a laminator with high/low heat settings, and laser paper for a silk-screen equivalent and a type of solder mask. They also recommend techniques (no cost here) for etching boards with a sponge or a kitchen plastic bag--no etching tank! Use your choice of etchant and laser printer. They offer a 30-day money back gaurantee.
>
>For my needs--one-off production, 1 or 2 layers max, minimal effort and time, and fairly low cost--this sounds ideal. After initial fab, I think I would also use a product called "Liquid Tin" for more corrosion resistance and a translucent green paint which they recommend to make the board look more pro.
You're using essentially what I use, but there are a few caveats....
I'm doing 0.5 mm TQFP packages and 0.010 mm traces. Still working on
getting that perfect....
Normal 0.012 or larger, through hole parts are no problem, double
sided boards.
Following are my observations:
1) paper is expensive, so I cut pieces, tape them to a carrier, and
run them through the laser printer. Costs less that way. Paper is
available only in the 10 sheet packages.
2) board must be absolutely clean, otherwise you end up repairing
traces. Especially critical with smaller traces.
3) The paper can stretch a bit, not enough to give you problems, but
with eagle, I make sure that the bottom and top layers are absolutely
congruent when printing. Print top center only, top layer is both
mirrored and rotated so that the same side of the layer is on the same
side of the printer.
4) toner density is critical, as is toner temperature. HP products do
well, Brother has a higher temperature toner that does not work well
with the laminator.
5) They optimize for 1/2 ounce copper on thin boards. That's ok, but
it does depend on what you can find as copper.
6) I make the boards separately on single sided thin PCB material, top
and bottom, then epoxy them together. That seems to work and gives me
a 0.060 thick board (or thereabouts).
7) I use conventional dip etching. Their technique for etching seems
to require a very sturdy film....
8) be very careful with the green foil, it can ruin traces if not done
right.
Harvey
>
>Again, I'm looking for any intel you might have about these products.
>
>Thanks,
>Jim
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