On Mon, 30 Dec 2013 06:50:45 -0800 (PST), you wrote:
>I'm starting out to make my first prototype pcb and I need help. I have decided to try the toner transfer method because that seems the easiest (no need to get special photo-sensitive chemicals, no UV etc.) If this doesn't work for me I'll try another method. I'm a hobbyist who has hopes of making products in the future that sell and make me pots of money. But for now I need some basic information. My understanding of toner transfer is a bit hazy, and this is how I think it works:
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>1) One prints the routed pcb tracks on plain paper on an ink-jet printer.
No, not quite. You use a laser printer (B&W). Plain paper may work,
special kinds of paper (e.g. Pulsar paper) work better. You may have
to experiment with the paper, it will control your results.
>2) Place it on the copper-clad pcb surface.
>3) Pass a hot iron on the paper (or use a laminator.)
Laminator is preferred. Be sure to print in reverse for a top layer,
and print the reversed bottom layer normally.
>4) Then etch with cupric chloride solution.
Pretty much, highly simplified, yes.
Make sure the board is clean before you transfer the pattern. A green
foil (not metallic) laid over the board and run through again will
help seal the toner.
You'll need to figure out whether or not you want to make single or
double sided boards. You may find that the best use for homemade
boards is for prototypes, and it may give you better results to use a
commercial board house for production quantities. That's in the
future, though.
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>One additional question that I have is, I have seen numerous references in this forum to "printing on vinyl". Please enlighten me as to what this "vinyl" is.
It's a sign style of vinyl that substitutes for the paper. It may
work for you, I haven't tried it.
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>Have I over-simplified the process, or have I missed something?
There's a bit of process tuning to do, most run the paper and board
through the laminator multiple times (I do, with my laminator, 8
passes, 4 paper up, and 4 paper down). It will take you a bit of
experimentation to figure out what is best for your equipment.
However, you do not use an inkjet (you ∗could∗, but printing directly
on the board is likely to be a more advanced topic), you use a laser
printer. An old HP is likely to be available, and good. 1200 DPI is
better than 600 DPI because of the finer resolution ... needed for
fine pitch surface mount chips.
Harvey
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>I have seen many posts on vast details about printer types, and laminators etc. on this forum. So if someone can point me at a basic tutorial and a list of main issues to watch out for, I would appreciate very much.
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>I apologize for putting this basic question to a forum that is clearly highly advanced in this subject.
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>A million thanks to you all in advance.
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>-Mukundan