Homebrew PCBs

> My usually very reliable PCB process (printing onto Jetstar film using an
>
> inkjet printer) failed me yesterday, the transparencies weren't dense  
> enough
>
> and the tracks and pads had little 'cracks' in them. After experimenting
>
> with different settings I gave up and used my laser printer with  
> LaserStar
>
> film. This afternoon I went out and bought a genuine Epson black  
> cartridge,
>
> and found that everything was back to normal. The clone cartridge I've  
> been
>
> using must have become faulty in some way, although it works OK printing  
> on
>
> paper.
>
>
> Leon
>
> --

From: "Stefan Trethan" <stefan_trethan@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2006 10:39 PM
Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] PCB process fails!


> Is the printhead on the cartridge? Maybe some nozzles failed?

No. it's an Epson. That's what I find strange about it.

Leon
--
Leon Heller, G1HSM
leon.heller@...
http://www.geocities.com/leon_heller

From: "Steve" <alienrelics@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2006 11:31 PM
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: PCB process fails!


> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Leon Heller" <leon.heller@...>
> wrote:
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Stefan Trethan" <stefan_trethan@...>
>
>> > Is the printhead on the cartridge? Maybe some nozzles failed?
>>
>> No. it's an Epson. That's what I find strange about it.
>
> That's no guarantee of anything.
>
> It was probably a clog on a couple of nozzles, or you may have simply
> been running out of ink. Nozzles actually failing is extremely rare.
>
> When a new cartridge is inserted, inkjet printers run a cleaning cycle.
>
> With one clogged nozzle, black text and large black areas will look
> fine on paper, as the ink spreads a little. The only way to be sure is
> to run a nozzle check and inspect it. Lots of people run non-Epson
> inks in their Epsons, including me, with few problems.

The nozzle check was OK. Anyway, the new cartridge fixed it.

The PCB is for the u-blox LEA-4A GPS module. I'm interfacing it to a PIC 
16F88 and a Siemens MC55 GSM module. The client wants a very small vehicle 
tracking system on three stacked PCBs. I think I can get it down to about 3 
cm x 3 cm for the production version.

Leon
--
Leon Heller, G1HSM
leon.heller@...
http://www.geocities.com/leon_heller