Homebrew PCBs

I created a simple test pattern yesterday, so that I could see what my 
PCB process was capable of. Here is a (not very good) photo of the results:

http://www.leonheller.com/images/Test.jpg

I couldn't find the reversing ring for my 50 mm lens, and had to use the 
rather awkward macro setting on one of my zoom lenses.

The 6/6 and 4/4 mil tracks are actually a lot better than they appear, 
with no breaks and no shorts.

The transparency was printed at 1200 dpi on Jetstar Premium film on my 
HP 5940 inkjet printer. The PCB material was pre-sensitised (positive) 
Mega Electronics FPC 16 laminate. Warm FeCl3 was used for etching.

I use 10/10 and 12/12 mil for most of my boards, and never go below 8/8. 
It looks as though 6/6 should be possible, but 4/4 might be pushing it. :)

Leon
-- 
Leon Heller
G1HSM

Congratulation on a good result!

Out of curiosity you might want to print the resolution target to see how
the printer behaves    with angular lines.   See:

http://www.vinland.com/USAF-1951.html

Bertho

 

From Leon Heller   Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2012 09:39



I created a simple test pattern yesterday, so that I could see what my 
PCB process was capable of. Here is a (not very good) photo of the results:

http://www.leonheller.com/images/Test.jpg

I couldn't find the reversing ring for my 50 mm lens, and had to use the 
rather awkward macro setting on one of my zoom lenses.

The 6/6 and 4/4 mil tracks are actually a lot better than they appear, 
with no breaks and no shorts.

The transparency was printed at 1200 dpi on Jetstar Premium film on my 
HP 5940 inkjet printer. The PCB material was pre-sensitised (positive) 
Mega Electronics FPC 16 laminate. Warm FeCl3 was used for etching.

I use 10/10 and 12/12 mil for most of my boards, and never go below 8/8. 
It looks as though 6/6 should be possible, but 4/4 might be pushing it. :)

Leon





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

On 12/02/2012 15:05, Boman33 wrote:
> Congratulation on a good result!
>
> Out of curiosity you might want to print the resolution target to see how
> the printer behaves with angular lines. See:
>
> http://www.vinland.com/USAF-1951.html

Thanks.

The .dxf files aren't available, and I can't do anything with the .dwg 
files.

I don't have any problems with 45 degree tracks on my PCBs, down to 8/8 mil.

Leon
-- 
Leon Heller
G1HSM

The dxf files are still on the ftp server <ftp://vinland.com>; user Public password Public (both capital 'P').

Donald.
--
*Plain Text* email -- it's an accessibility issue
()  no proprietary attachments; no html mail
/\  ascii ribbon campaign - <www.asciiribbon.org>

----- Original Message -----

> From: "Leon Heller" <leon355@...>
> To: "Homebrew PCBs" <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2012 10:23:26 AM
> Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] 6/6 and 4/4 mil tried!
> On 12/02/2012 15:05, Boman33 wrote:
> > Congratulation on a good result!
> >
> > Out of curiosity you might want to print the resolution target to
> > see how
> > the printer behaves with angular lines. See:
> >
> > http://www.vinland.com/USAF-1951.html
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> The .dxf files aren't available, and I can't do anything with the .dwg
> files.
> 
> I don't have any problems with 45 degree tracks on my PCBs, down to
> 8/8 mil.
> 
> Leon
> --
> Leon Heller
> G1HSM
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------
> 
> Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and
> Photos:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBsYahoo! Groups Links
> 
> 
>

Leon,

Actually the .DXF files are there but apparently internet system/browsers do
not like to transfer them with the DXF extension.  If I change the extension
it copies the file.

Anyhow, as mentioned they are available as FTP.

Also all the way to the end are PDF files pre-formatted that can just be
printed.

Different printers often have serious problems with slightly angular lines.

 

If wanted, I can also email you the DXF file directly.

Happy testing,

Bertho

===============================

From: Leon Heller   Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2012 10:23



On 12/02/2012 15:05, Boman33 wrote:
> Congratulation on a good result!
>
> Out of curiosity you might want to print the resolution target to see how
> the printer behaves with angular lines. See:
>
> http://www.vinland.com/USAF-1951.html

Thanks.

The .dxf files aren't available, and I can't do anything with the .dwg 
files.

I don't have any problems with 45 degree tracks on my PCBs, down to 8/8 mil.

Leon
-- 
Leon Heller





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

On 12/02/2012 18:20, Donald H Locker wrote:
> The dxf files are still on the ftp server <ftp://vinland.com>; user
> Public password Public (both capital 'P').
>
> Donald.

Thanks.

Leon
-- 
Leon Heller
G1HSM

Reminder of the Spirals Challenge files, which are tests (gerbrs, pdf,
png, and geda files) for how well you can do a given line/space size:

    http://www.delorie.com/pcb/spirals/

On 13/02/2012 04:54, DJ Delorie wrote:
>
> Reminder of the Spirals Challenge files, which are tests (gerbrs, pdf,
> png, and geda files) for how well you can do a given line/space size:
>
> http://www.delorie.com/pcb/spirals/

Thanks, I'd forgotten about those. I'll import the 6 and 4 mil Gerber 
files into Pulsonix and see how I get on.

Another test would be to see how well the printer copes with diagonal 
lines, using something like your "square" spirals, but octagonal.

I know that you sometimes use 6/6 mil, have you tried 4 mil?

Leon
-- 
Leon Heller
G1HSM

What size are the pads? I will try to do it in Eagle (I do not know it
can import .pcb). I think there is no need to do it as an octogonal,
as other user suggested, there is a simpler way, you can copy the
figure and rotate it 45º, so you have an orthogonal (the original) and
a diagonal one (the one you rotated 45º). Then you can check
differences between both.

2012/2/13, DJ Delorie <dj@...>:

>
> Reminder of the Spirals Challenge files, which are tests (gerbrs, pdf,
> png, and geda files) for how well you can do a given line/space size:
>
>     http://www.delorie.com/pcb/spirals/
>

On 14/02/2012 11:21, Vicent Colomar Prats wrote:
> What size are the pads? I will try to do it in Eagle (I do not know it
> can import .pcb). I think there is no need to do it as an octogonal,
> as other user suggested, there is a simpler way, you can copy the
> figure and rotate it 45\ufffd, so you have an orthogonal (the original) and
> a diagonal one (the one you rotated 45\ufffd). Then you can check
> differences between both.

Of course! That's an easier way to do it. They could both be processed 
at the same time, with smaller patterns.

Leon
-- 
Leon Heller
G1HSM

Keep in mind that 45 degree traces often are not the worst case to create.

Yes, 0, 90 & 45 degrees are the typical one in layout but often the worst
case are at a slight angle.  See the sample targets:

http://www.vinland.com/USAF-1951.html

 

So rotating DJ’s targets just a few degrees might be a more difficult
target.

Bertho

From: Vicent Colomar Prats   Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 06:21



What size are the pads? I will try to do it in Eagle (I do not know it
can import .pcb). I think there is no need to do it as an octogonal,
as other user suggested, there is a simpler way, you can copy the
figure and rotate it 45º, so you have an orthogonal (the original) and
a diagonal one (the one you rotated 45º). Then you can check
differences between both.

2012/2/13, DJ Delorie <dj@... <mailto:dj%40delorie.com> >:
>
> Reminder of the Spirals Challenge files, which are tests (gerbrs, pdf,
> png, and geda files) for how well you can do a given line/space size:
>
> http://www.delorie.com/pcb/spirals/





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

Leon Heller <leon355@...> writes:
> I know that you sometimes use 6/6 mil, have you tried 4 mil?

I've tried 5 mil for some small boards, but not 4.  My clad is 1oz at
the moment, which is hard to etch with fine traces.