Homebrew_PCBs

Hi everybody!
Does anybody know how to print on top of the pcb.
(Like you see on electronic building kits, where the components are
marked on top of the pcb)

Great work on setting up one new group Steve :)

Best regards
Thor

Thanks!

You want to do the (usually) silkscreened component
outlines.

You could use toner transfer on the top of the board,
I don't know if it will stick to the fiberglass. Or
you could use a plotter, although that might be fun to
line up.

Try plotting just the board outline on the carrier
paper without the board, then disable the board
outline and plot just the component outlines. Make
sure none of your lines intersect any holes or edges.

If you have a plotter with more than one pen you can
do this in color.

Have a look in the Links section of the group
homepage, I've added some links for Toner Transfer and
using a Plotter.

Steve

--- thor918 <thor918@...> wrote:

> Hi everybody!
> Does anybody know how to print on top of the pcb.
> (Like you see on electronic building kits, where the
> components are
> marked on top of the pcb)
>
> Great work on setting up one new group Steve :)
>
> Best regards
> Thor
>
>
> ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> Homebrew_PCBs-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
> http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Send your FREE holiday greetings online!
http://greetings.yahoo.com

Thanks!

You want to do the (usually) silkscreened component
outlines.

You could use toner transfer on the top of the board,
I don't know if it will stick to the fiberglass. Or
you could use a plotter, although that might be fun to
line up.

Try plotting just the board outline on the carrier
paper without the board, then disable the board
outline and plot just the component outlines. Make
sure none of your lines intersect any holes or edges.

If you have a plotter with more than one pen you can
do this in color.

Have a look in the Links section of the group
homepage, I've added some links for Toner Transfer and
using a Plotter.

Steve

--- thor918 <thor918@...> wrote:

> Hi everybody!
> Does anybody know how to print on top of the pcb.
> (Like you see on electronic building kits, where the
> components are
> marked on top of the pcb)
>
> Great work on setting up one new group Steve :)
>
> Best regards
> Thor

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Send your FREE holiday greetings online!
http://greetings.yahoo.com

In a message dated 06-Dec-01 10:10:12 Central Standard Time, thor918@... writes:

Does anybody know how to print on top of the pcb.

Thor:  This is done by "silk-screening".  A photographically-made "screen" (once made only of silk, but I think, nowadays, some tougher polyester is used?) is used as a stencil, and PAINT is "squeegied" onto the board.  The screen is liquid-tight in areas where you do NOT want the paint, and only the "screen" (open weave of the "silk" cloth) is clear, allowing paint to squeeze through.  This is an "art" which is used in more than just PCB work!  All kinds of posters, signs, labels, etc., are made by the familiar "silk-screen" method.

HOWEVER!  If you just MUST have some labelling on the "top" of a PCB, but wanna make only ONE, and NOT spend all that for the frame, silk-screen stock, developer, squeegie-tool, paint, etc., you can use IMPRESSION lettering and/or patterns.  Good art-supply stores will have more than just letters in that stuff!  You want white or maybe yellow, but NOT black, etc., as those colors hardly show on a FR-4 board.  Once you have "rubbed off" your entire pattern, words, labels, etc., then SPRAY the top with clear enamel or lacquer. AFTER you have etched!  And be careful not to get any of that on the "copper side"!  It will look as nice as your steady hand can do that!  I have done this countless times!  Also, for making "professional looking" panels!  Dial-numbers, ON/OFF, etc.  Just SPRAY it after all the rubbing-off/on is done!

Jan Rowland

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

From: JanRwl@...

To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2001 8:37 PM

Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Print on top of the pcb

In a message dated 06-Dec-01 10:10:12 Central Standard Time, thor918@... writes:

Does anybody know how to print on top of the pcb.

Thor:  This is done by "silk-screening".  A photographically-made "screen" (once made only of silk, but I think, nowadays, some tougher polyester is used?) is used as a stencil, and PAINT is "squeegied" onto the board.  The screen is liquid-tight in areas where you do NOT want the paint, and only the "screen" (open weave of the "silk" cloth) is clear, allowing paint to squeeze through.  This is an "art" which is used in more than just PCB work!  All kinds of posters, signs, labels, etc., are made by the familiar "silk-screen" method.

HOWEVER!  If you just MUST have some labelling on the "top" of a PCB, but wanna make only ONE, and NOT spend all that for the frame, silk-screen stock, developer, squeegie-tool, paint, etc., you can use IMPRESSION lettering and/or patterns.  Good art-supply stores will have more than just letters in that stuff!  You want white or maybe yellow, but NOT black, etc., as those colors hardly show on a FR-4 board.  Once you have "rubbed off" your entire pattern, words, labels, etc., then SPRAY the top with clear enamel or lacquer. AFTER you have etched!  And be careful not to get any of that on the "copper side"!  It will look as nice as your steady hand can do that!  I have done this countless times!  Also, for making "professional looking" panels!  Dial-numbers, ON/OFF, etc.  Just SPRAY it after all the rubbing-off/on is done!

Jan Rowland

To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
Homebrew_PCBs-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com



Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

Hi,
Don't you now any links to sites that explain this with pictures?
and do you know where to buy equipment to do this?

Thanks for the many replies :)

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@y..., JanRwl@A... wrote:
> In a message dated 06-Dec-01 10:10:12 Central Standard Time,
> thor918@o... writes:
>
>
> > Does anybody know how to print on top of the pcb.
> >
>
> Thor: This is done by "silk-screening". A photographically-
made "screen"
> (once made only of silk, but I think, nowadays, some tougher
polyester is
> used?) is used as a stencil, and PAINT is "squeegied" onto the
board. The
> screen is liquid-tight in areas where you do NOT want the paint,
and only the
> "screen" (open weave of the "silk" cloth) is clear, allowing paint
to squeeze
> through. This is an "art" which is used in more than just PCB
work! All
> kinds of posters, signs, labels, etc., are made by the
familiar "silk-screen"
> method.
>
> HOWEVER! If you just MUST have some labelling on the "top" of a
PCB, but
> wanna make only ONE, and NOT spend all that for the frame, silk-
screen stock,
> developer, squeegie-tool, paint, etc., you can use IMPRESSION
lettering
> and/or patterns. Good art-supply stores will have more than just
letters in
> that stuff! You want white or maybe yellow, but NOT black, etc.,
as those
> colors hardly show on a FR-4 board. Once you have "rubbed off"
your entire
> pattern, words, labels, etc., then SPRAY the top with clear enamel
or
> lacquer. AFTER you have etched! And be careful not to get any of
that on the
> "copper side"! It will look as nice as your steady hand can do
that! I have
> done this countless times! Also, for making "professional looking"
panels!
> Dial-numbers, ON/OFF, etc. Just SPRAY it after all the rubbing-
off/on is
> done!
>
> Jan Rowland