Difference between revisions of "Techniques"

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== Circuit board techniques ==
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== Printed circuit board fabrication ==
  
[http://www.veys.com/index.php/Making_Home-Made_Printed_Circuit_Boards Toner transfer], Press-and-Peel(tm), photoresist, Sharpie, nail polish.
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=== Homebrew ===
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* [[Toner Transfer]] -- This method involves laser printing your PCB design onto paper, then transferring toner onto copper-clad board.
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* [[Photoetching]] -- Exposure of PCB designs onto photosensitized copper-clad board.
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* [[Chemical Etchants]]
  
[http://www.k9spud.com/wiki/PCB:Etchants Ferric Chloride vs. Ammonium Persulfate] and other etching chemicals.
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=== Commercial PCB fabrication ===
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* [[Submitting PCB's for fabrication]] -- Common processes for submitting PCB's for fabrication.
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* [[PCB Manufacturers]]
  
How to dispose of etchant.
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== Circuit construction (non PCB) ==
  
Commercial PCB fabrication.
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* [[Solderless protoboard]]
 
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* [[Point-to-point]]
* [http://www.batchpcb.com/ BatchPCB, by SparkFun] -- Our hosts!  $2.50 / square inch, must use your own software to generate Gerber files.  Easy-to-use web ordering interface, but slow turnaround time -- 10-20 days.  Boards come out very nice -- precut, double-sided with silk screen and solder mask on both sides
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* [[Wirewrap]]
* [http://www.olimex.com/pcb/ Olimex] Bulgarian PCB manufacturer - $33 for a 6.3" by 3.9" board.  I.E. cheaper than BatchPCB, but with a minimum board size requirement, silkscreen on one side only, and a more complicated ordering process.
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* [[Dead bug style]]
* [http://www.pcb123.com/ PCB123] Offers their own free (proprietary) schematic and PCB layout software -- easy to use, but you are locked into using their service.  Integration with ordering system simplifies the process of ordering boards.  Cost (?)
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* [[Manhattan style]]
 
 
== Construction techniques ==
 
 
 
Dead bug style. Manhattan style. Veroboard. Perfboard and point-to-point. Solderless protoboard.
 
 
 
"solderless breadboard" is the fastest construction technique ... but it is very fragile. Also, the parasitic capacitance and sometimes intermittent connections can drive you crazy.
 
 
 
traditional perfboards with holes on a 0.1" grid (2.54 mm grid) come in many styles:
 
* just holes in insulator
 
* little donuts of copper around each hole; may or may not be plated-through (See [http://barello.net/Robots/minisumo/index.htm this robot controller] for an example)
 
* Specific patterns of copper like [http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/stripbd.htm stripboard] / Veroboard™, or the common rails-and-short-strips pattern that's handy for DIP components
 
* solid sheets of copper, usually with a little donut gap around each hole.
 
 
 
The best one to use depends on what kind of circuit you're putting together.
 
 
 
With these perfboards, there's 2 ways to connect wires so they don't fall off:
 
* wire wrap, or
 
* solder.
 
 
 
== Front Panels ==
 
 
 
Its easy to make groovy front panels so your black boxes look the goods.
 
* Use any graphics program to produce and print your art work.
 
** Measure the box up, draw in the switches, label the LEDs etc.
 
** Even print on user instructions.
 
* If the front panel contains LEDs I pre punch the printout so that when it gets laminated it creates a window. No need for bezels :)
 
* Laminate the printout.
 
* Punch out the switch, screw, bnc, pot etc holes.
 
* If there isnt many front panel "things" to hold the laminate to the box lid I use double sided sticky tape.
 
 
 
The beauty of this approach is that it also doubles as a drill template for the lid. Everything fits, everything looks square.
 
  
 
== Soldering techniques ==
 
== Soldering techniques ==
  
How to use a soldering iron. What is flux for?
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* [[Basic soldering]] -- How to use a soldering iron.
 
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* Surface Mount
Hot air soldering. Huh?
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** [[Skillet reflow]]
 
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** [[Toaster oven reflow]]
Hobby replacements for commercial reflow: skillet soldering, toaster-oven soldering, soldering using an oil lamp or candle.
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** [[Hot air soldering]]
* [http://sparkfun.com/tutorial/ReflowToaster/reflow-hotplate.htm the "Reflow Skillet" tutorial]
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* [[Rework]] -- Techniques for fixing mistakes.
* [http://www.circuitcellar.com/library/print/0704/Lacoste_168/index.htm "Easy Reflow: Build an SMT Reflow Oven Controller"] by Robert Lacoste 2004-July
 
 
 
How to fix mistakes: solder braid, solder sucker.
 
 
 
How to deal with fine pitch SMT devices.
 
 
 
How to deal with big, heatsucking components.
 
 
 
* [http://www.epanorama.net/links/basics.html#soldering ePanorama:soldering] has some detailed information on how to solder through-hole and SMT components.
 
 
 
 
 
== Other techniques ==
 
 
 
How to get started with a multimeter
 
 
 
How to use an oscilloscope: [http://www.tektronix.com/Measurement/App_Notes/XYZs/ Tektronix's guide]
 

Revision as of 19:54, 4 June 2006

Printed circuit board fabrication

Homebrew

  • Toner Transfer -- This method involves laser printing your PCB design onto paper, then transferring toner onto copper-clad board.
  • Photoetching -- Exposure of PCB designs onto photosensitized copper-clad board.
  • Chemical Etchants

Commercial PCB fabrication

Circuit construction (non PCB)

Soldering techniques