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pcb-fab [2021/01/13 22:25] benhpcb-fab [2022/09/07 17:55] (current) benh
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 ==== PCB Fabrication ==== ==== PCB Fabrication ====
 +=== Table of Contents ===
 +  - General processing reminders
 +  - Process Guides
 +  - Process Capabilites
 +  - Process Specifications and Tolerances
  
 +----
 +=== General Processing Reminders...===
 +  * Orient all your boards *before* creating any fiducials.
 +  * 4 fiducials – always.
 +  * Don't forget to save before generating the toolpath on the ProtoMat!
 +  * Make sure that the two boxes are checked before selecting a ProtoLaser template.
 +  * Do not forget the chemical safety gear when electroplating.
 +  * ** Get a PI to change any bits in the ProtoMat!**
 +
 +----
 === Process Guides === === Process Guides ===
  
-  - [[process_1S-noHoles|Single sided, no holes]] +  - [[process_1S-noHoles|Single sided design, no holes]], regardless of plating. 
-  - [[process_1S-holes|Single sided, with holes]] +  - [[process_1S-holes|Single sided design, with holes]], regardless of plating. 
-  - [[process_2S-noPlate|Double sided, no plating]] +  - [[process_2S-noPlate|Double sided, no plating]], regardless of hole count. 
-  - [[process_2S-plate|Double sided, with plating]]+  - [[process_2S-plate|Double sided, with plating]], regardless of hole count. 
 +  - [[process_stencils|Solderpaste stencils]] 
 +  - [[process_reflowOven|Reflow oven]] 
 +  - [[process_kaptonmask|Kapton tape soldermasking]] //(unverified)//
  
-**HELP!** --> See the [[pcb-help|Knowledge Base]] for processing issues/concerns/questions. +**HELP!** --> First, go to the proper process guide and make sure you've followed our most up-to-date process. If that doesn't resolve the issue, see the [[pcb-help|Knowledge Base]] for processing issues/concerns/questions.\\ 
----- +\\ 
-The above guides  targeted towards End Users and PIs (Peer Instructors) who want to know about the standard fabrication process often employed at The Hive, either before they are certified or afterwards. It is not intended to serve as a technical manual for any of these three tools or the software that controls them; for those, see the individual tool SOPs. It is also not intended to serve as a complete list of all processes that can be achieved with this tool suite. It is simply a step-by-step guide to our two most basic and standardized processes.+See our [[pcb-tips|tips and tricks]] page for some advanced processing concepts (or just interesting tidbits).\\ 
 +\\ 
 +//The above guides  targeted towards End Users and PIs (Peer Instructors) who want to know about the standard fabrication process often employed at The Hive, either before they are certified or afterwards. It is not intended to serve as a technical manual for any of these three tools or the software that controls them; for those, see the individual tool SOPs. It is also not intended to serve as a complete list of all processes that can be achieved with this tool suite. It is simply a step-by-step guide to our standardized processes.//
 ---- ----
 === Process Capabilities === === Process Capabilities ===
-The Hive has a suite of LPKF tools that enable students to fabricate 2-layer prototype-quality PCBs with fully-plated vias on campus. With additional setup, they can also apply soldermask and silkscreen for a production-quality finish, cut a solder paste stencil for part placement, and a reflow solder the components to the board. The tools have numerous additional capabilities beyond simple PCB fabrication, including 2.5D milling and exotic substrates. We encourage our users to explore new uses for the tools; however, as these options are beyond the scope of this document, if you’re interested in doing a non-standard process, we ask that you contact us beforehand.+The Hive has a suite of LPKF tools that enable students to fabricate 2-layer prototype-quality PCBs with fully-plated vias on campus. With additional setup, they can also apply soldermask and silkscreen for a production-quality finish, cut a solder paste stencil for part placement, and a reflow solder the components to the board. The tools have numerous additional capabilities beyond simple PCB fabrication, including 2.5D milling and exotic substrates. We encourage our users to explore new uses for the tools; however, as these options are beyond the scope of this document, if you’re interested in doing a non-standard process, we ask that you contact us beforehand. 
  
 The Hive's PCB fabrication tool suite has the following capabilities: The Hive's PCB fabrication tool suite has the following capabilities:
-  * //Substrates:// FR4, Rogers materials, polyamide, among many others. +  * //Substrates:// FR4, Rogers materials, polyamide, among many others. See the [[pcb-help_pl|ProtoLaser help page]] for more details
-  * //Copper thickness/weight:// No limit, other than processing time. +  * //Copper thickness/weight:// No known limit, other than processing time. 
-  * //Slot:// yes, using overlapping drill hits +  * //Slot:// yes, but YMMV. See our [[pcb-tips|fabs tips]] page for details. 
-  * //Plating:// yes, standard processing time of 3 hours will plate approximately 12.6 um of copper+  * //Electroplating:// yes, standard processing time of 3 hours will plate approximately 16 um of copper. We also have a chemical-free non-electrical "plating" process with the ProConduct package. See our [[pcb-help_ep|electroplater help page]] for details.  
 +  * //Soldermask:// we have the chemicals, which have an official process, but we don't officially support it. See the ProMask datasheet, below. We also have trialed an alternative masking process with Kapton tape, but YMMV. See [[process_kaptonmask|this page]] for more details. 
 +  * //Silkscreen:// we have the chemicals, which have an official process, but we don't officially support it. See the ProLegend datasheet below. 
 +  * //Stencils:// we can make them! See our "[[process_stencils|How to make stencils]]" page for more! 
 +  * //Reflow:// we have a fully operational reflow oven, optimized for lead-free solder paste. See "[[process_reflowOven|How to reflow]]" for more information. 
 +  * Our [[pcb-help|knowledge base]] is pretty extensive as well, so check that for answers to many questions and processing help.
  
 The full suit includes the following: The full suit includes the following:
-  * LPKF ProtoMat S103 ([[https://www.lpkfusa.com/datasheets/prototyping/s103.pdf|datasheet]]) - drilling, milling, and routing +  * LPKF ProtoMat S103 ([[https://www.lpkfusa.com/datasheets/prototyping/s103.pdf|datasheet]], [[https://gtvault.sharepoint.com/:w:/s/HiveMakerspace/EcQvNGoNNa5AjiZ5wU1Vd8wBMPNk8mawFspeLrvNaG8VlQ?e=yWBkGg|SOP]], [[pcb-help_pm|help page]]) - drilling, milling, and routing 
-  * LPKF ProtoLaser U4 ([[https://www.lpkf.com/fileadmin/mediafiles/user_upload/products/pdf/DQ/brochure_lpkf_protolaser_u4_en.pdf|datasheet]]) - etching, cutting +  * LPKF ProtoLaser U4 ([[https://www.lpkf.com/fileadmin/mediafiles/user_upload/products/pdf/DQ/brochure_lpkf_protolaser_u4_en.pdf|datasheet]], [[pcb-laser-SOP|SOP]], [[pcb-help_pl|help page]]) - etching, cutting 
-  * LPKF Contac S4 ([[https://www.lpkf.com/fileadmin/mediafiles/user_upload/products/pdf/DQ/flyer_lpkf_contac_s4_en.pdf|datasheet]]) - electroplating +  * LPKF Contac S4 ([[https://www.lpkf.com/fileadmin/mediafiles/user_upload/products/pdf/DQ/flyer_lpkf_contac_s4_en.pdf|datasheet]], [[pcb-plater-SOP|SOP]], [[pcb-help_ep|help page]]) - electroplating 
-  * LPKF ProMask ([[https://www.lpkfusa.com/datasheets/prototyping/promask.pdf|datasheet]]) - Soldermask +  * LPKF ProMask ([[https://www.lpkfusa.com/datasheets/prototyping/promask.pdf|datasheet]], [[pcb-mask-SOP|SOP]]) - Soldermask 
-  * LPKF ProLegend ([[https://www.lpkfusa.com/datasheets/prototyping/prolegend.pdf|datasheet]]) - Silkscreen +  * LPKF ProLegend ([[https://www.lpkfusa.com/datasheets/prototyping/prolegend.pdf|datasheet]] [[pcb-silkscreen-SOP|SOP]]) - Silkscreen 
-  * LPKF ProtoPrint S ([[https://www.lpkfusa.com/datasheets/prototyping/zelprint.pdf|datasheet]]) - Solderpaste stencil holder +  * LPKF ProtoPrint S ([[https://www.lpkfusa.com/datasheets/prototyping/zelprint.pdf|datasheet]], [[pcb-stencil-holder-SOP|SOP]]) - Solderpaste stencil holder 
-  * LPKF ProtoFlow ([[https://www.lpkfusa.com/datasheets/prototyping/protoflow.pdf|datasheet]]) - Reflow oven +  * LPKF ProtoFlow ([[https://www.lpkfusa.com/datasheets/prototyping/protoflow.pdf|datasheet]], [[process_reflowOven|How-to]], [[reflow-oven-SOP|SOP]]) - Reflow oven 
-  * LPKF ProConduct ([[https://www.lpkfusa.com/datasheets/prototyping/ProConduct_Specs.pdf|datasheet]] - Plating for RF applications +  * LPKF ProConduct ([[https://www.lpkfusa.com/datasheets/prototyping/ProConduct_Specs.pdf|datasheet]][[proConduct-SOP|SOP]]) - Plating for RF applications
- +
-See our [[pcb-sops|Standard Operating Procedures]] page for further details.+
  
 ---- ----
 === Process Specifications and Tolerances === === Process Specifications and Tolerances ===
-If you’re board passes OshPark’s specs ([[https://docs.oshpark.com/design-tools/eagle/design-rules-files|OshPark .dru file]]), it can be made using our process (see their website for details). However, our process can, in fact, go beyond that in some ways. +If you’re board passes OshPark’s specs ([[https://docs.oshpark.com/design-tools/eagle/design-rules-files|OshPark .dru file]]), it can be made using our process (see their website for details). However, our process can, in fact, go beyond that in some ways. See our [[pcb-help|Knowledge Base]] and [[pcb-tips|Tips and Tricks]] pages for additional information.
  
-^ Specification ^ Minimum/Theoretical ^ Recommended ^ +^ Specification ^ Theoretical Minimum (see note below) ^ Recommended Minimum 
-| Trace width   mils (0.05 mm)    | 10 mils (0.25 mm) | +| Trace width   mils (0.05 mm)    | mils (0.25 mm) | 
-| Trace spacing (“pitch”) | 1 mils (0.025 mm) | mils (0.15 mm) | +| Trace spacing (“pitch”) | 1 mils (0.025 mm) | mils (0.15 mm) | 
-| Polygon isolation | 10 mils (0.25 mm) | 30 mils (0.75 mm) |+| Polygon isolation | 10 mils (0.25 mm) | 24 mils (0.75 mm) |
 | Drill hit | 6 mil (0.15 mm) | 15 mil (0.4 mm) | | Drill hit | 6 mil (0.15 mm) | 15 mil (0.4 mm) |
 | Drill X/Y resolution | +/- 0.01 mil (0.25 μm) || | Drill X/Y resolution | +/- 0.01 mil (0.25 μm) ||
Line 47: Line 70:
 | Drill hit | 0.05 mil (1.2 μm) || | Drill hit | 0.05 mil (1.2 μm) ||
  
-See our [[pcb-help|Knowledge Base]] for more fabrication-related tips, tricks, and more.+**Note:** If you're considering a design at our theoretical minimum capabilities, first strongly consider whether you need that level of precision. If the answer is still yes, go to the [[pcb-help_pl|ProtoLaser]] (for etching) and [[pcb-help_pm|ProtoMat]] (for drilling) help sections for advice on reaching those new lows.
  
  
  
  • pcb-fab.1610594712.txt.gz
  • Last modified: 2021/01/13 22:25
  • by benh