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-==== How to start making PCBs at The Hive ==== +==== How to get PCB trained ==== 
-This page details some of the common questions regarding how to make PCBs at The Hive.+ 
 + 
 +** Fall 2023 updates: ** 
 +  * **//We are no longer requiring training for the ProtoMat or ProtoLaser.//** A detailed guidebook for how to fabricate PCBs using the two tools is located at the ProtoMat. Stencil fabrication information can be found in the guidebook at the ProtoLaser. 
 +  * ** Training is still required for the electroplater!** Training details can be found below. 
 + 
 +The information below is kept to inform users about Electroplater training (which follows the same process as before: video -> quiz -> checkoff) and, for posterity, has not been edited. 
 + 
 +And now back to our regularly scheduled programming... 
 + 
 +----
  
 === Table of Contents === === Table of Contents ===
-  - Introduction+  - TL;DR 
 +  - Basics
     * Will the PIs at the Hive make a board for me?     * Will the PIs at the Hive make a board for me?
     * What’s the process for getting trained?     * What’s the process for getting trained?
 +    * What about the electroplater?
     * What is SUMS?     * What is SUMS?
-    * How do I join a training session OR request a new one? +    * Ugh, this sounds like way more work and time than I'm willing to dedicate to this. Do you have any recommendations for professional fabrication houses? 
-  - Training Sessions +  - Training Videos 
-    * What should I expect out of a training session? +    * What do the videos cover? 
-    * Do I have to have any prior knowledge before coming to a training session? +    * Do I have to have any prior knowledge before starting the videos? 
-    * How do I register for a training session? +    * Where can I find the videos? 
-    * I don’t see any training sessions available. Can I request one? +    * I need subtitles, but you said don’t go to YouTube. 
-    * Are training sessions really 2-3 hours? Can I come late or leave early? +    * Help! The videos won’t play. 
-  - Quiz and Checkoffs +    * What’s next? 
-    * What should I expect for the quiz? +  - Quiz and Checkoff
-    * What should I expect at a checkoff?+
     * I don’t see the quiz! Where is it?     * I don’t see the quiz! Where is it?
     * How do I schedule a checkoff?     * How do I schedule a checkoff?
 +    * What should I expect at a checkoff?
     * I didn’t get a checkoff scheduled and all of my requested dates have passed. What now?     * I didn’t get a checkoff scheduled and all of my requested dates have passed. What now?
     * What if I don’t successfully complete the checkoff?     * What if I don’t successfully complete the checkoff?
     * Can I bring my own design to fabricate instead of the training board for my checkoff?     * Can I bring my own design to fabricate instead of the training board for my checkoff?
-  - Fabrication +----- 
-    * Process specifications  +=== TL;DR === 
-    * Can I add soldermask or silkscreen? +The Hive is home to a suite of equipment that enable our users to fabricated PCBs without much manual work. Once trained, users have access to these tools and all the materials we have as long as the space is available. Training is handled through SUMS, and is done in three steps:
-    * Is there a recommended DRC/CAM file I can use? +
-    * Do I have to be with my board during the entire fabrication process? +
-    * How long does it take to make a board? +
-    * How long does electroplating take? +
-    * Can I somehow reserve time on the equipment? +
-    * Do the tools have additional capabilities?+
  
------+  - Training videos - watch them all on your own time and at your own pace. 
 +  - Quiz - ten questions, get nine to proceed. 
 +  - Checkoff - show off what you've learned by fabricating the board from the training videos in a one-on-one session with a trainer. Complete it in two hours, and the tools are your for the using.
  
-=== Introduction === +Training is completed for the electroplater //separately// from the ProtoMat and the ProtoLaser, which are done together. Both training sequences follow the same basic steps. 
 + 
 +Read on for more details about this process, or [[https://www.sums.gatech.edu/SUMS_React/View_Equipment_React?DepartmentId=87&ToolId=1998|head directly to SUMS]] to get started. 
 + 
 +Have no idea what SUMS is? See "What is SUMS?" under the "Basics" section. 
 + 
 +----- 
 +=== Basics === 
  
 **Will the PIs at the Hive make a board for me?**\\ **Will the PIs at the Hive make a board for me?**\\
-No, even better: we’ll train you! That’s right, for a mere four hours of your time, you will gain the ability to make as many PCBs as you want for free and can reserve time on the equipment! What a great deal, what a time to be alive. Only making one board? It can take several tries to get it right. In other words, if you think you only need one board done, you might actually need two! +No, even better: we’ll train you! That’s right, watch a few videos and demonstrate that you watched them to gain the ability to make as many PCBs as you want for free! What a great deal, what a time to be alive. Only making one board? It can take several tries to get it right. In other words, if you think you only need one board done, you might actually need two (or more - how often is a design perfect the first time?)! 
  
  
 **What’s the process for getting trained?**\\ **What’s the process for getting trained?**\\
 Training is a three step process that is handled through SUMS.  Training is a three step process that is handled through SUMS. 
-  - Complete the training session itself.+  - Watch the training videos. No time or replay limits here, so feel free to get comfortable with the process. Read through the Wiki too, if you'd like.
   - Pass the 10 question quiz.   - Pass the 10 question quiz.
   - Successfully fabricate our training board under the guidance of a PCB trainer during a Checkoff.    - Successfully fabricate our training board under the guidance of a PCB trainer during a Checkoff. 
  
 +** What about the electroplater? **\\
 +We used to do the electroplater training during the combined training, but we discovered that most users never used the plater, and most users didn't care. So we've separated the electroplating training off into a separate training sequence that comprises a single video, quiz, and checkoff, and allowed us to significantly reduce the training time for the ProtoMat and ProtoLaser. If you're interested in getting training on the electroplater, you can head on over to SUMS and locate the training requirements for the tool (LPKF Contact S4 electroplater) to get started.
  
 ** What is SUMS? **\\ ** What is SUMS? **\\
-If you have no idea what SUMS is, have no fear. SUMS (Shared User Management System) is a user access control system made here at Tech that The Hive uses to control access to some of the more sensitive or complicated tools. For PCB fabrication, it is also used to manage training and checkoff sessions, and users can schedule time on the tools through it, as well. You can get many more details in our [[https://drive.google.com/open?id=1XLLOS43sQd6rzWll8cAxkvRiArmIGGvpcC-y9uXCOek|SUMS Guide]].+If "SUMS" makes you think of arithmetic, have no fear. SUMS (Shared User Management System) is a user access control system made here at Tech that The Hive uses to control access to some of the more sensitive or complicated tools. For PCB fabrication, it is also used to manage training and checkoff sessions, and users can schedule time on the tools through it, as well. You can get many more details in our [[https://gtvault.sharepoint.com/:w:/s/HiveMakerspace/ETGfA3m7Q3tCmtG0XVgAHG0Bz3-84vabxqlTRuF5spUmQw?e=w1pkT0|SUMS Guide]].
  
-** How do I join a training session OR request a new one? **\\ 
-If you haven’t been to The Hive, you’ll need to join our “Equipment Group” first: 
-  - Go to sums.gatech.edu and login (button is on the top right of the screen). 
-  - In the main toolbar on top, click "Equipment Groups" > "Equipment Groups List". 
-  - Search for "The Hive" (no quotes). Click the link. 
-  - Click "Become a member". Follow the prompts to join. Note that the "exam" is simply our liability policy. 
-Congrats! Now you can begin the PCB training process. 
  
-//To register for a training session that has already been created:// +** Ugh, this sounds like way more work and time than I'm willing to dedicate to this. Do you have any recommendations for professional fabrication houses?**\\ 
-  - Go to sums.gatech.edu and login (button is on the top right of the screen). +We don’t officially recommend a specific fabrication houses. All of them have positives and negatives. The following is a very incomplete list of fab houses that we've used with varying levels of success. 
-  - In the main toolbar on top, on the right, click "Set Active BG/EG". Make sure your Billing Group is "Interdisciplinary Design Commons" and your Equipment Group is "The Hive". +  * You can use [[https://pcbshopper.com|PCB Shopper]] to compare prices across a number of different fab houses. 
-  - In the main toolbar on top, in the middle, click "Equipment Groups" and then "Hive - Training". +  * [[https://jlcpcb.com/|JLC]] and [[https://allpcb.com/|AllPCB]] are two Chinese companies that offer super fast turnaround and super low prices with a wide range of capabilities and good results. But since they're made in China, there may be shipping and IP issues. 
-  - You should see all the available training sessions that The Hive is offering through the SUMS system. Sign up for the one that works for you. +  * [[https://oshpark.com|OshPark]] is the cheapest USA-based fabrication house because they aren't actually a fab house - they're a middleman to another fab house. Basically, they collect a bunch of designs, and when they have enough, they all get sent off. They're well-known for their purple PBCs, and their capabilities are growing all the time. They also can make solderpaste stencils through their affiliates at [[https://oshstencils.com|OshStencils]]. 
- +  * [[https://4pcb.com|Advanced Circuits]] is another American-made fab facility that has a much more extensive list of capabilities than OshPark. It's more expensive, but the quality is higher, and the turn-around times can be same- or next-day, if you're willing to pay for it. They also have deals on rectangular 2- or 4-layer boards, and deals for students. 
-//If there are no training sessions, or none of the scheduled ones work for you, you may request a new one:// +  * [[https://www.epectec.com/|Epec Engineered Technologies]] is the most expensive of this list, but also the highest reliability and widest range of fabrication options. If you need a 16 layer board with super-fine pitches and tolerances and varying copper weights for the internal stack with specialized prepreg, and you need 1000 pieces assembled tomorrow, these are your people. (Okay, that's an exaggeration, but seriously, for non-standard work, or precision standard work, Epec is great.)
-  - Go to sums.gatech.edu and login (button is on the top right of the screen). +
-  - In the main toolbar on top, on the right, click "Set Active BG/EG". Make sure your Billing Group is "Interdisciplinary Design Commons" and your Equipment Group is "The Hive". +
-  - Somewhere in the main area of your main screen, you will find a section called, "Find training requirements". Click it and search for "pcb plotter" (no quotes). Select S116.PCBPlotter-01 to get to the PCB plotter's training requirements screen. +
-  - Click on "Request a new training session". Please make a selection for all five slots. If you are available more times, add those in the notes section. More availability is better than less! However, even though you have requested one, it is possible that none of these times will work for our trainers (we’re students too!). If this is the case, we will try to email you to find another time.  +
- +
-Training sessions can be held anytime (including (and preferably!) when The Hive is closed). +
  
 ----- -----
-=== Training Sessions ===+=== Training Videos ===
  
-**What should I expect out of a training session?**\\ +**Videos? What happened training sessions?**\\ 
-Training sessions cover the fabrication process of a basic 2-layer copper circuit board using the PCB plotter and PCB laser, as well as a discussion of the electroplating process for vias. Training sessions do not address board design or layout. For questions regarding design, find one of our PCB MPIs.+The live in-person training sessions were a major drag on both Trainer and User time, and they were a significant deterrent to many people getting trained on the tools. The video format allows users to train at their own pace when they have time, not when we have time.
  
-**Do I have to have any prior knowledge before coming to a training session?**\\ +**What do the videos cover?**\\ 
-Nope! However, if you are unfamiliar with PCBs, we recommend reading up on some basics on the internet before your training. We also have a PCB Fabrication Guide that might be of interest. This way, the training session will (might?) make more sense.+The standard process training videos are broken into three parts: part 1 covers process setup and drilling; part 2 covers etching with the laser; and part 3 covers routing and cleanup. These three total about an hour of time, which you can do at your leisure. The electroplater video is roughly a half hour, and comprises just a single video that covers the process setup and the electroplating. Training sessions do not address board design or layout. For questions regarding design, find one of our PCB MPIs. 
  
-**How do I register for a training session?**\\ +**Do I have to have any prior knowledge before starting the videos?**\\ 
-The PCB trainings, checkoffs, and reservations are all handled on SUMS. If you want to know more about SUMS, you can find in-depth information and a lot more FAQs in our SUMS Guide. (If you have never been to The Hive before, see this question for how to join our “Equipment Group”.) To register for a training session that has already been created:+Nope! However, if you are unfamiliar with PCBs, we recommend [[pcb-basics|reading up on some basics]] on the internet before watching. This way, the videos will (might?) make more sense.
  
 +**Where can I find the videos?**\\
 +All PCB training and scheduling is all handled on SUMS. If you want to know more about SUMS, you can find in-depth information and a lot more FAQs in our [[https://gtvault.sharepoint.com/:w:/s/HiveMakerspace/ETGfA3m7Q3tCmtG0XVgAHG0Bz3-84vabxqlTRuF5spUmQw?e=w1pkT0|SUMS Guide]]. \\
 +\\
 +If you have never been to The Hive before, you’ll need to join our "Billing Group" and our “Equipment Group” first:
   - Go to sums.gatech.edu and login (button is on the top right of the screen).   - Go to sums.gatech.edu and login (button is on the top right of the screen).
-  - In the main toolbar on top, on the right, click "Set Active BG/EG". Make sure your Billing Group is "Interdisciplinary Design Commons" and your Equipment Group is "The Hive". +  - In the main toolbar on top, click "Billing Groups" > "Billing Group List". 
-  - In the main toolbar on top, in the middle, click "Equipment Groups" and then "Hive - Training". +  - Search for "Interdisciplinary design commons" and click "Request entry to BG". 
 +  - Now, in the main toolbar on top, click "Equipment Groups" > "Equipment Groups List". 
 +  - Search for "The Hive" (no quotes). Click the link. 
 +  - Click "Become a member". Follow the prompts to join. Note that the "exam" is simply our liability policy.
  
-You should see all the available training sessions that The Hive is offering through the SUMS system. Sign up for the one that works for you. If there are no training sessions, or none work for you, you'll want to request a new one (see next question). +(If you are a member of multiple equipment and/or billing groups, make sure that the IDC and The Hive are active by clicking "Active BG/EG" in the top-right of the Dashboard.)
  
-//Please note that there are no training sessions during the last two weeks of Hive open hours.// +The videos are located on the Training Requirements page for both the plotter and laser:
- +
-**I don’t see any training sessions available. Can I request one?**\\ +
-Absolutely! This is also processed through SUMS.+
   - Go to sums.gatech.edu and login (button is on the top right of the screen).   - Go to sums.gatech.edu and login (button is on the top right of the screen).
-  - In the main toolbar on top, on the right, click "Set Active BG/EG". Make sure your Billing Group is "Interdisciplinary Design Commons" and your Equipment Group is "The Hive". +  - On the main screen, locate "Find training requirements". Click it, click "View Training Requirements", and search for "pcb plotter" (no quotes). Select S116.PCBPlotter-01 to get to the PCB plotter's training requirements screen. (If you're looking for the electroplater, search instead for "electroplater".)  
-  - Somewhere in the main area of your main screen, you will find a section called, "Find training requirements". Click it and search for "pcb plotter" (no quotes). Select S116.PCBPlotter-01 to get to the PCB plotter's training requirements screen. +  - Click “Watch video” to begin playing. //Don’t go to YouTube to watch them!!// You will not get credit. 
-  - Click on "Request a new training session". Please make a selection for all five slots. If you are available more times, add those in the notes section. More availability is better than less! +    - **Take notes!** You can use any and all of your own notes for your checkoff. (Meaning no printing the guides or Wiki.) 
-However, even though you have requested one, it is possible that none of these times will work for our trainers (we’re students, too!). If this is the case, we will try to email you to find another time. Please note that there are no training sessions during the last two weeks of Hive open hours.+ 
 +**Help! The videos won’t play.**\\ 
 +They’re embedded YouTube videos, so make sure things like cookies and sound are enabled on the page. If you still can’t get it to work, contact hive-pcb@ece.gatech.edu.
  
-**Are training sessions really 2-3 hours? Can I come late or leave early?**\\ +**What’s next after watching the videos?**\\ 
-Training sessions are indeed this long, yes, due to the amount of material covered, though the time will vary depending on the level of detail discussed, number of questions asked, and other factors. Therefore, please make sure you are able to attend the entire session. If you cannot, please refrain from registering out of courtesy to others. Our training sessions are generally capped at five or six people. We will not mark your attendance if you come late or leave early, meaning you'll have to take the session again.+Go back to the Training Requirements page. Scroll down to take the “exam”. Then request a checkoff.
  
 ---- ----
 ===Quiz and Checkoffs=== ===Quiz and Checkoffs===
 **What should I expect for the quiz?**\\ **What should I expect for the quiz?**\\
-It's a 10 question quiz, all multiple choice. It's designed to just make sure you were paying attention during the training session. You have to get 9/10 to pass and be able to request a checkoff. If you don't get at least 9/10, you have an hour to study up, and the you can retake it. There's no limit to the number of retakes, but we do get emails when people fail.+It's a 10 question quiz, all multiple choice. It's designed to just make sure you were paying attention during the videos. You have to get 9/10 to pass and be able to request a checkoff. If you don't get at least 9/10, you have an hour to study up, and the you can retake it. There's no limit to the number of retakes, but we do get emails when people fail.
  
 **What should I expect at a checkoff?**\\ **What should I expect at a checkoff?**\\
-The purpose of a checkoff is to demonstrate your ability to safely fabricate a board without assistance. You will be making the same board created at the training session, followed by a quick run-through of the electroplater.+The purpose of a checkoff is to demonstrate your ability to safely fabricate a board without assistance. You will be making the same board created at the training session, followed by a quick run-through of the electroplater. You can use any and all of your own notes for your checkoff. (Meaning no printing the guides or Wiki.) 
 + 
 +For the electroplater, the checkoff will be us running through the process with a dummy board, and without actually running the timers, though we will be dunking the boards and rinsing, so no open toed shoes.
  
 **I don’t see the quiz! Where is it?**\\ **I don’t see the quiz! Where is it?**\\
 **How do I schedule a checkoff?**\\ **How do I schedule a checkoff?**\\
-The quiz and checkoff request link are both found on the Training Requirements page for the PCB Plotter on SUMS. To access this page:+The quiz and checkoff request link are both found on the Training Requirements page for the PCB Plotter (or the PCB Electroplater, if that's your training targer) on SUMS, right below where you watched the videos. To access this page:
   - Go to sums.gatech.edu and login (button is on the top right of the screen).   - Go to sums.gatech.edu and login (button is on the top right of the screen).
-  - In the main toolbar on top, on the right, click "Set Active BG/EG". Make sure your Billing Group is "Interdisciplinary Design Commons" and your Equipment Group is "The Hive". +  - On the main screen, locate "Find training requirements". Click it, click "View Training Requirements", and search for "pcb plotter" (no quotes) (or "electroplater", if that's your intended tool). Select S116.PCBPlotter-01 (or S116.PCBElectroplater-01) to get to the tool's training requirements screen.
-  - Somewhere in the main area of your main screen, you will find a section called, "Find training requirements". Click it and search for "pcb plotter" (no quotes). Select S116.PCBPlotter-01 to get to the PCB Plotter's “Training Requirements” screen.+
   - Scroll down to find the “Take Exam” button to take the 10 question quiz. Note that you must get 9/10 to pass. If not, you have an hour until you can re-take it.   - Scroll down to find the “Take Exam” button to take the 10 question quiz. Note that you must get 9/10 to pass. If not, you have an hour until you can re-take it.
-  - Once you have passed the quiz, return to the Training Requirements screen (step 3, above). Scroll to the bottom and press, “Request new checkoff”. //Please make a selection for all five slots.// If you are available more times, add those in the notes section. More availability is better than less! After-hours is good, too.+  - Once you have passed the quiz, return to the Training Requirements screen (step 2, above). Scroll to the bottom and press, “Request new checkoff”. //Please make a selection for all five slots.// If you are available more times, add those in the notes section. More availability is better than less! **It's preferred to schedule these outside of opening hours.**
  
 However, even though you have requested one, it is possible that none of these times will work for our trainers (we’re students, too!). If this is the case, we will try to email you to find another time.  However, even though you have requested one, it is possible that none of these times will work for our trainers (we’re students, too!). If this is the case, we will try to email you to find another time. 
- 
-//Please note that there are no checkoffs during the last week of Hive open hours.// 
  
 **I didn’t get a checkoff scheduled and all of my requested dates have passed. What now?**\\ **I didn’t get a checkoff scheduled and all of my requested dates have passed. What now?**\\
-Due to the large volume of checkoff requests, we are not able to schedule every checkoff on the first request. If this happens, request another one with new dates and times. Remember, more times offered by you means more opportunity for our schedules to align. //Please note that there are no checkoffs during the last week of Hive open hours.//+Due to the large volume of checkoff requests, and the fact that we're also students with lots of time commitments, we are not able to schedule every checkoff on the first request. If this happens, request another one with new dates and times. Remember, more times offered by you means more opportunity for our schedules to align. //Please note that there are no checkoffs during the last week of Hive open hours.//
  
 **What if I don’t successfully complete the checkoff?**\\ **What if I don’t successfully complete the checkoff?**\\
-Schedule another checkoff following the same procedure. If you wish, you may also attend another training session. Read up on the fabrication process with our [[https://drive.google.com/open?id=176ZKdEShIhRyrmAtxOkkLg0mS56d2DdM-HPr8YBaL6s|PCB Fabrication Guide]]. +Schedule another checkoff following the same procedure. It is strongly recommended that you rewatch the training videos or read up on the fabrication process on the Wiki on our [[pcb-fab|PCB Fabrication]] page. 
  
 **Can I bring my own design to fabricate instead of the training board for my checkoff?**\\ **Can I bring my own design to fabricate instead of the training board for my checkoff?**\\
 Probably not. It is, however, at the discretion of your trainer. If the board is small, simple, and on FR4/FR5, (i.e. very similar to the training board), then it might be fine. However, large boards can take an hour or more to etch just one side. Since most boards are larger than the training one, you will likely have to stick with the training board. It will be easier for everyone (especially if it fails), and afterwards you can simply schedule time on the tools to fabricate whatever you’d like. Probably not. It is, however, at the discretion of your trainer. If the board is small, simple, and on FR4/FR5, (i.e. very similar to the training board), then it might be fine. However, large boards can take an hour or more to etch just one side. Since most boards are larger than the training one, you will likely have to stick with the training board. It will be easier for everyone (especially if it fails), and afterwards you can simply schedule time on the tools to fabricate whatever you’d like.
- 
----- 
-===Fabrication=== 
- 
-** Process specifications **\\ 
-The Hive's PCB fabrication tool suite has the following capabilites: 
-  * //Substrates:// FR4, Rogers materials, polyamide, among many others. 
-  * //Copper thickness/weight:// No limit, other than processing time. 
-  * //Trace width (minimum):// 2 mil (0.05 mm) 
-  * //Trace pitch (minimum):// 1 mil (0.025 mm) 
-  * //Drill holes (minimum diameter):// 6 mil (0.15 mm)  
-  * //Slot:// yes, use overlapping drill hits 
-  * //Plating:// yes, standard processing time of 3 hours will plate approximately 12.6 um of copper 
- 
-** Can I add soldermask or silkscreen? **\\ 
-We have the capability to apply soldermask and silkscreen, though we //do not// recommend attempting this process - it's time-consuming, UV- and temperature-sensitive, and unnecessary to a complete circuit board. If you need soldermask or silkscreen, consider sending your design to a professional fabrication facility.  
- 
-For those who would like to attempt this, instructions are available on our [[pcb-mask-silkscreen-SOP| mask and silkscreen]] page, as well as in the "Manuals/Instructions" drawer next to the tools themselves.  
- 
-**Is there a recommended DRC/CAM file I can use?**\\ 
-Yes!  
-  - [[https://drive.google.com/open?id=1YITdTXkcW3ROWZprw-xxPsB8okc73yqF|DRC]] 
-  - [[https://drive.google.com/open?id=1WzzpPwXMDUg5DD4iUzenZINrzRG0kSn4|CAM]] 
- 
-**Do I have to be with my board during the entire fabrication process?**\\ 
-Yes! You must be present for the entire process. This is for safety reasons. PIs have the authority to cancel any unattended boards. You may, however, leave the space //if and only if// you leave a note with a phone number and accept the possibility that something may happen to your product while you're gone (because PIs are not watching your process).  
- 
-**How long does it take to make a board?**\\ 
-It depends on the size and layout of your board. A small board with no electroplating (i.e. no vias) can easily be made in under an hour, while a very large board with lots of copper removed can take over 4 hours not including electroplating. 
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-**How long does electroplating take?**\\ 
-Between 2 and 3 hours, regardless of board size. This will plate between 8-15 um of copper onto your surfaces. Less than this processing time can cause unreliable vias with variable thickness of the plating.  
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-**Can I somehow reserve time on the equipment?**\\ 
-Yes! Although you are not required to, we //highly// recommend that you do as it guarantees equipment priority. You may reserve time up to 96 hours in advance though SUMS. See the SUMS Guide for more details. 
-  - Go to sums.gatech.edu and login (button is on the top right of the screen). 
-  - In the main toolbar on top, on the right, click "Set Active BG/EG". Make sure your Billing Group is "Interdisciplinary Design Commons" and your Equipment Group is "The Hive". 
-  - On the main page, locate the Schedule section. Under the drop-down menu that says, “My Schedule - Select a tool to schedule time”, select the tool in question. Note that you cannot reserve time on a tool until you have completed training for it. 
-  - Click and drag on the calendar itself to reserve time. Release the mouse button to bring up the reservation screen. You must enter a description in order to reserve time! Click “Save” to save the reservation. 
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-We highly advise you to schedule time on all the tools you’ll need, i.e. if you’re fabricating a standard board, you should reserve time on both the Plotter and the Laser. If you do not, and someone schedules time on only the laser, they have priority on the tool. 
- 
-//Reservations are limited to the following:// 
-  * Non-PIs (i.e. those who are not volunteers at The Hive) may schedule a maximum of 4 hour block per tool per day during The Hive’s open hours, and up to 4 days in advance. 
-  * PI’s may schedule up to 8 hours per tool per day, up to 7 days in advance. 
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-** Do the tools have additional capabilities? **\\  
-//NOTE: The following capabilities are allowed in the spec of the tool, but we do not support these functions, meaning that our PIs and MPIs do not have experience with them, so you will be on your own if you attempt any of them!//\\ 
-The ProtoMat has the capability to do aluminum and plastic 2-dimensional milling. The ProtoLaser can etch a very wide variety of substrates and films. The electroplater has the ability to do tin plating (though we don't carry the necessary solution by default). We also have the LPKF ProConduct system that enables manual electropating of individual vias for RF PCBs (proceed with caution here).  
  • pcb-training.1610389737.txt.gz
  • Last modified: 2021/01/11 13:28
  • by benh