Video showing 4L PCB manufacturing process - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2013, 01:03:53 am
content: Nice detailed vid showing the process for manufacturing 4 layer PCBs at Eurocircuits

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2013, 01:48:21 am
content: Fascinating stuff. That certainly filled a few gaps in my knowledge.

author: M. András
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2013, 09:57:10 am
content: hmm they have a fab here in hungary too. wonder how fast is the shipping if they send the files to here from the country instead of germany

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 04, 2013, 08:46:21 am
content: Great video!

author: rkupka
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2013, 10:46:36 am
content: amazing stuff. I only wish they showed the via plating in greater detail.

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2013, 11:13:11 am
content: Nice!The reverse process:Alexander.

author: MacAttak
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 04, 2013, 10:32:40 pm
content: Pretty shocking. Many people here pay a considerable fee to (in theory) keep their discarded electronics out of places like that, instead to be processed in a nearby facility with hopefully safer conditions and less pollution.I wonder how much actually gets processed the way we expect, and how much really ends up in places like the one shown in that video. It's nearly impossible to find details about what really happens to discarded junk once you drop it off at the local recycling center.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 05, 2013, 12:54:24 am
content: I've got a video of my 2 layer uCurrent panel being manufactured, and it still has like 20 manufacturing steps or something silly like that.The Chinese don't have magic machines or processes that make it any easier or quicker either.People take PCB's for granted these days, and just want their gold plated silk screened plated through solder masked in a few days for a few 10's of dollars

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 05, 2013, 08:26:54 am
content: Quote from: MacAttak on July 04, 2013, 10:32:40 pmThere is a teacher (if I am not mistaken) in an Africa e-waste land that has gathered tones of evidence that shows the origin of the waste. Mainly stickers on pc's with companies and employers name, hard drive files etc. He was going to sue those companies.Alexander.

author: remon404
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 28, 2013, 09:34:31 am
content: Sounds very interesting and helpful! Thanks for sharing Moderator(Author) ,Nice information PCB and Breadboard Electrical engineer lab or project . Now i'm using some PCB thats i bought world class pcb manufactured company , Now i have shared some great PCB manufacturing Company.www.cadsoftusa.com/services/board-houses/?www.pcb-pool.com/ppuk/http://actpcb.com/pcb-calculatorI bought PCB from actpcbThanks author helpful link.

author: makervier
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 29, 2013, 08:25:23 am
content: This is very helpful for learning the PCB manufacturing process,especially for the PCB novice

author: ohmineer
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2013, 05:55:21 pm
content: Thanks for the video. I couldn't imagine that so many steps are involved in a PCB manufacturing process.With the level of precision required, I do not understand the usefulness of operator visual inspections. It seems they do not spend more than a few minutes on each panel.I guess they rely on their experience and they know what to look, what the common faults are, etc.Regarding the video posted by firewalker... Sometime ago, I read that environmental organizations installed GPS devices into "to-be-recycled" appliances in order to show that, many times, they don't follow a logical trip to recycling facilities. Some people disassembled and dismantled the products, illegally, before reaching their destination in order to make easy money.I hope someday, we all are conscious that we have to take into account environment and other people like the boys that appear in that video.

author: scientist
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 06, 2014, 05:45:58 am
content: Quote from: firewalker on July 04, 2013, 11:13:11 amA really candid look at the opposite side of the "beautifully engineered," "perfect," "superior" circuit board industry. Thanks.

author: GiskardReventlov
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2014, 03:08:30 am
content: I didn't know there was that much hands-on. But this must be a contrast to high-volume, mass market PCBs.Right? This is for one-offs and low volume isn't it? And how competitively priced are eurocircuits? It seems like a very high quality product.One thing I wondered about was how much strain can a PCB handle? Some of those places where the board is transfered from one conveyor to another they are picked up by a rotating channel but it's a small channel relative to the size of the board.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2014, 10:36:23 pm
content: i dont see how internal buried vias are made and plated. they went straight to layer press before drilling indicating either the board they used for demo doesnt have internal buried vias or they dont support it? i need some light on this thank you.

author: kizzap
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 07, 2014, 02:40:14 am
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on March 06, 2014, 10:36:23 pmThe needs of the circuit board dictate the layer stackup that is used. At an (albiet slightly) educated guess, The general stackup for a 4-layer board would be a thin, dual sided laminate, a thinPre-pregboard with no copper on it, and then another thin, dual sided laminate.To get blind vias (which start external and end part way through, can be done before the boards are all sandwiched together, by drilling the relevant holes and copper plating the board, like regular vias. The board is then sandwiched together after etching, and the final drill/plating/etching is completed.To get buried vias, you need to alter the stackup so that you can drill the vias for the internal layer first. So for a 4 layer board, your stackup might turn out to be pre-preg, then dual layer PCB, then pre-preg. You would drill/plate etch the internal PCB like usual, then add the pre-preg to the outside. However Pre-preg doesnt come with another copper layer, so you then have to manually add inanotherlayer of copper top and bottom, when you press and set the pre-preg material.Doing it this way also limits your options on doing blind vias. The two ways I see it being possible are either only adding one pre-preg at a time, and re-drilling/plating for the blind vias, or if you have accurate enough machines (read $$$Pricey$$$) You can drill just down far enough to hit an internal drilled/plated hole.Basically the reason that manufacturers don't do blind/buried vias is because the process can take a lot longer, and can cost a lot more money then the hassle it is worth. The exception to the rule there of course is quantity. If you are looking at signing contracts for significant quantities of boards, the board houses are going to be happy to do it for you for a price.Hopefully that helps

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2014, 03:52:16 am
content: yes thats my guess that buried vias will add extra steps in the process (hence cost), but it will be wonderfull to see some process of it, but o well i can have some imagination right now. and i guess buried vias for 4 layers board will be pretty seldom since everybody is like doing internal planes for power and ground. thanks.

author: janekm
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 02, 2014, 04:09:41 am
content: internal buried vias need extra processing steps not shown in that video (essentially a two-layer pcb is made first then sandwiched between the outer layers. That limits the possible stack-ups too). That's why they're so much more expensive (if the factory makes them at all), not common for 4-layer prototype boards.

author: cheerylaw
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 14, 2017, 05:45:00 am
content: this video is very old, but the manufacturing process is advanced. It's a professional pcb manufacturer.

author: VIKI_C
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 07, 2017, 08:09:30 am
content: video is not better than you come and visit factory to witness the PCB manufacturing process. *REMOVED* you could go into the page to know more about PCB parameter, materials,specification, etc.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 12, 2018, 03:42:32 pm
content: here's how they do it in China - pretty similar.

author: Arjunan M R
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2019, 04:09:54 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on May 26, 2013, 01:03:53 am

author: BrandonH1987
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 06, 2020, 08:15:50 pm
content: Nice share

author: Samuel1477
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 07, 2020, 06:31:24 am
content: I want to start an e-waste recycling business. Here in the center of the United states (North Dakota). Not much of it is known about around here. I found a electric organ that I swear it has sliver wires. There were these rods in there that were 4mm thick. They came up 18% gold and 81% silver and 1% palladium. Using a mass spectrometer. It was old. I want to use the profits to grow to eventually take care of the really toxic stuff. Idk but would you guys like to see some pictures of some old hand soldered organ PCB. I was actually sad taking it apart it was beautiful in a way. And it had to take a lot to build.

author: Aarom
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: February 24, 2022, 09:26:08 am
content: nice!

author: josuah
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 26, 2022, 12:55:48 am
content: Wonderful project and wonderful finding.I hope it went well after 2 years.If still around, I'm up for the photos.

author: hghadia
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 10, 2024, 04:40:47 am
content: Super helpful video in the context of manufacturing 4 layer PCBs. Thanks for sharing in this community.

author: DavidAlberto
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2025, 07:51:06 am
content: Great post! Cool to see the entire PCB manufacturing process laid out so visually