Printing PCB with 3D printer - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: richnormand
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 22, 2021, 05:27:03 pm
content: Saw this on the Prusa 3D forum.Looks like pretty usable results and I thought it could be of interest to people herehttps://forum.prusaprinters.org/forum/original-prusa-sl1-user-mods-octoprint/making-pcbs-on-sl1s/

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2021, 06:17:10 pm
content: That could lead to some possibilities, not least spending more money!OTOH, it's still a wet process with horrible chemicals. But if you've got that printer you're halfway there anyway. Hmmm.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2021, 07:21:56 pm
content: But this still runs into the same issues as any other home method - double sided alignment is not trivial, plated though holes are not possible without very dangerous chemicals. Solder mask is also questionable.And given how cheap professionally made PCBs are, it is not clear if inventing new ways to make things at home makes a lot of sense.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2021, 07:55:53 pm
content: Homers have their place. At least until JLCPCB can take an order at 10pm Saturday night and deliver the board before Sunday.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2021, 08:02:24 pm
content: For sure, but this clearly differentiates the designs. You are either designing for home manufacturing, or for professional manufacturing. There is no way you design a board for PCB house and then realize you need it tomorrow, so you just make it at home. This does not happen unless your PCB is very simple to begin with.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2021, 10:22:35 pm
content: QuoteOf course not. And they tend to be reasonably simple designs. But not every design needs to be complicated layout-wise. Maybe you just need a USB-JTAG dongle, PSU, LCD adapter, whatever. It's more than likely going to be a one-off but wants to be more robust than wires poked in a solderless prototype board and neater than a veroboard mess.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2021, 09:26:25 pm
content: Impressive.If it came along with pre-cut presensitized UV boards, all you'd have to do is wash and etch. But I think those premade boards are not cheap to start with.https://www.amazon.ca/MG-Chemicals-Positive-Presensitized-1-Ounce/dp/B008OAFQ8E?th=1

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2021, 12:00:13 am
content: If you've got one of those printers you're used to steep materials costYou are paying for convenience and coating plain boards yourself might be a bit cheaper. Probably not by a lot, though.

author: sleemanj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2021, 01:39:22 am
content: That's some very nice results.Now if somebody could make a bare minimium exposer based on whatever screen and UV emitter that printer is using, without all the 3d printing gubbins, that'd be grand.The place for DIY PCBs still exists, sometimes you just want a quick one-off, or to proof of concept prototype an idea to make sure it's going to work. I HATE breadboards, if I want to try an idea, I prefer to make a PCB.

author: Slartibartfast
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2021, 04:43:24 pm
content: Quote from: thm_w on November 23, 2021, 09:26:25 pmDo you really need this large size?The same Amazon offer has the much more standard 6"x4" at $15, which is ridiculously expensive. Here in Germany a local supplier (reichelt.de) has equivalent ones for less than a fifth of that price (2.50€).Cheers Peter

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2021, 10:53:22 pm
content: Quote from: Slartibartfast on December 14, 2021, 04:43:24 pmThe smaller size, the better, then it doesn't need to be cut down. $2.50 is quite reasonable.

author: tyguy2
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 19, 2021, 04:26:29 am
content: I've tried this method before, and here's what I've run into in terms of problems:1.) UV sensitive masksAs stated earlier in this thread, pre-cut boards can be/are expensive. And applying UV sensitive dry film can be a huge pain. And even if you get the film on, tiny air bubbles/ dust particles can really ruin your day. Also, you still have to dissolve the unexposed film away with harsh chemicals, most use sodium carbonate (lye), so you'll have to deal with that as well.2.) Thru HolesIt's still a pain to do thru holes, just like more traditional exposure methods. Plating involves, you guessed it, more chemicals, and other methods limit what sizes of hole you can use (typically closer to the too big to do anything with)3.) FocusingIf your board isn't perfectly aligned with your build surface/ UV exposure area, you get fuzzy edges on your exposure, which translates to uneven/ unpredictable copper deposition, which limits your minimum trace widths.There's more, but those were the big three. What I've found is that, in practice, this method is just a *different* way of making a PCB, not really a faster way.

author: EPAIII
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2021, 08:22:21 am
content: Speaking as one who has made PCBs at home for over 40 years (I can show you some 2X masters made with adhesive patterns and black tape), I think you would be better off using a B&W laser printer. You reverse print the pattern on transfer paper and iron it onto the copper clad board. You use the etchant, steel wool the toner off, drop it in a tin plating bath for a couple of minutes and you are done.As for two sided and plated holes, you can do the second side after drilling some or all the holes. Putting it on a light table allows you to align the holes with the pattern on the transfer paper. And there are eyelets that can be staked in the holes instead of plating them. But it will not be anywhere near as good as a professionally made board.But frankly, with the prices available today, my next project, which I am already working on, will be with professionally made boards. You can pay extra to get rush shipping.

author: dl6lr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2021, 10:50:22 am
content: In a correlated question:Does anyone here have experience with the VOLTERA V-ONE PCB printer?