Help with PCB routing.

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evalon
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jun 06, 2017 6:43 am

Help with PCB routing.

Post by evalon »

Hi All,

Although my post here may be a bit off-topic I hope it's ok that I post here ...

My reason for posting here is that in a not too distant future I will be needing to make some PCBs (eventually appr. 20*20 cm size) which have an unusually thick copper layer of 400 um on the signal plane (GND plane is 800 um copper layer). To make this possible I would like to route (I think it's called?) the PCB instead of etching it. By posting here I hope to make contact with one of you that usually make PCBs on your CNC machines and could be interested in helping out with this (I will pay of course).

Overall, the "specifications" for these PCBs are:

- the PCB laminate's base layer is quite thin at 200 - 250 um. And it may be ever so slightly uneven which is why I reckon the autoleveler is a very fine idea.
- the traces may - on short lengths - be down to a width of 0.3 mms.
- trace spacing may be down to 0.3 mms as well on short lengths.
- holes may be down to 0.6 mm sizes.
- I work with Diptrace and should be able to export to the formats indicated in the attached jpg screendump.

I have asked around and have been told that if the engraving tool is sharp enough - and the process is well carried out - it should be possible to make this on a CNC.

For a first round trial I imagine making a couple of small test PCBs (e. g. 5x5 cms sizes) which include the part of the PCB with the smallest and closest traces so as to test whether this works out as is intended (other suggestions are welcome).

I hope one of you here could be interested in helping with this ... If so please either reply here or send me a PM and we can talk about the practicalities.

Cheers ;)

Jesper
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evalon
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jun 06, 2017 6:43 am

Re: Help with PCB routing.

Post by evalon »

Hi All,

Hmmm ... I can see that my thread has some readers but apparently no replies (yet, I hope ;) ) However, I've been wondering - in case nobody here can help with this - if there is another forum where I can post my request for help with PCB routing?

I'd appreciate help in this so if you have a suggestion please let me know ...

Cheers ;)

Jesper
daedelus
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Posts: 387
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2013 1:41 pm
Location: London, UK
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Re: Help with PCB routing.

Post by daedelus »

Jesper,

If you need someone else to make your PCB, you could try a PCB fabrication house. They can make your PCB from your designs (usually Gerber files I think) and send you the results. This is one option, have you considered this?

There are lots of fab houses and you will want to choose one in your own country. I have used PCB train before https://www.pcbtrain.co.uk/ but they are UK based, so they may not be the best choice for you depending on where you live. Have a look around.
http://www.autoleveller.co.uk/. Software to probe and adjust a GCode file for PCB's or any probe-able surface.

http://www.autoleveller.co.uk/cnc-probe-guide/. A short guide to setting up the probe.

-James
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