SparkFun Forums

[smdFan]

Hi there,

I would like to know what kind of machines are needed for manufacturing PCBs. When I look on the web, I just see machines that are geared toward assembly (reflow oven, pick and place, stencil printer). I am yet to see machines for actual manufacturing of PCBs itself. Can you suggest anything thing. Thanks

[leon_heller]

RS and Farnell sell equipment for making PCBs. I made my UV exposure unit and use plastic food containers for etching, in the kitchen sink.

Leon

[smdFan]

RS and Farnell sell equipment for making PCBs. I made my UV exposure unit and use plastic food containers for etching, in the kitchen sink.

Leon

Thanks for responding. However, I was looking into machines that are used in factories for making professional boards. That is the actual physical fabrication of the board it self. Also the machines used for making the PCBs (with layout on it) but not tools for hobbiest. Thanks

Regards

[Philba]

They don't have a single machine for making PCBs - it's a multistep process that uses highly specialized machines for each step. It is actually quite similar to what leon pointed out though there are some things (like plated through holes) that are pretty hard for the hobbyist to do.

If you want a machine that will make a PCB, the closest you would come to is a CNC mill that would basically mill off the copper and drill the holes. Still, you wouldn't get silk screening, plating, conformal coatings and all that good stuff. The cheapest you could find one is probably a couple of thousand bucks.

What are you trying to do?

[winston]

Incidentally, I met a guy when were were going up the ski lift at Brighton, Utah, who worked for a German company that made PCB milling machines. Unfortunately, I forgot to ask for the name of his company, or for the design rules the machine can manage. He said they start at a couple of thousand bucks, and I think for a small 'cottage industry' hobbyist pcb fab, it'd be possible to recover that cost... best of all, no nasty chemicals.

[leon_heller]

Probably LPKF.

Leon

[smdFan]

It is amazing how bad, somtimes I am in communicatin. I think I did/could not made myself clear.

What I wanted to know basically is the fabrication of the FR-4 boards. You know that green fiber glass thing of which PCBs are built. Thanks

Regards

[ohararp]

I have been looking at CNC PCB Routers for awhile now. LPKF machines (from Germany) run about $22K for the features I am looking at (S62 model).

However, I have seen ACCURATECNC's machine and for ~$7250 they are a steal. Thru hole plating is the next hoop to jump through. Checkout www.thinktink.com for details on that.

[leon_heller]

It is amazing how bad, somtimes I am in communicatin. I think I did/could not made myself clear.

What I wanted to know basically is the fabrication of the FR-4 boards. You know that green fiber glass thing of which PCBs are built. Thanks

Regards

Fibreglass mat is laminated together with copper sheet, using epoxy resin adhesive, and subjected to pressure in a heated press, which compresses the laminate and cures the resin.

Leon

[smdFan]

It is amazing how bad, somtimes I am in communicatin. I think I did/could not made myself clear.

What I wanted to know basically is the fabrication of the FR-4 boards. You know that green fiber glass thing of which PCBs are built. Thanks

Regards

Fibreglass mat is laminated together with copper sheet, using epoxy resin adhesive, and subjected to pressure in a heated press, which compresses the laminate and cures the resin.

Leon

Leon,

Thanks a lot for the information. However, I knew that but still I failed to properly communicate my question:

1. Name/brand of machines used in the process of FR-4 fabrication. A website link to a company will help a lot.
2. What sort of fiber glass materials are used and where to get them?
3. The name of the machines for laminating, presssurisng and heating?
4. The specs of the copper sheets and what companys sell them?
4 Types of epoxy resins adhesives

and etc.

I hope I am clear this time. Thanks for your time.

Regards

[Philba]

Frankly, I not sure I really understand what you want. You want machines for making FR4? Or printed circuits? In either case, there really isn't a single machine. It's a process with multiple machines and manual labor sprinkled in between. I'm not sure at all about FR4 construction and we've mentioned the PCB process already.

Why are you asking about this? Are you looking so set up a factory? What are you trying to accomplish?