My PCB at HOME Got problems

[ep.hobbyiest]

Here is attched Image.
What is problem while doing






which care i have to take
I think glossy paper should bit thin thanner paper of Photograph.

 

[D.A.(Tony)Stewart]

It looks like poor contrast ratio in artwork or UV developer.

 

[th3gr8]

There are several factors for such poor results .. Tell us in which software you designed the PCB, which paper you used for printing and how long you were keep ironing the paper?

 

[embpic]

Glossy Paper printed by laser printer

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right??
bcoz laser printer give this effect

 

[ALERTLINKS]

Board might not be cleaned and scraped properly. Plus it is over-etched.

 

[ep.hobbyiest]

Actually i iron the PCB for first 5 minute after that i wait and checked that paper was not get stick to pcb after 5 minute i again heat the pcb.Then clean the paper in hot water and then etched.

 

[ep.hobbyiest]

If i used Magazine paper then will it work?? BUT if i used with already written then will this pre-print affect the PCB?

 

[BrunoARG]

Hello.
I use the same method for all my PCBs made at home, and I want you to know that it works perfectly.

I print over magazine paper with a laser printer (but no SO glossy, otherwise it gets stuck in the printer...) quite thin, you can try with different ones.
Then I iron the PCB for 3-4 minutes and when I finish, immediately throw the printed PCB (with paper) to a water filled container. I wait 10 secs until it gets cooled down and then I remove the paper with a toothbrush.

Don't worry about the written magazine sheets, those are printed with ink, and it won't transfer to the PCB since it doesn't melt.

Make sure that you are really printing with TONER (sometimes another materials are used). Then, once you finished with the iron take an old toothbrush and remove the paper from the PCB. You don't have to do it so strongly because you may remove the toner. If you do it right and the toner keeps getting unstuck, try printing with another printer.

Then, don't leave the PCB etching for half an hour, if you heat the acid up you can get your PCB etched in 10 minutes or less. You can heat water and put a PLASTIC container with acid into it. Always check if it's already done, if you leave it by long times then acid will attack tracks and pads.

And as everyone says, clean the copper surface before you iron the PCB.

 

[ep.hobbyiest]

i will try with magazine paper but when i was used paper which is used for photography then i got this result and that paper was not that much fixed to PCB.
Is there any measurement for etching powder. Means how much amount of water + amount of Solution?

 

[BrunoARG]

As I understand you iron the PCB by thermal transfet method. Are you using UV-developer to remove the paper or something like that?

I buy liquid etching acid (Ferric chloride, not dangerous to skin), I've never tried that soluble powder.

I think you are mixing wrong proportions (too much powder) and the solution is very very powerful at a point that it passes the sticked toner layer.

Read the instructions or ask your seller about the proportions. I think you should add less powder (or more water) till you get good results.

 

[code_slave]

Better not to mess about with such methods, it is highly dependent on the type of laser printer, even with the right 'shiny' paper.

The LP MUST be able to produce SOLID black, many only produce a stipple.( look at the printout under a lens).

There is actually a company that sells a 'special' paper that will thicken up the laser print and make it 'solid', making this method more successful.

Far better to use developer/ coated board solution, with a THIN sheet of glass to keep the stencil in direct contact to the UV sensitive board.

 

[BrunoARG]

I use nail polish to remove toner after etching the board, it works pretty well. I don't use UV transfer method because it's sometimes expensive and it's worth for very accurate PCBs.