Prototyping Tutorial PCB Development

In this tutorial you will learn how to etch a single-sided printed circuit board

Materials:

a single sided PCB, I have used the type FR4

a light box

positive developer

hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)

hydrochloric acid

tracing paper

safety glasses

gloves

non-metalic reservoir

drills

To draw your circuit you can do it in any program you want

Print it out on tracing paper with a laser printer

Be sure you printed mirrored, not like the foto

Cut the PCB to your dimensions.

You can cut it with guillotine cutter for paper or steel

Pull the tray out and then open it

Remove the blue protective layer of the PCB

Put the print with the printed side against the copper side of the PCB

Put this against the lower glass plate

Closed it

Turn on the machine

Turn the vacuum pump on and let these go up to 0.5 bar

If this is reached, slide the tray back and turn the lights on

Put the timer on 3 min

To remove the light resistant layer:

Pour the positive developer in a reservoir

If the timer of the lightbox is 0, remove the pcb and put it for 1 min in the developer

Rinse the PCB thoroughly with water, until all the developer is disappeared.

Make sure you put on the gloves because the developer will irritated skin

Make sure you have the gloves and safety glasses on and make sure the room is ventilated

Pour 50 ml of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in a non-metalic reservoir and then do only 100 ml of hydrochloric acid in

Add the developed PCB in the acid bath.

The copper between the circuit must disappear completely. see movie 1 and 2

Move the container gently

This takes about 5 min.

If all the copper is off then rinse with water and dry.

Now you can drill the holes for the components and then soldering

Now you see way you have to mirror the circuit that you drawed otherwise you 'll have a mirrored PCB

Like the foto