In the electronic world, PCB or circuit board is the most indispensable part of any electronic equipment. Because they are hidden under the shell of electronic devices, they are often ignored, but they are indeed the backbone of any device, electronic products and equipment you own. PCB (Printed Circuit Board) houses all the electronic components of the equipment and is electrically connected to each other to create a circuit. Its design is reasonable to fix all wires and other components in place.
If you are engaged in electronic manufacturing, it’s not surprising if you want to know how to design PCB, and you want to know the steps of PCB design most.
There are three different ways to design circuit boards.
Laser cutting method of manual circuit iron on glossy paper Laser cutting method is the top technology used in the industry when creating printed circuit board design. It needs laser machinery, which is too expensive for small and even medium-sized enterprises. In this Wiki article, let’s focus on two other methods of how to design PCB: manual circuit and iron on glossy paper.
Step-by-step process on how to design PCB (circuit board). First, you need to consider the circuit schematic diagram before installing it on the circuit board. Fortunately, there are many free softwares that can handle PCB layout design. Some of them are paid software packages, which can give you an in-depth understanding of PCB layout design, and it will be up to you whether you choose free or paid.
After preparing the PCB layout design, now you must protect the required materials as part of the PCB design guidelines. This is the material you need; Copper plate etching solution glossy paper black marker knife sandpaper kitchen paper cotton wool steel velvet For an example of how to design a circuit board, let’s consider using IC555 to design a PCB for a simple touch switch device.
1. Print out the layout of the circuit board.
Use glossy paper to print the circuit board layout, and make sure it is printed on the glossy surface of the paper. Select black output from PCB design layout and printer settings.
2. Cut the copper plate of PCB.
Cut the copper plate according to the appropriate size of your PCB layout. The smaller the board, the better the overall effect, because we want to keep the size to a minimum, but at the same time keep the space of all electrical components spacious.
Wipe the copper surface of PCB with steel wool to remove copper oxide layer and photoresist surface. Having a smooth surface can make the printed image adhere better.
3. Transfer the printout to the copper plate.
Transfer the printout by placing it on the copper surface of the PCB, and ensure that the PCB is properly aligned on the bezel. If necessary, tape the printout to the board to fix it in the correct position.
Next, here is a two-way street, because the two different methods mentioned above about designing PCB will work.
One. When manually referencing the circuit, trace the layout of the circuit board on the copper plate with a pencil. When you are satisfied with the sketch, please trace it back again with a permanent black marker.
b。 On glossy paper, this is another method, in which you press the printed glossy paper face down to the copper side of the printing plate. Just put the glossy paper on the copper plate so that the back of the glossy paper is on the surface. Fix the glossy paper and copper plate in place with pliers, and then put the flat iron on the other end for 8-10 seconds. Repeat the process for other surfaces, then move around on the pliers to keep them in place.
After covering the entire surface of the glossy paper, iron the glossy paper along the edge with a little pressure for 10 to 15 minutes. The ironing process transfers the ink to the copper plate due to heat. Be careful of the hot surface of copper plate caused by hot iron.
After ironing, put the copper plate in warm water for 10 minutes. The paper will dissolve immediately, making it easy for you to peel it off. However, sometimes the ink becomes dark after peeling, but you can easily solve it by traversing the ink again with a black marker.
4. Etch the plate.
It can be said that this is the most critical step in PCB manufacturing: etching process. In this process, you must be very careful. First, you should wear sanitary gloves for protection. Put some paper at the bottom to prevent the etching solution from leaving traces on the floor. Meanwhile, fill the plastic box with water, and then dissolve 2-3 teaspoons of etching solution (usually ferric chloride) in the water.
Immerse PCB in the solution and leave it for half an hour. The etching solution will react with the copper surface, thus removing the copper without any trace on the copper from the PCB. If it is not etched correctly, leave the plate in the solution for a few more minutes. Take out the useless copper with pliers.
5. Clean the PCB and make the final contact.
The etching solution is highly toxic, so you must treat it correctly. Don’t simply drain it from the sink, as it may damage your pipes. Instead, dilute the solution with more water and throw it somewhere outside the house.
To remove the residual ink on PCB, drop a few drops of thinner on a cotton board to finish the work. Just rub it on the surface, then rinse it carefully with water and dry it with a cloth or kitchen paper. Trim the board to the required size, and then flatten the edges with sandpaper.
For the last step, please use the PCB drilling machine to drill holes in the printed circuit board design. Use a soldering iron to connect all the cool components to the board. If you want to use the traditional green printed circuit board design, please apply solder resist paint on some PCB paints.
Follow these PCB design guidelines carefully, and now you can have a cost-effective DIYPCB or circuit board. The shell of PCB usually starts with 3D design, and then continues with plastic manufacturing.