raoul@eplunix.UUCP (Nico Garcia) (01/09/91)
In article <567@dtg.nsc.com>, green@dtg.nsc.com (green) writes: > I noticed an advertisement in one of the local electronic equipment magazines > describing an "easy" way to create PC Boards using an "TEC 200 FILM" > process. According to the instructions, you run this stuff through a > photocopier, take the result and iron it on copper board. This results > in a photomask ready for the copper etch. Sounds great to me! Photomask, no. Etch resist, yes. This technique actually works quite well, but be prepared to screw up several boards getting your technique down. 10 mil is out of the question, unless you go over your artwork with a permanent 10 mil marker after ironing. I've been using 20 and 40 mil with good results. For large areas, like ground planes, be prepared to paint over them with a good etch resist: large black areas just don't work well on photocopiers. The name of the company is Meadowlake Corp.: their number is (516)757-3385, and 10 sheets will cost about $10 including shipping. They include instructions on how to use it, and there was an article in Popular Electronics last year. I use this with Macdraw to draw both sides of my boards, print it out on paper, then Xerox onto the transparency. Also make sure that you have the orientation of your artwork correct: it gets reversed from your paper copy onto the PC board. -- Nico Garcia Designs by Geniuses for use by Idiots eplunix!cirl!raoul@eddie.mit.edu
pfluegerm@alpine.UUCP (Mike Pflueger) (01/15/91)
In article <567@dtg.nsc.com>, green@dtg.nsc.com (green) writes: > I noticed an advertisement in one of the local electronic equipment magazines > describing an "easy" way to create PC Boards using an "TEC 200 FILM" > process. According to the instructions, you run this stuff through a > photocopier, take the result and iron it on copper board. This results > in a photomask ready for the copper etch. Sounds great to me! > > Has anyone had any experience with this process? good, bad? > > Is this process capable of achieving 10 mil line resolution? > > Who makes this stuff, and possibly a manufacturing address to pursue assuming > that it may do the job. > > > The advertisement reference is in January 1991 Nuts & Volts page 28. > > Thanks in advance. > > Dave Green The film can be ordered from DC Electronics 2515 N. Scottsdale Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85251 602-945-7736 If I remember right, I think you have to order 10 sheets minimum which runs about $15 or so. Personally, I tried it and wasn't pleased, but I heard other people say it works great. Maybe I did something wrong, but I tried to follow the instructions. None of the copiers I tried would lay an even pattern on the film (we have good quality Xerox and Ricoh copiers here - maybe cheaper ones would give better results?). Obviously the etch pattern won't be any better than the dry ink laid down on the TEC-200 paper. I also tried printing directly to it with an Apple LaserWriter, but this wasn't any better. Also, the pattern is very fragile (easily smudged). Also, it doesn't seem to be as easy to iron on as they would have you believe (even though I didn't get a good pattern, I wanted to see how it transferrred). It wasn't working with the iron on top of a towel, so I thought I'd briefly apply more direct heat. Well, I ruined my wife's favorite iron almost instantly. The melting point of TEC-200 seems to be very near the optimal transfer temperature. Too much hassle for me. Our copiers DO make excellent standard overhead transparencies, so the solution I use is to copy the pattern onto a standard transparency, and use pre-sensitized photo etch boards (about $7 for a 6" x 6" epoxy board at Tri-Tek, another local electronics store). I press the tranparency against the PC board, then sandwich this between a piece of glass and a piece of wood. Tape the glass with masking tape to keep it all from sliding. About 7-8 minutes in the Arizona sun does it. Also, for those with Macs, MacDraw II is great for designing boards. I work at 400% and print on a LaserWriter with reduction set to 25% (this makes it easier to work on the fine detail and positioning). I do the component pads in one layer, the traces in another layer, a 3rd layer for text (pin #s or labels, component ID's, etc.), and a 4th layer shows components and jumpers (to work from, not printed when printed as part of the etch pattern). One other nice thing is that MacDraw allows you to flip and/or invert the image. I've created a library of standard pads for IC's and other components, so I just lay 'em down & move 'em around. You can lay the pads, print a copy, and set the components in their spot to optimize your density before drawing the traces. Hope this helps. Good luck. -- Mike Pflueger @ AG Communication Systems (formerly GTE Comm. Sys.), Phoenix, AZ UUCP: {...!ames!ncar!noao!asuvax | uunet!hrc | att}!gtephx!pfluegerm Work: 602-582-7049 FAX: 602-582-7624 Home: 602-439-1978 Packet: WD8KPZ @ W1FJI Internet: PLEASE USE UUCP PATH (NOT INTERNET)!