Blog  /  PCB Etching-How to Achieve The Perfect PCB Etching

PCB Etching-How to Achieve The Perfect PCB Etching

PCBs are widely used in the electronics industry and are also cost-effective. It can assemble some of the most complicated circuits in small spaces while eliminating the risk of loose connections. In industries dealing with PCB manufacturing, there are several ways of making them coupled with the necessary machinery. But again, PCB etching can be done at home quickly. This article offers insightful information regarding DIY PCB etching while touching on steps to follow, tools that you may need, and safety measures, among others.

 

1、Materials and Necessary Tools

 

The following constitute some of the essential tools and materials you need to etch a PCB on your own.

♦  Laser Printer

♦  Cloth Iron

♦  Drill machine

♦  Soldering iron

♦  Steel wool or Sandpaper

♦  Gloves

♦  Photo paper / Glossy paper

♦  PCB board

♦  Permanent marker (preferably black)

♦  Ferric Chloride, also known as the Etching solution

 

An image of a young man operating on a PCBImage 1: An image of a young man operating on a PCB

 

Before going into the steps, you need to follow to etch your PCB at home, remember that the above materials and equipment are a must-have. Otherwise, you may end up not working as expected on the PCB.

For instance, if you lack rubber gloves, you may end up straining your hands. On the other hand, if you don't have steel wool or Sandpaper with you. It will be difficult for you to clean the top oxide layer of the copper material in addition to the photoresist layer of your PCB. Sanded surfaces do allow the image from your paper to stick better to stick in the right way.

As it seems, therefore, having the right tools and materials in place is necessary if you intend to etch a PCB that will meet all your needs as desired. Lacking even one of them may end up leaving you with an unpleasant PCB etching experience.

 

2、Steps to DIY PCB Etching

 

Step 1: Take a circuit board layout printout

 

Using a laser printer and glossy paper, take or have a printout layout of your PCB. Also, make sure that you print your printout on the paper's bright side. Additionally, make sure to select the output in color black both from the printer driver settings and the software of the PCB design.

 

Step 2: Carefully cut the copper plate meant for the circuit board

 

Carefully cut the copper board according to the layout's size, either using a cutter or hacksaw. After completing this, using a ball of steel wool or Sandpaper, rub the copper side of your PCB as such removes both the photoresist and top oxide layer of the copper.

 

Step 3: Make a transfer of your PCB print onto the plate of copper.

 

Using your circuit as a point of reference, slowly sketch the plate of copper using a pencil and once your sketch comes out, use a permanent black marker to trace over it.

 

Step 4: Onto your PCB plate, iron the circuit from the paper

 

After making the print on glossy paper, iron the image side down to the copper side before heating the iron to the iron cloth to its maximum temperature. To do this, place the board and photo paper on a clean wooden table while keeping the backside of the photo paper facing you.

Using pliers, hold one end to keep it steady before putting the hot iron cloth for around 10 seconds on the other end. Now, slowly iron your photo paper using the tip with little pressure for close to 15 minutes.

The heat from the iron transfers all the ink printed on the glossy paper to your copper plate. Now, place your printed plate inside a bowl of lukewarm water for 10 minutes. After this, remove the paper gently by peeling it.

 

An image of copper plating on surfaces to increase thicknessImage 2: An image of copper plating on surfaces to increase the thickness

 

Step 5: Etching the plate

 

First, put on the rubber gloves before placing some newspaper pieces on the bottom to avoid the spillover of the etching solution on the floor.

Secondly, find a plastic bowl and fill some water into it before dissolving around 2-3 ferric chloride powder teaspoons in the water.

Thirdly, slowly dip your PCB into the etching solution for close to three minutes. And after that, the ferric acid will react with the unmasked copper to remove the unwanted pieces of copper from your PCB, a process known as etching.

 

Step 6: Cleaning and final touches

 

Cleaning is the last step. Here, it would help if you were careful while disposing of your etching solution and other unwanted material. Don't pour it on a pool or a pond. Finally, rinse your PCB carefully and dry it using a clean cloth, and there, you have your PCB!

 

 

An image of copper plating on surfaces to increase thicknessImage 3: An image of copper plating on surfaces to increase the thickness

 

3、Safety Measures While Undertaking PCB Etching

 

While trying to create a PCB out of your own hands and equipment is fun, you should be very cautious. A simple mistake may see you seeking costly medical attention or a few stitches. Since such involves the use of power tools and dangerous chemicals, it's good to be cautious.

It is vital to ensure that you wear safety equipment such as protection glasses, gloves, and an apron all the time. I need be, you may be required to do your work close to an eyewash station, a phone, and a first aid box.

Before starting the PCB etch process, you may have to make sure that you use all the tools and equipment correctly. If you aren't sure of anything, go ahead and ask an expert.

 

An image of a person soldering a PCBImage 4: An image of a person soldering a PCB

 

4、Challenges of Creating/building PCB By Hand

 

Lately, a lot of hobbyists are trying out their hand at etching their PCBs. However, on a closer examination, the results that come out are mostly less accurate. There are a few challenges to be encountered here and there.

First, etching a PCB by hand is a lengthy process that can be extremely disappointing. Some people who have tried out building a PCB by hand have reported spending a considerable amount of time to do so. For instance, it can last a week or two to fabricate just a single board by hand.

Secondly, soldering and etching mistakes are easy to make. Best practices used by reputable manufacturers out there are hard to follow, which is why hand-made PCBs may not function as desired.

Human hands aren't the best substitutes for machines as such. Even the most stable hand encounters some difficulties in achieving the precision of the machine and the etching tool.

Finally, why do a large number of engineers seem to be moving away from hand-made PCBs? Another reason is that it is difficult and almost impossible to effectively assemble SMT (Surface Mount Components) according to board requirements.

 

5、Why Choose Our PCB for Your PCB Etching Solutions?

 

We understand that you desire to etch a PCB out of your hands. Besides being fun, it's exciting and an excellent way to learn something new. But again, we at Our PCB understand that such a process may be challenging at times.

Here is where we come in. So, why choose us for your PCB etching solutions when you have a dozen other companies to choose from? The reasons are relatively simple to understand. Since going into business, we have provided our clients with high-quality PCBs with exceptional customer care and excellent speed.

Our objective is to save our customers' time and hard-earned money while assuring them some peace of mind. Achieving such a goal gets reflected from everything we undertake, from our speedy delivery to our hard-to-resist quotes.

 

6、Conclusion

 

So there you have it with do-it-yourself PCB etching: besides being fun, it's a straightforward and cheap process to do. Provided you follow the right steps while ensuring that you have the right tools and equipment to use. Please be assured that you will come up with a final product that will satisfy you once the process is complete. Even though challenges are hard to avoid, following the right procedure will guarantee you a remarkable product at the end. Also, do not forget to observe all the safety measures necessary during the etching process. But again, if the whole process seems complicated and somewhat frustrating on your end, you can always rely on experts' services for your PCB need. There are plenty of players out there but look no further than Our PCB for the best results.