PentiumPC 119 Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Hi, Hope to start a thread to share contacts and experience and tips for prototype PCB fabrications. I use Seeed studio's Fusion Service for a small Launch Pad Booster for my intervalometer project, this is my first time sending my design out for fabrication and I am happy with their service and quality but the wait for delivery can kill sometimes. Before this, as a hobbyist, I either use prototype boards, etch or mill my boards. Wiring Prototype boards is a messy affair for me, works but aesthetically it looks bad. (I don't have the skills to make it look good) I like etching but it is messy and and chemicals are hard to get now in this part of the world. The last time I etch was like 8 to 10 years ago. Milling is a quick way to get a board out, looks decently good, but my mill is not equipped or permanently set up for PCB milling, so setting it up can be a chore, hope to build a low cost router to mill boards instead. Without a solder mask soldering a milled board can be messy as well. I am hoping to move on to SMD components for my next project. My mill is out of action now as I recent moved to a new apartment but here is a video of my last project using a milled PCB - a tachometer for the spindle motor, using PICs not MSP related. (hope to revisit this project with the Launchpad) Milling:- In acton. Regards, Terence Quote Link to post Share on other sites
timotet 44 Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Nice work I would like to build a PCB CNC for at home prototyping but until then I use a machine at work. Here's a couple of boards I made By timotet at 2011-10-16 By timotet at 2011-10-16 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kenemon 29 Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 how long do boards like that take to run? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
timotet 44 Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 The small one took about 1 minute. The larger 2 took 15 minutes or so each to drill and machine. I usually run the spindle at about 9500 rpm and I run the engraving tool at 15IPM (inch's per minute). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PentiumPC 119 Posted October 20, 2011 Author Share Posted October 20, 2011 The small one took about 1 minute.The larger 2 took 15 minutes or so each to drill and machine. I usually run the spindle at about 9500 rpm and I run the engraving tool at 15IPM (inch's per minute). what kind of mill is that? gantry system?? For me tramming the mill is a pain. Planing to build a small Gantry mill just to mill pcbs.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
timotet 44 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 For the bigger boards I used a Enshu DT center, its a gantry style mill where the X,Y, and Z are on the gantry and the table is fixed. For the smaller board I used a Fadal VMC15 which has the X and Y on the table and the Z is fixed in the X and Y. What do you mean tramming? from your video your setup looks pretty cool. Planing to build a small Gantry mill just to mill pcbs.. me too what kind of driver boards ect.. are you planning on using? Ive been looking into it. Of course I would like to build the system myself , but dont want to re-invent the wheel. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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