How NOT to Mill a PCB (except for SMD)
video description
Date: 2020-09-05
Related videos
Comments and reviews: 9
soundsdigital
With experience, PCBs can be milled easily and accurately. Your depth of 0. 05mm was too deep. If the board is level it should be possible to go to. 0. 035 which is the depth of the copper, but I have had sucess at as little as 0. 02mm (which in theory is not as deep as the copper is supposed to be thick.
It does pay to separate your tracks as much as possible and keep them as wide as possible when designing the PCB. I also find using rounded rectangle pads rather than circular pads makes soldering much quicker and easier. You also have the advantage when milling them that if you want to alter the board, it is much quicker to alter the gerber files and mill a new board than to make a new board with all that solder, there is much less chance of making a mistake when assembling it and obviously it looks much better.
reply
With experience, PCBs can be milled easily and accurately. Your depth of 0. 05mm was too deep. If the board is level it should be possible to go to. 0. 035 which is the depth of the copper, but I have had sucess at as little as 0. 02mm (which in theory is not as deep as the copper is supposed to be thick.
It does pay to separate your tracks as much as possible and keep them as wide as possible when designing the PCB. I also find using rounded rectangle pads rather than circular pads makes soldering much quicker and easier. You also have the advantage when milling them that if you want to alter the board, it is much quicker to alter the gerber files and mill a new board than to make a new board with all that solder, there is much less chance of making a mistake when assembling it and obviously it looks much better.
reply
Dr. Cosmar
I think it's easier/cheaper just to order PCBs professionally made. Maybe not quicker, but the other two make up for it.
How much money did you just throw out? Not being a prick, just pointing to the in the room.
With that being said, for sure the 200 machines would work just fine. You might have to brush up on your chinglish a bit. Also, you might have to buy a few parts due to quality. but with your skills you would probably spend half of what you did on that machine and get more desired results.
I like their software. but I don't. I can already tell it's not open source and I don't do not open source because of fees or subscriptions often associated either now, before, or in the future when the better version can do what you need/want.
reply
I think it's easier/cheaper just to order PCBs professionally made. Maybe not quicker, but the other two make up for it.
How much money did you just throw out? Not being a prick, just pointing to the in the room.
With that being said, for sure the 200 machines would work just fine. You might have to brush up on your chinglish a bit. Also, you might have to buy a few parts due to quality. but with your skills you would probably spend half of what you did on that machine and get more desired results.
I like their software. but I don't. I can already tell it's not open source and I don't do not open source because of fees or subscriptions often associated either now, before, or in the future when the better version can do what you need/want.
reply
Roman
Comparing to a breadbord:
1) This process much less tending for mistakes
2) While the PCB is milling you can relax or do something else (while it is very curious to look at the process - I can imagine)
3) You can deligate the process to another person (which is also possible with a breadboard, but paperwork in this case will be exhausting)
4) You can do it for pretty small SMD components
5) This is repeatable. So it makes MUCH more sense if you will make more than one peace or you will replicate this with PCB outsourcing with no time for gerbers - you already have it!
6) This looks MUCH better
reply
Comparing to a breadbord:
1) This process much less tending for mistakes
2) While the PCB is milling you can relax or do something else (while it is very curious to look at the process - I can imagine)
3) You can deligate the process to another person (which is also possible with a breadboard, but paperwork in this case will be exhausting)
4) You can do it for pretty small SMD components
5) This is repeatable. So it makes MUCH more sense if you will make more than one peace or you will replicate this with PCB outsourcing with no time for gerbers - you already have it!
6) This looks MUCH better
reply
Roaming
Made my first milled circuit board yesterday, a shield for a shift register for easier breadboard prototyping, using one of the cheap Banggood engravers. (They're better as a training device than as a useful tool IMO) Nine pins, eight SMD LEDs and eight SMD resistors. Gave up trying to get meaningful results from Kicad and resorted to paper and pen sketch and hand calculations. Then typed in Gcode instructions line-by-line to accurately mark the header pin positions and part of the isolation paths, and used the jog controls to manually carve the rest.
Quite happy with the result though!
reply
Made my first milled circuit board yesterday, a shield for a shift register for easier breadboard prototyping, using one of the cheap Banggood engravers. (They're better as a training device than as a useful tool IMO) Nine pins, eight SMD LEDs and eight SMD resistors. Gave up trying to get meaningful results from Kicad and resorted to paper and pen sketch and hand calculations. Then typed in Gcode instructions line-by-line to accurately mark the header pin positions and part of the isolation paths, and used the jog controls to manually carve the rest.
Quite happy with the result though!
reply
David
My CNC runs into the same issues. Leveling the spoiler board will help. What I've been experimenting with lately is spray painting the board and using a laser to etch the traces. Then dropping it into ferric chloride to finish the etch.
I also agree that you're milling way too slow for copper boards. There's not a lot of physical resistance in the cut you're making. A faster cut should produce a cleaner edge as you'll be cutting more than rubbing the surface.
I think with a little more practice, you'll be getting better results.
reply
My CNC runs into the same issues. Leveling the spoiler board will help. What I've been experimenting with lately is spray painting the board and using a laser to etch the traces. Then dropping it into ferric chloride to finish the etch.
I also agree that you're milling way too slow for copper boards. There's not a lot of physical resistance in the cut you're making. A faster cut should produce a cleaner edge as you'll be cutting more than rubbing the surface.
I think with a little more practice, you'll be getting better results.
reply
ElectronixPall
Hey, try milling a flat surface on a say a piece of MDF and mount the PCB to that surface with tape. If the board is more that 50x50mm you should auto-level the cutter this make a massive difference. You don't need to use very pointed engraving bits. I find a flatter angle works better. However I make PCB's using artwork, UV light and pre-coated boards, takes about 10 minutes and is great for prototypes and one off's and check all is well before committing to outside sourcing.
reply
Hey, try milling a flat surface on a say a piece of MDF and mount the PCB to that surface with tape. If the board is more that 50x50mm you should auto-level the cutter this make a massive difference. You don't need to use very pointed engraving bits. I find a flatter angle works better. However I make PCB's using artwork, UV light and pre-coated boards, takes about 10 minutes and is great for prototypes and one off's and check all is well before committing to outside sourcing.
reply
Luke
I think milling is the way to go, because it is easily repeatable, once you set up the G-Code, it is essentially a cookie-cutter.
Secondly, time, for a Veroboard you have to sit there and make the board, on the other hand, you have to wait for weeks to receive the order if you order it, however, with milling you only have to wait an hour also.
reply
I think milling is the way to go, because it is easily repeatable, once you set up the G-Code, it is essentially a cookie-cutter.
Secondly, time, for a Veroboard you have to sit there and make the board, on the other hand, you have to wait for weeks to receive the order if you order it, however, with milling you only have to wait an hour also.
reply
Roman
From your video it become obvious that the Z-axis probing is essential. And the tools quality is also very important.
I think that with more experience you will have much better and consistent result.
I saw many tutorials with cheap chinese CNCs and the result was very nice.
reply
From your video it become obvious that the Z-axis probing is essential. And the tools quality is also very important.
I think that with more experience you will have much better and consistent result.
I saw many tutorials with cheap chinese CNCs and the result was very nice.
reply
SevenDeMagnus
Hi. Thank you for this.
Is it's ok to ask, Is a titanium coated micro drill like these, significantly better than the usual micro drill that's just tungsten carbide for PCB drilling (electronics) and save money?
Thank you.
God bless, Proverbs 31
reply
Hi. Thank you for this.
Is it's ok to ask, Is a titanium coated micro drill like these, significantly better than the usual micro drill that's just tungsten carbide for PCB drilling (electronics) and save money?
Thank you.
God bless, Proverbs 31
reply
Add a review, comment
Other channel videos
