Homebrew PCBs

Hi everybody!
Does anybody know how to print on top of the pcb.
(Like you see on electronic building kits, where the components are 
marked on top of the pcb)

Great work on setting up one new group Steve :)

Best regards
Thor

Thanks!

You want to do the (usually) silkscreened component
outlines.

You could use toner transfer on the top of the board,
I don't know if it will stick to the fiberglass. Or
you could use a plotter, although that might be fun to
line up. 

Try plotting just the board outline on the carrier
paper without the board, then disable the board
outline and plot just the component outlines. Make
sure none of your lines intersect any holes or edges.

If you have a plotter with more than one pen you can
do this in color.

Have a look in the Links section of the group
homepage, I've added some links for Toner Transfer and
using a Plotter.

Steve

--- thor918 <thor918@...> wrote:
> Hi everybody!
> Does anybody know how to print on top of the pcb.
> (Like you see on electronic building kits, where the
> components are 
> marked on top of the pcb)
> 
> Great work on setting up one new group Steve :)
> 
> Best regards
> Thor
> 
> 
> ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> 
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> Homebrew_PCBs-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> 
>  
> 
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
> http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ 
> 
> 


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Send your FREE holiday greetings online!
http://greetings.yahoo.com

Thanks!

You want to do the (usually) silkscreened component
outlines.

You could use toner transfer on the top of the board,
I don't know if it will stick to the fiberglass. Or
you could use a plotter, although that might be fun to
line up. 

Try plotting just the board outline on the carrier
paper without the board, then disable the board
outline and plot just the component outlines. Make
sure none of your lines intersect any holes or edges.

If you have a plotter with more than one pen you can
do this in color.

Have a look in the Links section of the group
homepage, I've added some links for Toner Transfer and
using a Plotter.

Steve

--- thor918 <thor918@...> wrote:
> Hi everybody!
> Does anybody know how to print on top of the pcb.
> (Like you see on electronic building kits, where the
> components are 
> marked on top of the pcb)
> 
> Great work on setting up one new group Steve :)
> 
> Best regards
> Thor


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Send your FREE holiday greetings online!
http://greetings.yahoo.com

In a message dated 06-Dec-01 10:10:12 Central Standard Time, 
thor918@... writes:


> Does anybody know how to print on top of the pcb.
> 

Thor:  This is done by "silk-screening".  A photographically-made "screen" 
(once made only of silk, but I think, nowadays, some tougher polyester is 
used?) is used as a stencil, and PAINT is "squeegied" onto the board.  The 
screen is liquid-tight in areas where you do NOT want the paint, and only the 
"screen" (open weave of the "silk" cloth) is clear, allowing paint to squeeze 
through.  This is an "art" which is used in more than just PCB work!  All 
kinds of posters, signs, labels, etc., are made by the familiar "silk-screen" 
method.

HOWEVER!  If you just MUST have some labelling on the "top" of a PCB, but 
wanna make only ONE, and NOT spend all that for the frame, silk-screen stock, 
developer, squeegie-tool, paint, etc., you can use IMPRESSION lettering 
and/or patterns.  Good art-supply stores will have more than just letters in 
that stuff!  You want white or maybe yellow, but NOT black, etc., as those 
colors hardly show on a FR-4 board.  Once you have "rubbed off" your entire 
pattern, words, labels, etc., then SPRAY the top with clear enamel or 
lacquer. AFTER you have etched!  And be careful not to get any of that on the 
"copper side"!  It will look as nice as your steady hand can do that!  I have 
done this countless times!  Also, for making "professional looking" panels!  
Dial-numbers, ON/OFF, etc.  Just SPRAY it after all the rubbing-off/on is 
done!

Jan Rowland

Hi,
Don't you now any links to sites that explain this with pictures?
and do you know where to buy equipment to do this?

Thanks for the many replies :)
--- In Homebrew_PCBs@y..., JanRwl@A... wrote:
> In a message dated 06-Dec-01 10:10:12 Central Standard Time, 
> thor918@o... writes:
> 
> 
> > Does anybody know how to print on top of the pcb.
> > 
> 
> Thor:  This is done by "silk-screening".  A photographically-
made "screen" 
> (once made only of silk, but I think, nowadays, some tougher 
polyester is 
> used?) is used as a stencil, and PAINT is "squeegied" onto the 
board.  The 
> screen is liquid-tight in areas where you do NOT want the paint, 
and only the 
> "screen" (open weave of the "silk" cloth) is clear, allowing paint 
to squeeze 
> through.  This is an "art" which is used in more than just PCB 
work!  All 
> kinds of posters, signs, labels, etc., are made by the 
familiar "silk-screen" 
> method.
> 
> HOWEVER!  If you just MUST have some labelling on the "top" of a 
PCB, but 
> wanna make only ONE, and NOT spend all that for the frame, silk-
screen stock, 
> developer, squeegie-tool, paint, etc., you can use IMPRESSION 
lettering 
> and/or patterns.  Good art-supply stores will have more than just 
letters in 
> that stuff!  You want white or maybe yellow, but NOT black, etc., 
as those 
> colors hardly show on a FR-4 board.  Once you have "rubbed off" 
your entire 
> pattern, words, labels, etc., then SPRAY the top with clear enamel 
or 
> lacquer. AFTER you have etched!  And be careful not to get any of 
that on the 
> "copper side"!  It will look as nice as your steady hand can do 
that!  I have 
> done this countless times!  Also, for making "professional looking" 
panels!  
> Dial-numbers, ON/OFF, etc.  Just SPRAY it after all the rubbing-
off/on is 

> done!
> 
> Jan Rowland