Creating a negative image for PCB

[Mr. Wizard]

Are there any programs that can take a Gerber file and produce a
negative image so that it can be printed out on a laser printer? I need
to create a single sided PCB and I don't want the cost of sending out
the board to a fab house.

 

[Robert Scott]

Are there any programs that can take a Gerber file and produce a
negative image so that it can be printed out on a laser printer? I need
to create a single sided PCB and I don't want the cost of sending out
the board to a fab house.

You have got to be kidding! www.barebonespcb.com offers several boards
for under $100 with no tooling charges. How are you going to compete
with that in your basement lab? Unless you just like the idea of
messing around with Ferric Chloride and a bunch of other nasty toxic
chemicals.


-Robert Scott
Ypsilanti, Michigan

 

[Walter Harley]

On 18 Nov 2005 16:38:33 -0800, "Mr. Wizard" <[email protected]>
wrote:

You have got to be kidding! www.barebonespcb.com offers several boards
for under $100 with no tooling charges. [...]

Hear, hear! http://www.expresspcb.com gives you three 2.5" x 3.8" double
sided boards for $59 shipped, lightning fast (but you have to use their
software). And Olimex (http://www.olimex.com) does 6.3" x 3.9" single sided
with silk screen and solder mask for $26, plus another $9 or so for delivery
to USA. Takes a couple weeks, but it always used to take longer than that
for me to get around to ordering fresh chemicals and setting up the etching
rig anyhow. And I sure can't hold a 10 mil line with the home rig, not to
mention silk-screening, plated-through holes (for double-sided boards) and
solder mask.

It's pretty hard to justify doing your own PCBs these days unless you need
to do them on a very frequent basis and you need very fast turnaround.

 

[Roger Hamlett]

Are there any programs that can take a Gerber file and produce a
negative image so that it can be printed out on a laser printer? I need
to create a single sided PCB and I don't want the cost of sending out
the board to a fab house.

GBRVU, can do this.
However I have to say that the economics of prototyping have shifted
massively in the last few years. Many of the 'pooling' services, will
produce standard boards, in small quantities, for less than you will end
up paying for the board, photochemicals, drills etc.. Over the years, I
have used four different techniques for making boards. Photographic
production with a bubble tank, milling with an LPKF prototyping systm,
prototype via a 'pooling' service, and 'proper' production. Over the last
couple of years, I have completely dropped the first. The second is only
used where a 'one off' prototype is needed in a hurry, and now the third
is the favoured prototype route. The costs of this have plummeted compared
to the normal production prototype service, with it typically being
possible to get 3 off double sided PTH boards made, for about half what
used to be charged for the photoplotting alone!...

Best Wishes

 

[Michael]

They're right...trust me, I've done my share of screwing around with EVERY
process out there and it isn't worth it.

I use PCBexpress.com

I usually combine a number of different prototype projects on one board and
then shear myself.....el cheapo.

ie-- 2pcs of a 9X12 board are only 175.00

Think of how many different boards you can get on a single 9x12 board.

If you have to do it, get the positive acting process and print out on high
quailty film at 1440 or higher on an inkjet......I've tried every laser film
out there for negs AND NOTHING WILL WORK.

 

[John Popelish]

Michael wrote:
(snip)

If you have to do it, get the positive acting process and print out on high
quailty film at 1440 or higher on an inkjet......I've tried every laser film
out there for negs AND NOTHING WILL WORK.

The only way I could get acceptable pin-holing, with laser
transparencies, for even pretty wide traces (.02") was to make two
transparencies and carefully stack them.

Blah!

 

[Don Lancaster]

You have got to be kidding! www.barebonespcb.com offers several boards
for under $100 with no tooling charges. How are you going to compete
with that in your basement lab? Unless you just like the idea of
messing around with Ferric Chloride and a bunch of other nasty toxic
chemicals.


-Robert Scott
Ypsilanti, Michigan

{1 sub abs} settransfer does it nicely in PostScript

Full details at http://www.tinaja.com/post01.asp



--
Many thanks,

Don Lancaster voice phone: (928)428-4073
Synergetics 3860 West First Street Box 809 Thatcher, AZ 85552
rss: http://www.tinaja.com/whtnu.xml email: [email protected]

Please visit my GURU's LAIR web site at http://www.tinaja.com

 

[Marte Schwarz]

Hi Wizard,

Are there any programs that can take a Gerber file and produce a
negative image so that it can be printed out on a laser printer? I need
to create a single sided PCB and I don't want the cost of sending out
the board to a fab house.

If you van print it positive, you may do the same in negative. Install a
good Postscript driver and produce a postscriptfile. There you have almost
allways a option "negative" in the driver settings. If your Printer is not
able to print postscript, use ghostview.

Marte

 

[[email protected]]

I have had good results with positive process but only once I put the mask
under glass to keep it
flat on the board.what are you using for UV light ?

I hope this helps
Arie