making PCB

OK people, just to let you know...

.... I'm a Aerospace Engineering student and, as you may imagine, not really
at home with home made electronics. But currently I'm working on this
project and I *need* to learn how to make PCBs. Basically I'm making Luxeon
LED inspection flashlight and PCB is the best (if not only) solution for
placing LEDs. I need help with this. I found loads of materials on-line but
what I really need is an advice from someone who knows what is the best way,
best parts, bets brands... whatever which can help me finish this project
swiftly & with style. I'm short on time.

Of course, I could ask someone from nearby Electronics Faculty to make them
for me but - I actually want to learn.

Thanks in advance.

mario

 

If you want results quickly for a one (or few) off on such an
apparently simple circuit look for Stripboard (aka Veroboard)
which is pre-drilled laminate with copper strips you can cut
and links as required. Perfectly reliable results are possible
Making home-brew PCBS is really rather tricky and will require
some trial and error you may not have time for.
--
Roy Battell.
To use this address remove the digits included to remove Spam ...
Mail:
URL: http://www.vutrax.co.uk (Vutrax CAD system, FREE up to 256 pins)
SAN 206 in the support section describes how to use it for
Stripboard for more complex designs

 

Remember that a Luxeon (Lumileds) needs cooling thorigh the PCB!

I have made Luxeon boards before. And what's more: some electronics
and software I developed are used in machines placing and soldering
those leds!

Regards,

Pieter Hoeben
http://www.hoeben.com

 

For simple one-off or prototype boards, you may want to
consider hand-drawn methods. Complete details with
hints and tips at
<www.daqarta.com/lptxh.htm>

Hope this helps!





Bob Masta
dqatechATdaqartaDOTcom

D A Q A R T A
Data AcQuisition And Real-Time Analysis
www.daqarta.com

 

The 'Stars' need to be mounted on a heat sink or their life will be short
indeed.

 

Just some unsolicited advice: if you try to "learn how to make PCBs" AND
"finish
this project swiftly & with style" simultaneously, you'll end up doing
neither.
Allocate some time & materials for training, and buy a flashlight.

Good Luck!
Rich

 

If you want to make a custom board fairly easily, radio shack has a
kit with a copper plated board, a bottle of mild etching fluid and a
acid resistant marker. You just draw the printed circuit on the board
and soak it in the fluid for about a half an hour and all of the
copper plating that wasn't drawn on dissappears from the plate. Finish
by drilling holes for your components with a dremel and small drill
bit.

 

Sometimes if you just want a simple copper only PCB it's cheap to get it
made for you...

http://www.pcb-pool.com/uk_index.htm

http://www.4pcb.com/index.asp

http://www.expresspcb.com/index.htm

http://www.pcbtrain.com/

....although most will also do solder resist and silk screening if you pay
more. Some places do a good deal on a fixed board size (eg Eurocard) if you
want a few smaller boards it can pay to replicate the artwork until you
reach that size (like a sheet of postage stamps). Then cut them up yourself
when they come back.

Colin

 

Thanks for the advices, I appreciate it.

The drawing for three LEDs on small pcb, including the 'maximum
metallization' principle recommended by Lumileds, is fairly easy to make and
accomplish. I read the info you sent me and contacted local distributors
including RS and Conrad (pity there's no Radio Shack here... slightly
disappointed by Conrad though) and I'm sure I could do it after some trail
and error. I am after all (theoretically) capable of designing fifth
generation strike fighter... OK, that was a bad joke.

Anywayz, the new problem arose after I checked Luxeon Emitter thermal
considerations PDF... darn thing has to be made on MCPCB. Yes, *thee* Metal
Core PCB. As some of you who have experience with Luxeon LEDs noticed, they
have to be cooled through cathode, and they have to be on MCPCB. What about
that? Where do I get MCPCB? Another thing is how do I make drawings on it
since using ferric chloride etchant is out of question? That thing would
completely destroy aluminum layer on the back of the board. Any ideas?

OK... I know, I thought about it and asked my self is it worth the trouble.
The answer is probably one big fat NO. But the thing is that actually
designing the darn lamp would be a success for me. I don't want to bother
you with the details but this project has commercial dimension and I am the
only one in the competition who started with LEDs. If I do it, I might even
earn some money, plus showing the guys who's the daddy. That's why I'm going
to push this thing until I run out of options.

Again, thank you guys, you helped me a lot. If you have any thoughts on
MCPCB I appreciate it.

Cheers!!

mario

 

Well if you could design a regular 4 layer PCB and use the inner layers as
the heatsink. If you can't afford professional processing costs perhaps you
could make your own multi layer board by gluing two double sided boards
together after etching (ok there is more to it than that but you get the
general idea).

 

If you want heatsinking how about using ordinary DS PCB and putting
solder onto the thin copper?

Regards, NT

 

Anyone out there in the LA area? I have several 3' x 4' sheets of 1/32"
thick single sided epoxy coppperclad with 2 oz copper I would sell cheap.



Dan

 

--------------------
How much do you want for it? 3 feet by 4 feet??
Nice.

I'm in Santa Cruz.
-Steve