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How to make PCBs (Printed Circuit Board) at home using a laser printer and the toner transfer method

As an enthusiastic fan fans I was always fascinated electronically by the fact that it is actually possible to do almost professional looking printed circuit board (PCB) at home.
My eager to produce PCB's in my house instead of using the good old wire-wrap prototyping method is further strengthened as the year goes by and the availability of packages through holes (for modern devices) is diminishing.
Thinking of a new design, you have more devices to select whether the technology SMT is acceptable. That is a strong motivation to learn about making your own SMT PCB at home.

The method that I introduce here is the success rate beauty and performance. It is important to follow the rules.
It's really a production process that, once completed makes you feel very proud to conduct it.
Again, following the rules is crucial to the success of the process. This may seem daunting at first, but in reality, the process is very easy to follow.

Major production steps:

1. Prepare a mirror image of the circuit, printed on transfer paper using a laser printer toner.
2. Cut, clean sand and a piece of copper on glass epoxy laminate.
3. Bake at her artwork in the oven.
4. Etch your board inside a chemical etching.
5. Rinse with water and sand from the leftovers.
6. Show all your board.
7. Welding of the components.

Some notes:

Do not forget take safety measures when performing these steps.
It is highly recommended to use latex gloves when handling the chemical attack.
During the production process There are many opportunities for short, ruining his clothes, burn their fingers and inhaling substances hostile. Be careful.

Well, lets get started!

As all products in the modern age, beginning in the PCB design software on your PC. Choosing your favorite design software for this task is beyond the scope this document. The only requirement is that I insist on being able to print a picture of design in a mirror view. The importance of mirroring the design is difficult to explain in words and should be understood of images followed at the link below.
The great advantage of SMT PCB base for domestic production is that SMT devices do not require drilling holes threw the Board. That's just great. However, sometimes can not get away with it. There are few cases that force you to drill holes. for example, require some connectors drilled holes. Traces that could not be placed in the welding of copper and require transition between two points also require drilling. Anyway, SMT technology drastically reduces the amount of holes drilled while reducing board size, simultaneously.

The reason SMT discussed the advantages to be taken into account when designing your circuit, you want a minimum amount of exercise and you should avoid complex designs in the first place. I always try to brake circuits in a few large boards separated. There are two main reasons for this segmentation board. First, the smallest of the circuit design easier way. Second, the smaller circuits can serve as basic building blocks for large general purpose designs in the future. Consider a general-purpose operational amplifier board. Board may have only one SRAM device with a few resistors around and solder points for connection of external cables. This is a great building block for many projects.
Once your design layout is ready for production, should be able to print a mirror image of it using a scale of 1:1, in a special glossy paper (toner transfer paper would be better) using a laser printer.

Lets stop the previous sentence to pieces more small now.

A finished design should look like a graphic representation of the footprints must reside in the finished board. The image must be reflected by the way we're going to use later in the process.
Now, glossy paper is a general term for a definition more confusing, as some types of paper used by inkjet printers for photo printing. "Only if I did not know, not all photo papers are born equal. Finding the right paper for this work can be tedious. The first document that could be used not remove the PCB at the end of the process and had to dump it. The following document found was a success. It peels easily and leaves a clean copy of the fingerprints on the bare copper. I will discuss this issue later in the process bare. Remember you can try several photo papers before finding the "one". Will not happen immediately. Fortunately, there are documents of toner transfer special designed exactly for this purpose.

Using a scale of 1:1 means that you must configure the software to print the image of your board with dimensions equal to the actual dimensions of components and traces.
Finally, laser printing only do the trick. That's because the toner, which is the bottom black (dye laser) used for laser printing is actually a polymer that does not soak the paper and real ink. The toner is heated inside the printer and when it melts, sticks to the surface of glossy paper. Stuck on the surface of paper, toner only awaits the opportunity to stick (transfer) to the surface of another if it gets hot enough to melt. Are you starting to get it?

Now that we have a printed version of the PCB in hand, cuts the paper outlines our advice and leave a few inches of extra paper at the edges of the board. This surplus outside the outlines of the Board will be used later as a grasping point for peeling the paper.

This is the part where your hands dirty doing some office work.

A PCB begins as a thin layer of copper on a glass epoxy substrate (also called FR4). Laminates can be usually found in those who wish to purchase your components electronics. There are two types of rolled products for the home user. A single sided and double sided. typically 1 mm to 2 mm thick. Side only means that copper is not one-sided blade. Dual means that copper on both sides of the sheet. This document focuses on a single side PCB laminate face just enough. Single sided circuits can be Single or double face laminate for in any manner any unwanted copper is etched away.

Cut the laminate to the circuit size is performed in two phases. First, it marks the height of his circuit through the plate with a sharp knife and a ruler. The deeper the mark in the most simple going to be. After marking the line, you must align the straight line with an edge of a table and place a ruler over the plate. Applying pressure on the laminate is slow through the brand that makes a straight edge of Nice. Now, the width of the circuit should be marked and cut in the same way.

Now that we have cutting laminate to size, we must prepare for the transfer of toner. Using fine sandpaper (wet paper), copper must be sanded evenly until copper is clean and bright, leaving microscopic scratches on the copper surface. These microscopic scratches are best as gripping points for bonding Toner for copper.

After sanding the copper plating is important to wash with soap. Using soap dishes would be best. This washing is intended to remove traces of grease (fingerprints are too fat). Remains of fat would be appropriate to prevent sticking of toner to the copper. Avoid touching the copper after wash, as they must be kept free of grease (fingerprints are greasy). Finally, the laminate is dry with a paper towel.

Remember the mirror image on glossy paper? Place above the dry copper so that copper is up front and the toner to the copper. The paper should be just above the copper. Keep rolling the paper and continuous use of tape on the edges of the blade to hold the paper and laminated together. Make sure the circuit is consistent with the way you want and

take a deep breath, because the most interesting step is the following.

Its circuit is ready for the baking stage. Few people board recommended the paper with a hot iron until it hits the copper. The board met problem is that it is predictable in terms of success of transfer toner. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. I think I've developed a better technique. Before you can start cooking you should prepare some kind of pressing device glossy paper would keep pressing on copper. I use two thick aluminum plates with holes in the corners. Screws are used to fasten the plates together, while that the circuit is in the center. The circuit must be cushioned between layers of paper thickness. Damping is important to increase the pressure through the blade and prevent some parts of the circuit not being transferred properly. The bolts and nuts should be closed to apply a strong pressure on the party rolling and glossy paper.

The press must be inserted into a preheated oven at 150 degrees Celsius for a period of about a half hour. The cooking time may vary depending mass media device you use. The heavier the longer news that reaches hot enough to transfer heat to the buffer role and internal circuit. After cooking is completed, we recommend turning off the oven, open the door and let cool until you can touch the device safely release with their hands. This is the time to loosen the screws and found the circuit between layers of paper.

If all went well you should see that the glossy paper is stuck to copper. Now finding an edge of paper and start gently pulling away from the copper. If you had a little luck, the paper comes out easily leaving an impression nice on copper. If the paper is a friendship that may have real difficulty is the distance peel without ruining the traces printed on copper. Sometimes, if the pressure not uniformly applied across the board you would see some of toner does not adhere to copper and the laminate is useless for the next steps (can be sanded and began from the beginning). If anything went wrong is now to hold in his hand a sheet with the circuit printed on it as like a piece of paper that came out of a printer laser.

Just before recording starts, you may go on well drilling few packages now through hole and jumper cables if necessary. It is preferable drill before recording starts around because copper gives better mechanical strength round pads around the holes drilled. These pills can be started at times when perforation after recording the Board. Another good reason is that the engraving after the piercing would prevent copper wire around the edges of the borehole.

Now is the time to eliminate unnecessary copper, where there is no trace (no toner). Toner is actually a protective coating that prevents the etching fluid recorded our tracks. The etching substance called ferric chloride and can be bought so little gravel or powder.

The etching fluid is a mixture of warm water (just as the temperature used for washing hands in a cold day) and ferric chloride. The ratio of the amount is not crucial. Too little ferric chloride could delay the recording process. Too much will result in dark mud and dirty liquid. I use ratios such as making a cup of coffee. Put only small amount of ferric chloride in the bottom of your container and fill it with water. The container should be engraved glass or plastic - not metal.

For the process etching is necessary to find a way to continue to fall and pulling the circuit input and output of fluid. Thus any remaining copper engraving has been washed from the surface and allow the liquid to penetrate into deeper layers of copper. I'm using something like a small fishing rod with a line connected to a small hole drilled somewhere on the sheet. Once started recording, you can take a few minutes to see some results recorded. At first, large areas of exposed copper beginning to disappear. A few minutes describes the differences between the tracks. Finally, after half an hour or more, the Board will be over.

By the time the Board has the look you want, it should be washed under running water to remove traces of the etching fluid and stopping the recording process. Be careful when washing the circuit (and container). The dark liquid splashes spot anything in its path.
After the circuit has been cleaned it is ready for the final stage. Using the sand paper over fine again (on paper), the black toner must be removed to expose the copper. An alternative way to remove the black toner is being washed with a few drops of acetone. Once all the copper plate is exposed ready for welding.

This is. Now is the conclusion of his first hand made PCB. This is the time to go to show everyone what you got.
Now, all you have to do is solder the components and turn on the circuit ...

It is highly recommended to view the photos on the following link.

How to make PCBs (Printed Circuit Board) at home using a laser printer or toner Transfer method.

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