using Photosenstive PCBs

Solidad · 09-04-2008, 06:09 AM

hello. i want to use a Photosensitive PCB, the problem is if my 50W 12V DC halogen light can be used instead of a UV light to burn the design in the PCB.

if yes, how long does it take?

DonaldG · 09-04-2008, 02:03 PM

Hi Solidad

Welcome to TSF

I have moved your thread to the Electronics Section as you will probably get a better reply here.

I am sorry, I cant give you an answer to your question, I use an etch resist pen for simple pcbs.

Regards
Donald

Solidad · 09-07-2008, 11:37 PM

Ok i did some market searching in my country and i found that the only available UV light bulbs are a 25W. w/c is normally used for attracting insects. can i us 2 of these to make 50W UV light?

DonaldG · 09-09-2008, 04:46 AM

I would think so, however, you may have to adjust the exposure up or down slightly.

**TheShadowFl** · 09-14-2008, 10:22 AM

As someone who's made printed circuit boards both at home an in a professional PC-Lab, I can tell you that you will need a very high intensity bulb that puts out large amounts of UV light.

The last time I set up a rig to do that at home, I used a "Photo Flood" lamp that I bought at a photo shop. I think it was about 300 watts.
You also need to have an intense light source that's at least two feet from the PC board to avoid undercutting your traces.

The greater the wattage, the less the exposure time can be, and you'll get less undercutting.

On the first exposure frame that I ever used, the light source was a Carbon Arc lamp. I'm sure the wattage rating would have been in the thousands of watts, and we got by with just a few seconds of exposure. That worked GREAT!

Good Luck,
Making PC boards at home can be fun and very rewarding.

The Shadow

09-04-2008, 06:09 AM	#1 (permalink)
Solidad Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Philippines Posts: 45 OS: WinXP Pro sp3	using Photosenstive PCBs hello. i want to use a Photosensitive PCB, the problem is if my 50W 12V DC halogen light can be used instead of a UV light to burn the design in the PCB. if yes, how long does it take?

09-04-2008, 02:03 PM	#2 (permalink)
DonaldG Manager Home Support, Assistant Manager Articles Team Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Somerset, UK Posts: 10,220 OS: XPsp2 Laptop & Vista Ultimate Desktop My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: using Photosenstive PCBs Hi Solidad Welcome to TSF I have moved your thread to the Electronics Section as you will probably get a better reply here. I am sorry, I cant give you an answer to your question, I use an etch resist pen for simple pcbs. Regards Donald __________________ . Lest we forget... "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them." Submit New Articles Here TSF's Photographer's Corner .

09-07-2008, 11:37 PM	#3 (permalink)
Solidad Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Philippines Posts: 45 OS: WinXP Pro sp3	Re: using Photosenstive PCBs Ok i did some market searching in my country and i found that the only available UV light bulbs are a 25W. w/c is normally used for attracting insects. can i us 2 of these to make 50W UV light?

09-09-2008, 04:46 AM	#4 (permalink)
DonaldG Manager Home Support, Assistant Manager Articles Team Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Somerset, UK Posts: 10,220 OS: XPsp2 Laptop & Vista Ultimate Desktop My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: using Photosenstive PCBs I would think so, however, you may have to adjust the exposure up or down slightly. __________________ . Lest we forget... "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them." Submit New Articles Here TSF's Photographer's Corner .

09-14-2008, 10:22 AM	#5 (permalink)
TheShadowFl TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Central Florida Posts: 290 OS: XP-SP3, Vista Ult. 64, Win-7/64	Re: using Photosenstive PCBs As someone who's made printed circuit boards both at home an in a professional PC-Lab, I can tell you that you will need a very high intensity bulb that puts out large amounts of UV light. The last time I set up a rig to do that at home, I used a "Photo Flood" lamp that I bought at a photo shop. I think it was about 300 watts. You also need to have an intense light source that's at least two feet from the PC board to avoid undercutting your traces. The greater the wattage, the less the exposure time can be, and you'll get less undercutting. On the first exposure frame that I ever used, the light source was a Carbon Arc lamp. I'm sure the wattage rating would have been in the thousands of watts, and we got by with just a few seconds of exposure. That worked GREAT! Good Luck, Making PC boards at home can be fun and very rewarding. The Shadow __________________ A person with experience is never at the mercy of a person with an argument.