Intellecta Technologies Pty Ltd

Circuit Wizard, Roland, Techsoft, innovative electronics and Control systems

Printed Circuit Boards - a new direction

The term “printed circuit board” has been used for a long time in electronics to define the location of electronic components that are part of a circuit.

“Printed” means that the boards have been manufactured by similar processes as the printing industry. In most cases, images have been transferred to UV sensitised films on copper laminate board and then processed by etching and plating.

This section examines alternative processes by milling or engraving the copper layer to isolate the tracks.  This process does not require any chemicals, UV exposure, developing etc and is a great technique for rapid prototyping.

However, in both cases, the designer starts from the same starting point.

A schematic develops the linkage between components that then define the inter-related tracks on the circuit board.

The software then produces the appropriate files for engraving,drilling and routing the board.

It is no surprise that the file formats and processes are the same whether the board is manufactured by photo-techniques or engraving.

Conventional PCB manufacture

PCB made by engraving process

Schematic capture

Specialised software such as ALTIUM Designer assists the user in the management of the design with options such as library components, hierarchical top-down design, multi-sheet design and rapid design rule checking.

The overall plan is to produce a circuit diagram with every component identified and connected. The circuit diagram defines the function of the system.

Software such as Circuit Wizard is a simpler system compared to Altium and introduces to students the basics of electronics. The simulation and visual behaviour of components is a valuable learning process.

PCB Design

The schematic diagram embeds information such as component footprint and the interconnection or nets between component pins.

The challenge for the designer is to connect these points with respect to special component placement, noise, power supply lines and a host of other issues. There is no margin for error since the board may not function with one pin in error.

The design software has a myriad of tools such as design rule checking, back-annotation and data verification.

The final output is a completed design with tracks, holes, vias and board outline.

The EGX-350 is a flexible engraving machine with the ability to perform basic milling operations.

The system is supplied with EngraveStudio that has toolpath options for engraving,pocketting,profile cutting, drilling and texture machining.

The process

The design calls for anacrylic lid with apertures, recess, o ring groove and a cut out.

Select the vectors in EngraveStudio and define the steps.

Create the toolpath and review.