Ever wonder how PCBs are made?

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

No, not poly-chlorinated biphenyls: printed circuit boards! Here's a tour of Advanced Circuits, the prototyping fab of choice for many of us:

https://www.base2.us/index.php?page=ac

-Phil

sam_sam_sam

Thanks for sharing what you saw in that tour
That was real cool to see

Duane Degn

Thanks Phil.

That was very interesting. I don't understand how they can plate copper on bare circuit board material (inside the drilled holes) with their "electroless process." From all that I've read and seen you need a conducting surface to plate material onto or use some other plating method like evaporative plating. I guess I've got some googling to do.

Duane

Leon

They actually apply a conductive ink to the surface when plating the holes. Some people make PTH boards at home, but it's a complex process.

prof_braino

Thanks for the post, Phil. But you should point out that this is the way SOME PCB's are made, its very important to point out that MOST are still grown the old-fashioned way in the hills outside of Hong Kong.

http://www.waldeneffect.org/20091205farm.jpg
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2006-03/05/xin_380303051132883166692.jpg
http://en.epochtimes.com/news_images/2007-6-6-farmer.jpg

Here's an example of automation the "old way":
http://weird.stareastasia.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/weird-china-001.jpg

Duane Degn

Leon wrote: »

They actually apply a conductive ink to the surface when plating the holes. Some people make PTH boards at home, but it's a complex process.

Ah, I don't think that was mentioned/noticed.

Now it makes sense.

Thanks.