Looking for PCB thru-hole plating service
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At my work we have a LPKF to make PCB in-house.
We have an electro-plater for copper plating the thru-holes, but because of EPA regulations and the cost of chemical disposal that process must be shut-down (way too expensive now).
So I need to find a service that will do the plating for us. In other words we will drill the holes then send it to them for thru-hole plating and they will send it back to us.
Does anyone know of any companies that provide this service ?
I have asked a local PCB mfg, but they want almost as much as it would cost to just have them make the board for us.
We are looking to pay about $100 to plate a 8"x12" panel.
Thanks,
Bean
We have an electro-plater for copper plating the thru-holes, but because of EPA regulations and the cost of chemical disposal that process must be shut-down (way too expensive now).
So I need to find a service that will do the plating for us. In other words we will drill the holes then send it to them for thru-hole plating and they will send it back to us.
Does anyone know of any companies that provide this service ?
I have asked a local PCB mfg, but they want almost as much as it would cost to just have them make the board for us.
We are looking to pay about $100 to plate a 8"x12" panel.
Thanks,
Bean
Comments
Then you could sell the LPKF.
-Phil
We need boards next day without paying a fortune.
We do alot of same-day boards that don't require plating so we would want to keep the LPKF either way.
It's amazing to me that nobody offers this service. I mean a hobbiest can do everything to make PCB except the plating. You would think someone would do it ???
Bean
-Phil
http://www.pcbtrain.co.uk/schematic/pcbtrain-express/
I've used the service a couple of times, and was very satisfied.
I'm intrigued by their "chemical free" one
The mechanical tubes approach may work if not too many holes need plating though, But 0.8mm would be a big via.
The typical PCB process is subtractive from a drilled panel that is
either plated up with resist in reverse, or overlaid with photosensitive film (SMOBC)
and then exposed through phototools after the drilling on a raw panel.
That means you would have to re-target the holes after a PANEL plate.
Anything else as a process would be additive to the already drilled
and in your case (ROUTED) panel.
The rough routing areas you create would adsorb the catalyst better than
the drilled holes and therefore plate the spaces you have already routed.
No one would want to be responsible for the drill smear you probably
leave behind in the holes anyway that would cause voids.
Let alone the dust you are creating by routing, no respectable PCB plater would allow your
'contaminated' boards anywhere near their process line.
If they would allow this, you probably wouldn't want to use them....they'd be making auto bumpers.
You can fill the vias with conductive epoxy, it's probably the only current (via)able choice.
(I expect to see conductive inkjet spitters within a few years that might do this,
but then it's back to re-registration issues on where the holes are located)
I have used raw samtec dip pins that I fixtured vertical and soldered on both sides on quick builds.
<Some> machine pin sockets may allow enough area under the plastic header to be soldered as well.
That leaves the holes at 0.030, a reasonable size for dips.
There is always bared wire wrap wire to make the connection by hand as well.
Forget the barrels (eyelets) , you can't have the barrels driving the design rules.
You will spend ten times the labor on fitting them and soldering vs a quick wiring job with bared WW wire.
If someone made solid rivets rather than barrels at 0.035 and mushroomed one side, it would be an easier job to fab.
If you use the raw samtec dip pins, you automatically have a plug test point as well.
They used to sell them as a belted length, 50 or so on a mylar tape belt, maybe they still do.
jr
more in depth : Printed Circuits Handbook, Coombs (plan on spending a month reading)
Oh my, its hobbyist.
Unless, I am the hobbiest person around. ;-)