Hello All,
This is just a note about a project I am working on, for the interest of anyone.
I have an OLD Sweet-P X-Y plotter (step resolution 0.004 inches) Which I am mating to a diode-based UV laser (rated @ seven watts - probably
over-rated). I coat the copper-clad board with a UV sensitive photoresist, place it on the plotter, using a piece of stiff plastic sheet, and, using a
HPGL translating program that I wrote, output the PCB layout. The 'Pen Down' instructions turn on the laser, 'Pen Up' turns it off. Plots quickly,
then board is developed, and etched. I used to spend half-a-day making a board, now takes one or two hours.
Just for anyone interested....
The main issue I had was the laser was designed to focus to a small point about one inch or so in front of the lens.... I used a double concave
lens to generate a 'parallel' bem, along with pin-holes, etc. There is plenty of power to use, so some beam loss in the optics does not
matter. I 'borrowed' the focusing optics from a CD player to focus the beam just above the board. Also allows me to control baem size.
Lots of trial and error...
Hope this might be useful for someone !
Member : SESMD
This is just a note about a project I am working on, for the interest of anyone.
I have an OLD Sweet-P X-Y plotter (step resolution 0.004 inches) Which I am mating to a diode-based UV laser (rated @ seven watts - probably
over-rated). I coat the copper-clad board with a UV sensitive photoresist, place it on the plotter, using a piece of stiff plastic sheet, and, using a
HPGL translating program that I wrote, output the PCB layout. The 'Pen Down' instructions turn on the laser, 'Pen Up' turns it off. Plots quickly,
then board is developed, and etched. I used to spend half-a-day making a board, now takes one or two hours.
Just for anyone interested....
The main issue I had was the laser was designed to focus to a small point about one inch or so in front of the lens.... I used a double concave
lens to generate a 'parallel' bem, along with pin-holes, etc. There is plenty of power to use, so some beam loss in the optics does not
matter. I 'borrowed' the focusing optics from a CD player to focus the beam just above the board. Also allows me to control baem size.
Lots of trial and error...
Hope this might be useful for someone !
Member : SESMD