PCB Plastic Mask Etching With CO2 Laser

This instructable is completely based on :

https://www.instructables.com/id/Custom-PCB-Prototy...

with one improvement :

• in step 1 replace the flat black spray paint (Krylon brand) by a plasifier i. e. a spray acrylic varnish (in french "plastifiant").

Step 1: Spray Uniform and Thin Plastifier Mask

Clean both side of your PCB with acetone and spray the plastifier. Be carefull of scratches. Leave it for 10 min.

Step 2: Selective Etching of Plastifer With Laser Cutter

1. Prepare your typon. The copper is protected again chemical etching by the mask, and the laser will remove part of the mask that are black on your typon. Therefore white is copper and black is no copper.
2. Select material in laser cutter print parameters
   • FOL plastique --> sheet of plastic
3. Dispose the pcb
4. Etch face 1
5. Check quality ; in case of bad quality, remove plastifier with acetone and spray again plastifer
6. Rotate the pcb around the right axis
7. Etch face 2
8. Check quality

Step 3: Chemical Etch

Classically use chemical etch with ferric chloride at 300 K during 15 min. After many etch, take your used ferric chloride and go to the waste sorting center.

Step 4: Check Quality

Check quality.

You could leave the PCB like that for a while without copper oxydation. Remove plastifer just before soldering with acetone.