Introduction: PCB Etching Machine. Save Money and Time....

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As you can see from the picture. This is my DIY etching machine.
I constructed this etching machine almost 10 years ago(1998)...
Following step is the construction detail..... Enjoy...

Attachments

Step 1: Detergent Container Being Use As Etching Container... (Recycle...)

As you can see from the picture. I am using recycle detergent container to do the etching. The detergent container measuring L=25cm X W=13cm X H=6cm. By using pen knife, cut out some of the area which is large enough for you to place your PCB into the container. Please leave some space on the edge of the container where you don't want your etching solution to spill out during etching process. This is important because the water will be disturb vigorously.

Step 2: Less Chemical Used (Ferric Chloride)

By using this method. The amount of chemical (Ferric Chloride) use is less. Take this PCB for an example. The PCB measuring 9cm X 7cm. I use a tea spoon of Ferric Chloride dilute with about 70ml water to form the etching solution. It is not necessary to submerge the entire PCB in the solution. This is because when i turn on the power, the motor will drive the etching container up and down motion which will move the water from one end to the other end and vice-versa. It tooks me about 20 minutes to finished the etching.

Step 3: Motor Drive System.

Unfortunately i am not able to show you the step by step on how i created this etching machine because i built this machine several years ago. No picture was taken back then. However, i can give you a brif explanation on how i do it.

1. First of all, i bought few of these wooden bar from local
hardware shop. As you can see from the picture, the thinner
one measuring at 12mm X 12mm and the thicker one measuring
at 26mm X 12mm.

2. Cut the 12mm X 12mm wooden bar in to 20cm length and you
need 12 of them to form the square box structure. I leave a
space of 5cm from the base of the box to form the supporing
beam.

3. Cut the 26mm X 12mm wooden bar in to 20cm length. You need 2
of those to be nail at the base of the box so that you can
secure the motor. As you can see from the picture, i use the
wire to secure the motor at the base.

4. I cut out another 12mm X 12mm wooden bar measuring at 15cm
and nail it at the side of the box. This serve to secure the
motor in the vertical manner.

5. I bought two small hinge and make the upper portion of the
etching machine measuring at 33cm X 20cm box by using the
remaining wooden bar and some creativity. This is the
portion where it will move up and down with the drive of
motor. Make sure you lift up about 3cm clearance from
the top of the box and 33cm X 20cm box and then fix the
hinge. The hinge need to be fixed at the center of the box so
that both the end can move freely up and down. As for
the 3cm spacing, you can use the remaining wooden bar and
nail them together to form the desire spacing.

6. I am using the car power window to drive this machine. As we
know that the car power window motor couple with gear head.
The gear head being specially treated and its hard. I am not
able to drill through it. So i use an aluminium bar and
split it in to half to form a semi circle bar. I drill two
holes on the aluminium bar to a spacing that is close enough
for me to put on screw so it can hold the gear head.

7. After that, i use a copper bar measuring at about 11cm with diameter of 7mm. This copper bar need to be hard enough to sustain the weight and move the upper portion of the box freely. This copper bar being fitted in between the aluminium bar and upper portion box. So as to create up and down motion.

8. As for the rest, you are on you own.....

9. You can buy the motor speed controller from local hobbist store. Any motor speed controller with 12VDC will do. But need to take care of the current handling portion. Because you don't what to cook your speed controller transistor....... The motor speed controller i used is a simple PWM with MOSFET which can handle 10A of current..... You can also get the speed controller from internet freely available.....


Do let me know if you need more pictures of this machine.... Thanks for viewing.

Step 4: Video for the Etching Process.

The video shows the etching process. Enjoy......

Do let me know if you can't view the video. I can sent the clip to you via e-mail. Thanks...

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=PCB+etching+machine&search=Search

Step 5: Driving Mechanism

A close look at the driving mechanism...

Step 6: Power Window Motor and Coupling

Power Window Motor and coupling. I used two screw to secure the driving aluminium block. Its clearly shown in the picture...

Step 7: Simple PWM PCB.

I am using 555 Timer IC for the PWM motor speed controller. It can be found on the internet freely..

Step 8: Bottom View and Future Improvement. Enjoyed....

This is the bottom view of my PCB Ecthing Machine....

Thanks for viewing...

I will be adding a stopper switch and timer control in near future.
This will allow the PCB stop at a predefine position (PCB and chemical separated) and etching time to be control. This is good because one can leave the etching machine unattended until the whole process over or come back next day.