It is getting so easy to order a finished printed circuit board that it is tough to justify building your own. CNC Your Own PCB With This Tutorial. In this section we describe how to obtain these G-Code files, starting with a gerber file created by using any design software for PCBs: for the conversion we use the free software PCBMill. 3018 CNC AssembleTo create a PCB with 3Drag, by milling, you need the G-Code files for the tracks patterning and for the holes pertaining to the printed circuit board itself. Using the G code file, you can mill a PCB using a CNC milling machine.I have started learning how to mill PCB boards using a benchtop CNC Router.This was especially a problem when the Ferric Chloride solution was used, as it stained everything it touched. Storing and mixing the chemicals used in the etching process inevitably led to some splashing of the chemicals on clothing, workbenches and other items of value. Under the Machine tab you can set the units to millimeters Update all of the numbers each of the tabs to match those in the PCB Manufacturing. PCB-GCode is now ready to be used for generating G-code from your design. While it was generally successful, there were some problems with the process.The first time pcb-gcode-setup.ulp is opened, you will be asked to select a default G-Code profile I selected generic.pp for my CNC Mill.(See Figure 3) Click Accept when done. In the past, I have used a chemical etching method to create custom PCBs for some of my projects.Until very recently, the city only allowed hazardous waste disposal on a very limited basis. After etching, the chemicals had an added quantity of copper. Even after heavy dilution, one worries about the environmental effects of the waste chemical disposal. Disposal of the chemicals was a problem. Software for milling PCBs is usually delivered by the CNC machine.
![]() The problem I had after retirement was that my personal laser printer at home used a toner that melted at too high of a temperature to achieve good results. That worked pretty well when I could use our good HP laser printers at work. That copy is then melted onto the unetched PCB blank using a laminator. As ReceivedThe parts looked to be of pretty good quality. Further inspection revealed that it shipped from New Jersey, rather than China. After a little bit of research, I decided on the 3018 platform that used the aluminum platform, which seemed like it would be sturdier than the Bakelite models that have recently appeared.The box of parts arrived in just days, much sooner that I expected. It resulted in many tiny drill bits being broken, and often tore out the copper trace around the holes.So I decided to try milling PCBs using a cheap CNC router purchased off E-Bay. Drilling the holes in the PCB was difficult to do by hand. So I ended up printing out a PCB pattern and taking it to the local Staples Store and having a photocopy made there. I could not see anything etched onto the disk when I examined it under a magnifying lens. They all said there was nothing on the disk. I tried on two different linux machines and one Windows 10 machine. Then I brought them together in my vice, and squeezed the collet onto the shaft of the spindle. So I put the spindle motor into the freezer for a couple of hours, and heated the ERC-11 collet in the toaster oven to 425 deg F. The E-Bay ad had said that the collet would not simply slip on, but would need to be “shrink-fitted” onto the shaft. One particular youtube video was especially helpful.The most stressful part was installing the included ERC-11 collet onto the spindle. Hindi conversation in englishCreating your circuit board design, and exporting GRBL files that represent the structure of the board in PCB layers, holes and outlines. Starting AssemblyOnce the CNC was built, I went around and tightened all screws that I had installed, measuring for square everywhere I could. At high speed, it appeared as a single tip, rather than two or more, so it appears that the shaft was not bent during the installation. After letting it cool and tightening the setscrews (not that they needed it), I put the spindle assembly back into the 3018 holder, and spun up the spindle with an engraving bit in it. ![]() CH340 on Com 8But Candle was looking for it on Com Port 12. Error with Com PortI checked in the Device Manager for may laptop, and saw that it was installed on Com port 8. With the CNC plugged into my laptop USB post, I was getting an error indicating that Candle did not see it. Exe file, wherever it happens to end up.FlatCam and Fritzing have installation programs for Windows.After installing Candle, I started it up. Cnc Pcb Milling Software Manual Instructions EnteredNow, pressing the spindle button did turn the spindle on and off, but I still could not jog the spindle in any direction.Next, I tried moving the spindle using manual instructions entered into the command box at the bottom of the screen. I found that on the first boot, the 3018 came up in a locked state (presumably for safety), and I was able to unlock it using the unlock button. There was no movement, and it appeared that there were no commands being sent when I pressed the various jog buttons. Wrong Com Port SelectedNext, I tried moving the spindle back and forth, up and down. ![]() Mine did the opposite.The Candle instructions included a list of parameters that could be changed to configure the machine. When the “DOWN” arrow is pressed, the platform should move away from you. When the “UP” arrow is pressed, the platform should move toward you. However, the Y axis was reverse from what I needed. Download logmein client for windows 10Making sure everything was tight (I had also forgotten to tighten the carving bit in the ERC-11 collet) helped a lot. The spindle holder had been pre-assembled, and I hadn’t checked them for tightness.I made several more tries over the next few days, with gradually improving results. Halfway through the milling, a bolt fell out of the bottom of the spindle. Many of the traces were way too thin or gone completely. These were a good test of the machine’s (and my own) capabilities.My first try was rather dismal. First Carve on cardboardI followed very detailed instructions found on the Electronic Unicycle Forum (don’t ask how I ran onto that site) to attempt to mill my first PCB.I used a set of PCB GRBL files that I randomly discovered that seemed to have some close spacing and small traces. Good resultsI’ll make a couple of postings showing my process flow through Fritzing, Flatcam and Candle to create good PCBs here. That made a big difference in that Flatcam now compensated when creating the milling paths to avoid getting too close to the tiny traces.So finally, I have some good results. Still badFinally, I ran across a youtube that suggested that due to the inherent wobble in the spindle of these cheap machines, you should input a tool width of 0.2mm, rather than the 0.15mm that I had calculated for the carving bit I was using. Creating and using a heightmap compensates for those tiny differences.After all of this, I was still not getting acceptable mills. You wouldn’t think it would make much difference if the board is 0.2mm higher in one spot than another, but with the copper being so thin on these boards, it makes a big difference.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorDavid ArchivesCategories |