How the Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) Using the Laser Cutting Machine The advances in laser technology made it possible the use of lasers in many applications and fabrication process. One of the latest trends is the use of PCB Laser Cutting technology in the printed circuit boards industry. Lasers are used for cutting the printed circuit boards. There are many ways of using lasers with PCBs, depending of the application. We will talk here about some PCB applications suited for the implementation of laser technology. Printed circuit boards are found in various electronic devices and they have the role to electrically connect and support electronic components by using conductive tacks or pathways laminated onto a non-conductive substrate and etched from copper sheets. Most of the printed circuit boards are built by covering the substrate with a bonding layer of copper, then applying a temporary mask via the etching process and removing the unwanted copper, leaving only the traces of copper electric circuit. A Laser Cutting Machine for PCB, depending on the desired outcome, can be used in various capacities. Some different PCB applications that relate to the laser are:
路Cutting sheets or tabs of ready-made printed circuit boards. CO2 laser systems can cut through the printed circuit boards as long as there is no copper layer, however fiber laser systems can cut through both circuit boards with and without a copper layer. 路Besides cutting applications, laser can also be used for marking text or graphics on pre-made printed circuit boards. For instance, if you need to mark a PCB with a serial number, logo, or bar code, you can use a laser system for this. Both Fiber Laser and CO2 Laser machines are suitable for this application and allow marking directly on a printed circuit board at a low contrast. 路Engraving through PCB in order to expose the copper layer. Laser machines are able to expose the copper layer of the printed board by
engraving through the PCB material. The layer is very thin, so fiber lasers can also be used for this application, since they can cut through the material. Many PCB applications are laser friendly but some of them are suited better to a different technology, such as the following 路Exposing copper 路Cutting PCBs with a CO2Laser Cutting Machine Here are the steps of using a Laser Cutting Machine for PCB:
Step 1: Spray copper board First remove the bare copper printed circuit board from the plastic, paying attention to not let oily fingerprints on the surface. Then place the board on a clean surface for spraying. The printed copper board should be cut to the required size and then paint is sprayed over for an even coating. You may use a flat black spray paint and apply a coat on the copper three to five times. Before applying the next coat you must allow some time for each coat to dry. In case that your printed circuit board is double
sided, do not forget to repeat this step for the other side. Your printed circuit board should look completely black the end of this step, with no unevenness or bumps and no copper visible at all. Step 2: Laser Cut the Board After you draw up your circuit diagram by using some software applications such as Illustrator, you need to remember to mirror it in case that is required. You will need to remember as well to reverse the colors of your diagram. For instance, you should use a white color on the parts of the printed circuit board that need to remain copper and a black color for everything that needs to be removed. After this step you have to put the printed circuit board in the Laser Cutting Machine and cut away the paint where needed. Ensure to achieve a clean cut through to the entire copper surface. Step 3: Bathe in Ferric Chloride The next step is to place the printed circuit board in a bath of Ferric Chloride. For this operation you can use a plastic tub. Always remember to wear protection gloves when you perform this step. You may place the Ferric Chloride in the sun in order to warm it up a bit. After leaving the Ferric Chloride on the printed circuit board for around half an hour, you can scrub it with a sponge and bathe it until the desired copper is removed. Step 4: Clean Board You can scrub the printed circuit board with nail varnish remover in order to remove the remaining paint. Step 5: Drill Board In case that you need to drill the printed circuit board you can use a small drill such a pillar drill or a hand drill.