Hobbies: Printed Circuit Board Fabrication

There are many hobbies out there that require PCB fabrication and now is the best time to adopt those hobbies. Looking back about 15 years, it was near impossible for a hobbyist to find affordable PCB fabrication. That all changed around 2001, when companies began offering low-cost circuit board fabrication. Today, there are many low-cost PCB manufacturers to choose from. Click here for more PCB information.

For people who wish to begin a hobby involving PCBs, now is the best time to do it. Thanks to numerous authoritative texts and high-quality, free software, it's now easier than ever to design a PCB and have it manufactured by a reliable company. No matter if you are just trying simple repairs or building complex electronics, read on to learn some more about the PCB design and fabrication process.

To start, do some research to find out if another person has already created a board design that will meet your needs. For those considering patenting an invention, the patent office website can be used to search for any similar device that has been patented. If, however, the goal is simply to create a prototype PCB and test its capabilities, the first step is to find a detailed guide on the subject of PCB fabrication. Click here to learn more about PCBs.

When the concept for the circuit board has been drawn out, and the layout has been somewhat determined, it is then time to get to know the PCB layout software. Although there are many programs to choose from, PCB Artist seems to be popular among the PCB community. This program is very reliable and very flexible and is the favorite program of many industry professionals as well as hobbyists. It is smart to mess around with the software and become familiar with its capabilities. Try creating a few practice layouts before attempting a real layout. For more PCB information, click here.

After the PCB layout is complete, the next step is to find a low-cost, yet reputable manufacturer. The companies will likely offer further recommendations regarding best layout practices for their particular PCB fabrication process. A few manufacturers, like Advanced Circuits, will offer tools that will double check the design layout before it is submitted for manufacturing. Once that is complete, to final step is to submit the order and wait for delivery.

How to Recycle a PCB

Since printed circuit boards have been used in almost every electronic device for the past 40 or so years, they are really filling up our nation's landfills. PCBs are made with hazardous materials making them an environmental hazard as well as a trash volume problem. Click here for more PCB information.

The PCB is not the only harmful piece. The whole electronic device could be carrying hazardous materials like mercury, cadmium and other toxic chemicals. Recycling your unwanted electronic devices and their circuit boards is an important step in maintaining a healthy environment.

Reuse Old PCBs

People who enjoy creating their own electronic devices may be able to reuse printed circuit boards which reduces waste and saves money. If building your own electronics isn't your thing, recycling those boards can still save some money. There are hazardous and non-hazardous materials that can be recovered from old PCBs. Almost all recovered material is less expensive than buying brand new. This really cuts costs for manufacturers. To learn more about PCBs, click here.

Sending Your Circuit Boards to a Specialty Recycler

Since some recycling centers aren't able to recycle electronics you should call first to find out. If they don't, ask them if they know of any local companies that specialize in electronics.

Ways to Recycle Printed Circuit Boards and Other Electronics:

- Watch your local TV channels and newspapers for regional events for recycling hard to recycle materials. Most will include electronics.

- Identify the manufacturer of your electronic device. Most of them have some sort of recycling program. Check your documentation and/or call their customer service line to learn what they offer.

- You could always take your unwanted electronics to Best Buy. It doesn't matter if you bought the item at Best Buy or somewhere else.

Keep Your Circuit Boards Out of the Waste Stream

Recycling processes have improved greatly over the last few years but there is still a ways to go. This is especially evident in electronics recycling. The next time you upgrade your stereo, cell phone, or computer take the time to learn about your options for recycling the old equipment. Every circuit board that goes to a landfill is a problem that we all have to deal with. Click here for more PCB recycling information.

What to Consider When Buying a PCB

Rather than purchasing a PCB, most hobbyists and other professionals will want to find a PCB fabrication facility that does fast, high-quality work. PCBs come in a variety of multi-layer configurations and sizes, but the first phase is usually the same; Design the board layout. When the layout is finished, one must do some research to find a qualified printed circuit board manufacturer. Click here for more PCB information.

Depending on the size and amount of components to be installed on the PCB, its manufacture can take just a few days and a few hundred dollars, or a few weeks and a few thousand. If a PCB is standard size and has 4 layers or less, the cost of fabrication is not very high. Boards with 6 or more layers will see the prices rise dramatically as layers are added.

Multilayer PCB assemblers are plentiful and easy to find on the web. When choosing a PCB manufacturer, designers should research the quality of a company's manufacturing process. Because this is probably a prototype PCB, the amount of boards that can be produced is not very important. It is important to note that some manufacturers have order minimums which will simply not work for people who just want a handful of test PCBs. Some PCB manufacturers produce their products in house while many others choose to outsource the manufacturing to Europe or Asia. There are a bunch of reasons why it's smarter to choose an in-house PCB manufacturer. Doing some research will show that there are a handful of low-cost, in house options out there. To learn more about PCBs, click here.

It's also important that the PCB layout files be carefully checked for errors before the assembly process begins to avoid delays and even more serious problems that could cause the manufacturing run to be cancelled. The majority of PCB manufacturers offer some sort of design rule check, but FreeDFM from Advanced Circuits has got to be at the top of the list. When the PCB files have been sent, this tool will check the design and produce an entire report outlining any areas of interest or areas that need redesigned. Click here to learn more about PCBs.

When researching manufacturers, look for a guarantee. That usually means companies are confident in their processes. It is common for a guarantee to cover the entire cost of PCB fabrication if the quality or time requirements aren't met. Printed circuit board fabrication is an extremely precise process, and it pays to perform as much due diligence on the available manufacturers as possible before submitting an order.