How to Make a Casted Epoxy PCB that Lasts a Lifetime

Spindle light for a CNC machine designed and build to last.
PCBA from $0 (Free Setup, Free Stencil): jlcpcb.com/RHS
Indystry: indystry.cc/
IndyMill Instruction: nikodembartnik...
Vacuum chamber: amzn.to/3hOXjjb
Soldering station: amzn.to/3IVRIDs
3D printer: amzn.to/3CDbDFf
Patreon: / nikodembartnik
PayPal: www.paypal.me/...
Instagram: nikodembartnik

[@nikodembartnik]

Thanks a lot for watching! Check out my store: indystry.cc/store/

[@Bartosz_PL]

Super jak zwykle! Komory używa się tylko do odgazowania przed utwardzeniem. Czyli utrzymujesz próżnię przez jakiś czas, żeby bąbelki się powiększyły i wypłynęły na powierzchnię z gęstego ośrodka, im są większe tym większa siła wyporu. Jak skończyły się "gotować" wpuszczasz powietrze i bąbelki robią się niewidoczne. Tak odgazowaną zywice/silikon zostawiasz do utwardzenia. To co masz teraz to zamknięta próżnia w żywicy. Możesz też ogazowywać żywice/silikon w kubeczku i powoli wlewać do formy, też będzie ładna bez bąbelków. PS. Gratuluję występu na kanale RcLifeOn 👍

[@KeritechElectronics]

Some great making skill here, and the effect is lovely. Thing of beauty, joy for ever.

[@davib8963]

Hey Niko, thanks for making this video. I've never done PCB design, though it's something I may do in the future. For both silicone and epoxy resin you typically don't want to cure them in the vacuum chamber itself. Rather, the procedure would be to mix the components > use the chamber to evacuate gas from the mixture > then pour the degassed mixture outside of the chamber to cure. A pressure chamber is used to further remove bubbles during the curing process itself, though this is not always required. That said, many formulations of silicone are really very good to use without a vacuum chamber or pressure chamber at all. Likewise with epoxy, particularly with very thin applications like you have here. I think I have the same vacuum chamber as you and I find that I only use it for very large thick molds or deep casting situations. Anyhow, thanks again. Very interesting project.

[@jut7030]

Entertaining and informative as always Niko, keep going !

[@RichardLourette]

Great video. May i suggest adding links to the mold making supplies you used. Including anything you learned about creating the 3D printed molds used to cast the silicone would be great in the video. Regarding differences in coeficients of thermal expansion causing mechanical failure in the solder joints, there are conformal coating techniques that i have seen drone makers use to water proof their electronics that can be brushed on. The epoxy coating process you used applies to many other things. I really enjoy watching your videos.

[@CallousCoder]

Oh and you may want to use a platsil silicone, cures in 45 minutes is more durable too. Skin safe which is nice when you want to do SFX makeup. That’s why I just have this stuff, I use it for tech projects but also for making FX makeup. It’s a bit more expensive but ROI is better than with a TinSil imo. I do 40-50 casts on a platsil and only 15-20 on a tinsil. And you need a pressure put for the resin, you want to compress those bubbles to the smallest diameter.

[@ThomasMcMillan1]

You might want to clarify that you paid for Eagle or used a non educational version to make a PCB that you could sell as your version clearly shows educational version. Just in case. Also Eagle is now a part of Auto Desk Fusion 360. I enjoy your videos, so just looking out for you! Note: The purpose of using a vacuum chamber is to remove the air. Once you have pulled the bubbles out, you should pressurize the chamber to make whatever remaining air bubbles as small as possible, even if its just at atmospheric pressure. Leaving things to cure in vacuum defeats the purpose of using the vacuum to remove the air.

[@lio1234234]

Just saying it's probably the case that is the version he used. Lots of people do it, it's technically not allowed, but from what I've seen, on this kind of small scale, companies like Autodesk tend not to care.

[@maxmustermann2596]

@@lio1234234 Isn't there an exception for youtubers? He might fit that. I mean, a big part of the value is probably the video and I wonder how many parts you can sell from that product.

[@physnoct]

A trick for using any oven for soldering: place a bit of solder somewhere on a PCB. When it melts, you wait about 10s and turn off the oven. As usual, experiment with scraps first.

[@CallousCoder]

I actually have a video where I make a 32bit IO and you see me chucking the board in an unmodified toaster oven that cost 29 euros and just works. Ive been doing that since 1994 just use a lead based solder as it melts around 183C (even a bit lower) and voila!

[@becauseican2607]

The vacuum on the epoxy is good, but you should release it so the bubbles can collapse. Then cure it outside the vacuum chamber

[@andrewwakefield4519]

Yes please for the video on cable chain!

[@merely_scott]

Nice video. I'd love to see the results of your concrete pots.

[@Rouverius]

Great idea. Actually, I could see something like this being a nice upgrade for a 3d printer as well. OK, not sure how well it would work around a hotend but anyway... Great job👍

[@piconano]

There is a problem with potting SMD components in epoxy. Specifically, thermal cycling causes the epoxy to expand and contract, which in turn will break the solder or traces in time. That's why they don't see gyros and accelerometers being potted. Source: Analog Devices Mems engineering department. Do they not have clear silicon?

[@lio1234234]

My RC car ESC is epoxied from factory for waterproofing, used it many times where it's gets well above 80C internally, never had an issue

[@piconano]

@@lio1234234 I doubt your RC will last thousands of cycles. I wanted to pot my 3D accelerometers and was told by 2 engineers at Analog Devices (who made the devices) not to do that for the reason I said. Also, the traces on an ESC are at least as thick as your nails. There is lots of solder supporting everything.

[@maxmustermann2596]

@@piconano Aren't there special mixtures, which don't break the solder traces, because they don't turn rock hard?

[@piconano]

@@maxmustermann2596 yes they do. I don't know what's called, but I've touched some. It's like the material over LEDs. Sort of like hard jello.

[@klave8511]

My furnace control board is potted in epoxy, has been running for years. My boat trailer lights are a solid block of epoxy with some LEDs in them for the light, totally waterproof and get bounced around a lot. No problems yet. Blob top ics are in epoxy. Not to say that certain things aren’t sensitive to potting but it depends on what it is. Many industrial instruments are solidly potted in epoxies, temperature range is -40 to 85C, they run for decades in extreme environments. I know that melf diodes do not like being potted in epoxy because of their shape, the resin can get under it and break to solder joint after just 2 temperature cycles. Replace the with smb package and no problems. Flexing a pcb can break smd components, epoxy can strengthen the pcb from bending thereby improving reliability in parts that vibrate (cars).

[@stephengrattage5219]

I would like to see your cable chain upgrade video

[@fred-9929]

Nice work! And go for a cable-chain video ;o)

[@JPToto]

I wonder if you 3D printed the mold in a TPU type filament would that work? It should be flexible enough to get the cured epoxy out? I'm thinking outloud here. You've done great work!

[@nikodembartnik]

Epoxy usually sticks to everything, as far as I know silicon is probably the only material that is incompatibilie with almost any other material so it's great for such molds

[@JPToto]

@@nikodembartnik That makes sense then. Well done!

[@Aleinux]

Show us all the process to make a 3D print chaine for the CNC, please

[@workshop_zone4880]

ten sklep jest zaj*****y

[@dip8]

What temperature did you use for the oven?

[@electronic7979]

Nice

[@martinklims1]

Can you make PCB on that that CNC? I want to build it, but I want also to prototype PCBs on it. And what about making pick n place? If you are making bigger amount of that PCBs it will be usefull.

[@enriquemogliazza9709]

Hola, descargué la turbina que dejaste en uno de tus videos para poner en el motor del cnc, puede que sea más chico el orificio?porque mi impresora lo hizo más pequeño, saludos desde Uruguay

[@randybasil1715]

can you make shadowless lamp?

[@dermharse9614]

Couldn't really see the face of the light but lapping and sanding the face with say 600 /800 grit clean and coat it with a clear acrylic enamel should make it really clear.

[@dip8]

Aren't the LEDs overheating?

[@nezu_cc]

You managed to hide the fact that you're Polish for almost 11 minutes, impressive. Usually I can notice the polish accent quite quickly. the way you pronounced "dot cc" made me sus and "on GitHub" was a blatant giveaway. Also cool video I gues, nothing groundbreaking but nice to watch.

[@martinTintin476]

you make bubbles with heat. someone who pours the igniter resin bursts the bubbles on the surface.

[@ElioFernandez]

Yo quiero una luz para mí cnc.

[@user-yc6zm4rs2p]

I watch you from Russia

[@EskinDynamics]

Я тоже смотрю его из России) Можете и на мой канал подписываться))

[@cam77ru]

Нас много)

[@VeerDaVlog]

Hi Nik

[@lucyfeer2582]

Zaje*isty projekt

[@JS7457]

$18 dollar for a spindle light? I'm gonna be honest, the price is absurd

[@antoniettahomerding7118]

😔 𝓅𝓇o𝓂o𝓈𝓂