Laser Etching a PCB

We used a 30w fiber laser to etch a single sided copper clad FR4 circuit board. After several trials with Lightburn's hash function, we found some suitable settings. Next up, we need to determine if aoldermask is necessary.

[@vdx4616]

... for avoiding charcoal, you can spraypaint the PCB, then remove only 90% of the copper, and last remove the last remains with acid (I've used 1:1:1 30% Hydrochloric acid, 30% H2O2 and Aq.Dest). Or use PCB's with aluminium-core, then you can remove all the copper and the ceramic isolator beneath (the aluminium core is pretty resistant against the fiber-laser).

[@JM_Tushe]

That's so dang cool.

[@gert_kruger]

Burnt FR4 is slightly conductive. Could cause arching at high enough voltage.

[@CraigHollabaugh]

Good point, I didn't move past this point. Electronoob recently did a complete video on making pcb with a fiber laser. Check it out.

[@jimsvideos7201]

Did you get the traces the way you wanted them? Any broken ones?

[@lolsypussy]

Nice video. I'm also planning to have one together with a CNC mill and drill for the holes and cutting but the alignment process might be tedious during tool transfer

[@CraigHollabaugh]

use alignment pins.

[@AngelR1227]

Thank you for sharing. Are you able to share more details on the type of laser source and settings?

[@CraigHollabaugh]

sure, next time I'm in the shop I'll send these to you.

[@CraigHollabaugh]

Check my YT posts to get the fiber laser settings used here.

[@AngelR1227]

@@CraigHollabaugh Thank you.

[@mpelagio-engenharia]

How long time to make this pcb?

[@marclazaromarti5383]

Hi Craig, could you share the model of the laser you are using? Not the parameters but the model of the product. Thanks in advance!

[@CraigHollabaugh]

US Stock Fiber Laser Engraver 30W JPT Fiber Laser Marking Machine with 80MM Rotary Axis,Engraving Area 175×175mm a.co/d/gWSLxM8

[@skilledcamman4752]

How small is that board?

[@marc7637]

Quel model de tête laser permet un tel résultat puissance? réf, prix

[@shrinivasganti90]

Could you please describe the process you used to find the best settings ? I'm trying the same with a 50 W Raycus and no luck at all, the copper doesn't mark :( It's in focus (red dots aligned) and I'm using 90% power at 20 kHz

[@CraigHollabaugh]

Check my community post, there's an image there of my settings.

[@lybce]

Excellent !!! I buy an LaserPecker 3 but with 100% and 3 passes cant eliminate the coper layer

[@frankherrmannweilburg4436]

Laser Packer is not really a Laser, its a LED flashlight.........................

[@oldekline]

Also I would like to see the layers in lightburn.

[@CraigHollabaugh]

are you talking about these? yt3.ggpht.com/xBtkD7yEdlWEO9qsEfc0eDtaTpBxMaOaF1vxlOy5nhwTCa07n9HnEJ0BX1unyswwaxCU1mTa8zAHQYs=s640-nd-v1

[@oldekline]

@@CraigHollabaugh No first time i watched this I thought it was multiple operations. Now it looks like two passes with as starting angle of 0 with a crosshatch. Might be a good move to do a line only pass to isolate everything.

[@CraigHollabaugh]

@@oldekline OK, thanks.

[@frankhovis]

So you're burning away the copper and leaving burnt - and potentially conductive - fibreglass in its place. How's' that useful?

[@Bezulba2]

Useful as in how a lot of pcb's are made, but instead of etching away the coper, he burns it away.

[@frankhovis]

@@Bezulba2 By burning the PCB he's carbonising the fibreglass and making it conductive. Its useless.

[@lotfiboukellala4583]

Pleases can you give me the laser paremeters ?

[@amir.victor]

Speed : 500mm/s Power : 75% Frequency : 20khz Line distance of hatch : 0.05 Cross hatch Mark loop : 3

[@JBSATE]

Gual potencia lazer

[@marc7637]

Ce genre de laser coûte une fortune et difficile à trouver contrairement aux lasers qui grave bois ,cuir etc... ce modèl vaporise le cuivre sa longueur d'onde est d'ailleurs plus grande 1020 environ contre 470 pour les autres

[@CraigHollabaugh]

watch this Homemade PCBs with Fiber Laser - 0.1mm Clearance - electronoobs kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqC8lJ2vnM13rpY

[@icarossavvides2641]

Useless video, no information whatsoever!

[@CraigHollabaugh]

I agree, watch this instead from electronoobs kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqC8lJ2vnM13rpYsi=jjUmkQBlW5HTC_Vb