PCB finishing options – advice needed

Advertise with us
shop deals on amazon
Shop deals on ebay
GroupDIY Audio Forum

Help Support GroupDIY Audio Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
B

Banzai

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 6, 2013
Messages
972
For those of you familiar with PCB manufacturing and the available options, I was looking to duplicate the finish of these Blue boards but wouldn't know where to start.

From the pictures, it's a standard one layer board with the copper layer and solder mask on the bottom. But the mask seems to be transparent; anybody know how that's achieved?

The colour also isn't that regular sharp glossy green. Matte green?

Here's the front:
 

Attachments

  • 1608-6.jpg
    1608-6.jpg
    124.9 KB · Views: 84
Not cool. That is a manufactured item and should only be duplicated by the manufacturer. There is nothing special about that PCB.
 
Pip said:
Not cool. That is a manufactured item and should only be duplicated by the manufacturer. There is nothing special about that PCB.
Click to expand...

?? I don't think he was asking to copy the PCB, but asking how it was finished.

Most PCB houses offer matte finishes, but not good for microphones IMHO....much harder to clean.

That said, Pip is right - nothing special there from what I can tell.
 
Think my question wasn't too clear. To rephrase: when using regular soldermask, the back of the board would be completely opaque. This mask is translucent.

Is that effect achieved by using a matte soldermask or is it a different process altogether?

Merely looking for the what's-what as the effect appeals to me aesthetically compared to both sides covered with regular mask, or the one side covered with an opaque mask.

Appreciate any guidance by those of you who know these things  ;)
 
Banzai said:
Think my question wasn't too clear. To rephrase: when using regular soldermask, the back of the board would be completely opaque. This mask is translucent.

Is that effect achieved by using a matte soldermask or is it a different process altogether?

Merely looking for the what's-what as the effect appeals to me aesthetically compared to both sides covered with regular mask, or the one side covered with an opaque mask.

Appreciate any guidance by those of you who know these things  ;)
Click to expand...

No mask at all. This is what an old school PCB would look like if you etched it yourself with etch solution. Actually the easiest way to do it. Look for laser printer tansfer kits for PCB making online. Then get some copper clad boards and get busy.

Sorry if I miss understood.
 
Yep - for really-high-impedances, solder mask is not the best. Rather use specialized (conformal coating?) laquer here, preferably applied after assembly..

Jakob E.
 
gyraf said:
Yep - for really-high-impedances, solder mask is not the best. Rather use specialized (conformal coating?) laquer here, preferably applied after assembly..

Jakob E.
Click to expand...

That really depends on the solder mask...there are formulations made especially for tuned high-frequency resonance circuits that have surface resistivities that approach 1015 ohms/cm (that's 1000 TOhm per centimeter).

But this obviously means being extremely picky about your board manufacturer. :)
 
"surface resistivities that approach 1015 ohms/cm (that's 1000 TOhm per centimeter).",

^^ this^^

man ,I am so tired of people claiming we are just a bunch of technical nerds ! :)

I write poetry and when I read that phrase,  I was really struck by the technical knowledge expressed in it and how it read

I said it a few times out loud too; try it :) 10 x real fast !!


 
Thanks guys; never had the need to get boards made, but now that I do, just realising how many different types of options there are...

Bit of a mindfk as an introductory experience...
 
Its a perfectly normal, single sided board with solder mask.

You may be used to designs with spill of solder mask that covers the board completely, but the stripped away glass fiber is always see through.

The laminat used to be white, but modern types have a yellowish UV-blocker in it, which contributes to the color of the transparent section, even after solder mask is added.

Unless I am missing something obvious :)

Gustav
 
Nah, that's pretty much it.  ;)

Like you say, hadn't seen a mask like this before, so always assumed the options were either an opaque coat of soldermask or no soldermask at all. Much prefer this in-between finish.


Gustav said:
Its a perfectly normal, single sided board with solder mask.

You may be used to designs with spill of solder mask that covers the board completely, but the stripped away glass fiber is always see through.

The laminat used to be white, but modern types have a yellowish UV-blocker in it, which contributes to the color of the transparent section, even after solder mask is added.

Unless I am missing something obvious :)

Gustav
Click to expand...
 

Similar threads

A
Ground Loops in PCB design
2 3 4
Replies
62
Views
12K
PureBasic
PureBasic
L
Feeler: BBC AM9/4 or AM9/5 Germanium mic pre project
Replies
9
Views
3K
Urskov
U
amplexus
McCurdy AU300 clone - development thread
2 3
Replies
52
Views
9K
My3gger
M
S
Custom Console PCB Advice Needed
Replies
8
Views
3K
MidnightArrakis
MidnightArrakis
dirtyhanfri
Pcb Making
Replies
9
Views
4K
dirtyhanfri
dirtyhanfri

Latest posts

Back
Top