I'm trying to print a PCB with PCBway or equivalent that is not a rectangle in shape. It's more like a T-shape or I-shape to fit into a drone. Meaning it has a head and long body. What is the best way to achieve this? I have my schematic on EasyEDA.
Will you be making one, or many? For my small quantity special, I simply drew cutout lines on the top label layer, and hacksawed the shape out and filed the edges smooth when the boards arrived (made 4 of them). Not practical for runs of hundreds, but it doesn’t sound like that’s your intent.
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Could you have a series of holes drilled in the board to facilitate breaking off the unwanted sections of the board?
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I plan to make one for now
- Buy copper board. MCIGICM FR-4 Copper Clad PCB Laminate Circuit Board, Single Side, 4 x 2.7 inch (10Pcs) - Amazon.com
- Buy Ferric chloride. MG Chemicals - 415-500ML 415 Ferric Chloride Copper Etchant Solution, 475 ml Liquid Bottle,Dark Brown: Soldering Cleaning Products: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific
- Buy Resist-tape (get a kit). Amazon.com: Circuit Board Etching Kit - Level 3 Advanced : Arts, Crafts & Sewing
- Buy an alternative to resist-tape is a resist-pen. 2PCS CCL Anti-Etching PCB Circuit Board Ink Marker Pen for DIY PCB: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific
- Draw or print your PCB design
- Fix design to copper
- Drill holes (accurately)
- Remove drawing
- Sand copper and clean with iso-propyl alcohol
- Place resist-doughnuts and resist-tape to connect drilled holes.
- Etch with ferric chloride.
- Profit.
We all had fun doing this early in our electronics lives (some as early as grade school), so it is "that" easy. It is similar to developing your own photographs, but the timing is not critical.
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For a prototype that is a very practical approach.
Do some checking, I think you can bet the board made for much less then the cost of the chemicals and needed hardware.I have had great luck with JLCPCB (jlcpcb.com/). They show 2 lay boards for $2.00 US with 24 hour shipping. If you go that rout I advise getting at least two so you have a reference for troubleshooting.
This. AFAIK, all of the low-cost PCB makers use CNC routers to cut the final boards shape, based on the board outline gerber file. Presumably price will be based on the minimum enclosing rectangle.
After all, Arduino-Uno-shaped boards are common
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I read a tip: "Design circuits to fit multiple times on the minimum footprint, then cut them apart."
Cutting circuit board material is ... more difficult than you'd think.
(One of significant advantages of having your PCBs made professionally is that they will be VERY CLEANLY cut to size.)
One of more more interestingly shaped PCBs (done by OSHPark):
Fibreglass PCB is rugged, but a coping saw makes non-straight cuts manageable.
When I have straight cuts, I score a deep line on both sides, then flex along the score line until it breaks.
I also receive multi-circuit boards in one pre-scored sheet from the manufacturer that I can easily snap apart.
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