Eurocircuits - how to make a 4-layer PCB (full version)
Why Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange recommends it
Electronics Stack Exchange users link it when someone asks how professional PCB houses actually fabricate boards, including layer alignment, plating and etch resist steps.
Recommended by 2 people across 2 different months, 2015 to 2020.
What it is
A 32-minute film from PCB maker Eurocircuits that walks through how a 4-layer printed circuit board is manufactured in a professional factory. It is aimed at electronics engineering students so they understand the process and design boards that are cheaper to make and more reliable.
What people said
Recommends Alan Johnston · 2015-06 · Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange · on “Filling vias and holes on custom pcb”
Like the OP, I am a noob and trying to weigh up the pros and cons between copper-plating the holes and making vias with wire a short distance from the component instead. As mentioned by another poster, I thought about using the legs of components for vias, though some component legs are thicker than others and I am concerned that current limits may be inadvertently exceeded. I may have found a universal solution today in Hobby Lobby, which is 0.010 and 0.016 brass wire (music wire was also available). All I need now is to know how many amps it can handle. In response to the OP's later message about accurately aligning both layers, I recommend watching a 32 minute video on YouTube from Euro C
Recommends jms · 2015-12 · Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange · on “What is the typical PCB fabrication process in a professional PCB house?”
@Samuel Because you specifically said "You can Google for the link text "Tour of Advanced Circuits" ". Eurocircuits seems to have an excellent video on the subject: [this video]
Cites S To · 2020-12 · Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange · on “PCB manufacturing - Why etch resist such as Tin is removed after the etchant has removed the unwanted copper”
Alright so I'm learning the PCB manufacturing process. I have seen many professional PCB manufactures use "Tin" to be used as an "etch resist" which protects the copper traces which makes the circuit. Then the "etchant" will only remove the unwanted copper but will not have any affect on the copper traces since it is "tinned". This will give a better etched product since the etchant will not remove any of the copper traces of the circuit. Seems like a great idea, can easily be done at home. I haven't seen anyone on the "DIY" internet that follows this process. What I don't understand is that the PCB manufacturers remove the tin after the etching process. Isn't it better to just keep the plat