Question about PCB lightning in a suntan solarium ?

[Wise]

Have anyone any kind of experience with PCB UV lightning from a solarium ?

I got a bed with 15 light tubes in the top half and 10 in the lower half.

The tube have the model: Goldsun RS Longlife Fasttan G2-10 100W.

So a total of 1500W in the top and 1000 in the lower.

So my questions:

1. Have this kind of UV light the right wavelength for the photoresist on a PCB ?

2. How long do you think I have to "tan" my PCB for a god result ? (my guess approx. just a few sec's....)

Happy taning

/Wise

[stryd_one]

;D  ;D  ;D

Sorry but that made me really laugh. I have this mental image of a core module wearing those big dark sunglasses and a string bikini heheheheheheh

[Wise]

;D ;D

Hehe, I think everyone here can imagine  8)

/Wise

[Steven_C]

I have no idea! I just use "press'n'peel" film. You just photocopy the pattern onto the film, then iron the pattern onto the board. Then etch. Quick and easy. But then the time consuming part is drilling all the holes! Better to buy from Mike or Smash.  8)

[Screaming_Rabbit]

I have no idea! I just use "press'n'peel" film. You just photocopy the pattern onto the film, then iron the pattern onto the board. Then etch. Quick and easy. But then the time consuming part is drilling all the holes! Better to buy from Mike or Smash.  8)

Hey Steven

Can you post the link, from where you're ordering this film? I have my boards from SmashTV and I'm totally satisfied but I'd like to etch the boards on which the buttons and LEDs are sitting on.

Greets, Roger

PS: I know there are some threads in the forum about this ... but anyway  ;)

[smashtv]

http://www.techniks.com/index.htm

Good stuff.....

[Davo]

For those who didn't know already, you can use toner transfer paper (the wet kind) to make decals.

[Steven_C]

I've been meaning to try that paper/toner transfer method, but haven't had the time. BTW another source for Press'n'Peel is Jaycar in Australia and NZ as well as altronics in Australia. (Not Allelectronics in USA)

[stryd_one]

Thanks for the local knowledge StevenC :)

You're not in Melbourne by any chance?

[Wise]

Thx for the tip about "PaP", will try that when I got the time.

Anyway, back to the topic...

I think this will work, a quick google and I found:

http://www.arubaaloe.com/uva-b.htm Info about UV/A UV/B

http://www.wolffsystem.de/download/Gold_Sun_RS_100W.pdf The light tubes in the solarium I got

The common UV tubes that you can bye for PCB porposes have a wavelength of 365nm, wich is the same as the tubes in the solarium  8) 8)

Someone with a bit of experience have a thought about a good exposure time ?

I'll maybe find some time today to test this  :)

I'll let you know for sure

/wise

[Tanstaafl]

my 15 watt uv works at 5 inches from board for 8  minutes.

I guess you could work out  exposure time based on wattage and distance from board.

light falls off at the inverse of the square of the distance... i think i said that right....

so if my 15 watt bulb burns in 8 minutes from 5 inches... it would be 16 minutes at 10 inches 32 minutes at 20 inches... etc.

also, i believe generally that the wattage of a bulb is porportional to it's length.... approx.  4 foot bulb = 40 watts or so

this being about 2.5  times the wattage of my bulb... if  your lamp is 5 inches away the time to burn would be approx. 3.2 minutes.

I know the photo boards are expensive, but i wasted a few when i started because there was not a good histogram with the light kit or the photo etch boards.

good luck

[Wise]

Wow !

Last night i tested this UV-source, and :

First try - Success at once !

Amazing, I exposed the PCB for 2min @ 2 cm from 100 W UV-lighttube  8)  8)

The develop and the etching went just as perfect you want !

So now I can expose PCB's up to  60*200cm  doubble side ;D  ;D  ;D  (the developing and etching is another question..hehe)

Some pictures for your pleasure

Notice the size of the UB-tubes compare to the DIN, note that all MIDI equipment nearby was wearing UV-protection glasses and was not harmed during this experiment !  8)

After etching:

/Wise

[stryd_one]

That's a good lookin board man.

[Wise]

Thx !  :)

I can defenitively say that this is the way i'm going to make my boards in the future

/Wise