Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs)

If you've been hand wiring prototypes for a while, you may not realize that getting proto PCBs made for a project is finally cost effective. If you're interested in learning more about just what goes into making PCBs, read on. I'll take you through the basics of the standard double-sided PCB fabrication process.  Topics Discussed How are printed circuit boards manufactured? Why is it cheaper now to get proto PCBs fabricated? Who are some good vendors to get a prototype PCB fabricated? Tech Used Printed Circuit Boards Twenty years ago, your average hobbyist would not think of having a prototype circuit manufactured. It was prohibitively expensive to get printed circuit boards (PCBs) manufactured for a project. But times have changed. Today you can have multiple copies of a layout manufactured in record time. And, unless you need something in less than a week, the costs are reasonable, especially when compared with the time it would take to hand-wire a prototype. My introduction to making PCBs was with Electronic Music Laboratories (EML). I began my electronics career when my wife (then-girlfriend) Beverly told me of a synthesizer she had seen at Ellington High School. As a student in a Music Appreciation class, she was introduced to the ElectroComp EML-200, which at the time was one of the first instruments for creating electronic music. When I looked at the EML-200’s nameplate, I saw that it was being produced locally. EML was starting to take off, and they happened to be looking for someone to do grunt work, like punching holes in aluminum panels. I was content just to be a part of this growing field. I will be forever thankful to EML’s three musketeers—Dale Blake, Jeff Murray, and Norm Millard—for the faith they had in my abilities. As my competence grew, I was exposed to the many aspects of starting a company, including financial matters, sales, and engineering. The EML-200 was comprised of five circuit boards, a po