Vectra CNC - PCB Prototyping Machine
Vectra CNC is an affordable CNC system with Innovative features like Tool Changer, Camera Review on Hardware Side and simpler Execution process on Software side, Vectra CNC is a complete system for Concept to Product realization.
Vectra CNC is a learning tool for startup CNC users to understand CNC concepts, Programming coordinate movement and control of various functions. Both Hardware and Software functions have been added to Vectra CNC to make it a versatile tool. Handling tools has always been an issue due to sharp edges and fragile nature of tools. Vectra CNC makes it simpler with the Tool Changer, Camera system helps to review work done side by side.
Introduction to PCB Milling :
Milling machines are devices that use rotary cutters to remove some sort of material from a surface. In our case, we would be removing copper from a single-layer or double-layer piece of copper clad. After the copper is removed and etched away, the milling machine produces a beautiful circuit board, ready to be soldered to. The simple process is shown in Figure 1 below.
Figure. Bare Copper Clad Through Milling Machine to milled PCB images from left to right
Phase 1 – Design and Create the PCB Layout
The engineer would use any design software to layout the printed circuit board design. Popular software examples for this are OrCAD Layout, Allegro PCB Editor, EDWinXP, Diptrace , and so on. This tutorial and training assumes you made your PCB layout files in Diptrace. Once you’ve laid out your PCB design, you would create artwork files (also known as Gerber files) and drill files. These files are used by the milling machine to understand your board design.
Phase 2 – Transfer the Layout Design to CAM Software (Copper CAM)
Once your artwork files are ready, you import them into the CAM software. We are using Copper Cam here, there are various tools and settings to be made based on the board you’ve designed, i.e. milling depth, drilling depth, type of tool used, and so on. It is important for the designer to know the capabilities of the machine (e.g. minimum pin pitch, insulation width, etc.) when designing his/her board layout. Once the artwork files are imported and Processed by the Copper CAM, we can export final G-Code files to MACH 3 software (Controller software through which cnc machine operate)
Phase 3 – Etch the PCB with the Milling Machine
The designer must understand some of the tools and machining process to ensure the proper conditions for milling a PCB out of bare copper clad. The milling machine etches away the copper as instructed by the artwork files and results in a nicely made single- or double-sided PCB.
