This was the project for my Electronics (ETRO) 199V Projects in Electronics class taken at Kaua’i Community College (KCC) in the Spring of 2013 (my last semester there).
In the electronics building, we had a circuit board plotter capable of producing custome circuit boards for projects, but it nobody had figured out how to set it up fully. It was mostly assembled but people tried to and failed to get it to work. As my instructor and I were discussing what possible projects I could do for this 1 credit class, she pointed this problem out to me and asked if I could take on the challenge.
I accepted the task and was given access to the manual and all software related to this machine. I read the manual almost entirely and learned all about PCBs and how they are produced. I learned quite a bit of terminology (like what a fiducial marking is).
I had to learn how to operate this machine and set up the software, and there were no mentors or other people I could reach out to because everyone there had tried and failed to get the machine set up properly. Furthermore, this was a unique machine and there didn’t seem to be much support for it.
I read the manual and figured out how to install the software, what settings were needed, the proper procedures to loading circuit board material, until I finally made my first custom PCB, all on my own accord. I was asked to then make a tutorial to teach both students and faculty how to use the device. I was told a written report would’ve been ok. However, I feel it is much better to show people how to do it than just telling them, because I myself had difficulty understanding the manual at times, when it would’ve just been easier to see someone explain it in person.
Overall, the project went without many problems. It was somewhat daunting to have no real mentorship or ways to get help all while having a strict deadline. However, I had other people’s past experience to rely on and I new I would always try something unique. The most difficult part of the process would be understanding the manual or learning about new terminology, as I was going into this with no experience. Luckily I could research other terms online and that helped to relate what I learned online to the manual.
I got feedback from the instructor later and she said it was very helpful in teaching other students to use the device. It is easy to have a video that can just share using a URL than having to print out an entire document.
This experienced help to prepare me for the future as employers are always looking for people with special skills and who are able to figure things out. I am more confident now in tackling any project involving a PCB machine, an I will be happy to help others learn that same skill in the future.