Beginner wanting to learn PCB Milling
Hi all,
I'm wanting to make a few PCBs for some small projects laying around, but have never really done this before. Can someone point me in the right direction for some good tutorials/background info? I believe my machine would be well suited for this (30K spindle, ballscrews, etc...). I think I'll start out with a single sided board for simplicity.
Right now, my basic understanding of the process is:
- Buy board with copper plated side.
- Layout desired circuit in CAD program/Make toolpaths.
- Cut away everything that you don't want connected, leaving only the desired traces.
My questions are:
1. What type of material is best for milling circuits from?
2. Where to get above material?
3. What size bits/mills to use? I'm assuming carbide is a must for this application.
4. Are there any good CAD/CAM programs that make this really easy?
5. What types of feeds/speeds to use?
6. How deep do you normally cut? Just enough to break the copper surface, or deeper into your substrate?
As you can see, I've got quite a bit to learn. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
My name is Electric Nachos. Sorry to impose, but I am the ocean.
http://www.bryanpryor.com
(Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)