For members into electronics, being able to fabricate a printed circuit board (PCB) can be very handy. We’ve had the enormous 22” x 22” PCB engraver since we opened; it lives in the plywood enclosure in the Electronics area.
Our IBC 2222 PCB Engraver used a simple method for lowering engraving bits and drill bits into the PCB material. A strong solenoid dramatically “slammed” the bits down. It did work, but it seemed quite brutish, especially with small drill bits that easily break.
We’ve finally taken the plunge and designed a new Z-axis. A small stepper motor now precisely lowers the bits, while a strong spring allows the depth-setting foot to accurately set the engraving depth as before.
Other improvements: The z-axis can be controlled via the gamepad remote. Click on a single icon to convert KiCad PCB files to G-code. There’s a new procedure for fine-tuning the engraving depth. There’s now an SOP for generating PCB files in KiCad. New buttons in the controller drill alignment holes, raise the Z-axis for tool changes, and save/restore the origin. The PCB computer is now on the network and can access the shared temporary storage. A better (wider) alignment plate is installed. Not visible, but we re-wired the insides almost completely.
We’re pleased with the improvements to this tool!
We offer the PCB Engraver checkout class as well as a KiCad schematic capture and PCB layout class.
A shot of the PCB Engraver with the upgraded Z Axis control
Here’s a closeup from a circuit we just engraved