-Make Your Real Circuit-

In last week's classes, on Tuesday, Mr. Ridzuan gave a lesson on how to make the real circuit using the design we have made for Multisim and Ultiboard. Definitely, it was something new to us because we only have dealt with the components in computer, not the real one that we use to connect the components by ourselves. Means that, the next lesson will become tougher and harder than before.


In the beginning, Mr. Ridzuan introduced us to the PCB double layer board. Also, he showed us the artwork (he made before the class), that will be used in creating the copper tracks on the board. He also showed us the manual of the full process to make the circuit in the slide. The slide contained many videos of the manual process and made us understand deeply.

Then, Mr. Ridzuan started to cut the big size of PCB into smaller part to match with the artwork.
He placed the circuit into the UV light box to create a copper track on the board that was exactly the same with the artwork. This process only took 90 seconds (1 minute and half). Most importantly, the process must be done in a switched-off-light or in low light place. As Mr. Ridzuan said, the copper on the board will react with the light because all lights have UV rays. In result, the copper tracks cannot be created as the same with the artwork, because the board have been used to react with the UV.


After the process, Mr. Ridzuan dipped the board into the sodium solution. This process also known as 'Developing'. In this process, the board is dipped into the sodium until the green on the board disappear but at the same time, the board must be watched carefully, so that the copper tracks will not disappear together with the green layer on the board. The board was removed then from the solution.

                                           After developing....

After the board was removed from the basin that contained the sodium, Mr. Ridzuan washed it with tap water and place the board into a machine contain strong acid named Ferric Chloride acid. But other acids like, Ammonium Persulfate or Hydrochloric acid also can be used. This process also called as 'Etching'. This was a long process because it took times to removed all the copper layer on the board completely. The copper layer will effect the circuit made on the board if they were not removed completely. Sand paper was used after the process to removed the green layer that sticked with the copper tracks. Once done, the board will look like this..

                                        

Next process is 'Drilling'. Mr. Redzuan drilled a few holes on the board. The number of holes actually depends on how many TH components used in a project. By using special 'Penebuk', the drilling process became easier and faster. After Drilling, Mr. Ridzuan place the components in their specific places on the board. The places of the components actually the same like the design we made in the Ultiboard.

Once every components were on the right positions, it was the time for Soldering. Soldering was not too hard to deal with because we only just have to make sure the copper placed on the copper tracks and not connected to other tracks.

For the next class in the same week, we continued the lesson learned in the Tuesday's class. We did the same things like before, UV Lighting, Developing, Etching, Drilling, and Soldering , but we did all the processes by our own. Mr. Ridzuan firstly gave us some components that will be used in the mini project. Not to forget, also he gave us two boards for single sided board and double sided board.


All procedures and processes worked smoothly during the class. There were not too many problems happened. Alhamdulillah. Nevertheless, we must pay full of attention when doing the process, to make sure the circuit can be done in the time given, and most importantly, is to make sure nothing bad happen when dealing with the acid, driller, and solder.

At the end of the class, we cleaned all the things that we used together. Mr. Ridzuan said that we have to keep the cleanliness in the workshop so that we can use the place again. Otherwise, the keeper of the key to open the workshop wont give any permission to us to use the place. Hopefully, the 'Pekerja Indon' can complete the MJIIT buildings as soon as possible. Go 'Mat Indon' go.


I think that's all from me..Thanks for reading.