A low-cost printed circuit board design technique and processes using ferric chloride solution

Abstract

This paper presents a low-cost printed circuit board (PCB) design technique and processes using ferric chloride (𝑭𝒆𝑪𝒍𝟑) solution on a metal plate for a design topology. The PCB design makes a laboratory prototype easier by reducing the work piece size, eliminating the ambiguous connecting wires and breadboards circuit errors. This is done by manual etching of the designed metal plate via immersion in ferric chloride solutions for a given time interval 0-15mins. With easy steps, it is described on how to make a conventional single-sided printed circuit board with low-cost, time savings and reduced energy from debugging. The simulation and results of the printed circuit is designed and verified in the Multisim software version 14.0 and LeCroy WJ35Aoscilloscope respectively. Keywords: Etching, Ferric Chloride, Insertion, Multisim, Metal Plate, Printed Circuit Board