There maybe a vendor logo/ mark on the PCB.
Then track down the vendor to see if the vendor still exists.
Who knows. Maybe artwork will pop out of the archive.
dave
Brooks,Bill wrote:
>I have reverse engineered boards too, and the 'layer peal away' method works
>pretty well if you are careful. A vertical end mill or possibly abrasive
>removal might work. John's method sounds like a very good solution.
>
>However you will destroy the original. Sometimes you only have one copy of
>the board and want to preserve it... then what?
>
>It was suggested to me that you could send the board to a local board shop
>and have them generate a net list by probing all the points on the board.
>Having a netlist would help a lot... maybe even if you wanted to recreate a
>schematic to go with the board design...
>
>X-ray might be useful additionally in seeing the internal layer structures
>but seeing the details can be difficult to do thru a lot of layers...
>
>Just a thought... I wonder if heating it to a level that delamination occurs
>would help in stripping off the layers or not... probably would make a mess
>of it though... hard to say, never tried it.
>
>Before going through that though, I would do an exhaustive search for the
>original artwork, in house, and at previous vendors that made the board for
>us to see if I could obtain images of the layers that way.
>
>
>Good luck.
>
>Bill
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: John Burke [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2007 10:33 AM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: [TN] reverse engineering, legit style
>
>Jeff.
>
>I had to do this once and for the record here is how I did (and still would)
>do it.
>
>Take a camera and fix it in a stand looking vertically down at the base. On
>the base you have tooling pins for your board.
>
>Place board on the tooling pins and take a picture.
>
>Remove board and using a standard sectioning equipment remove the solder
>resist down to the copper layer 1 - take another photo. Grind down to copper
>layer 2 - take another photo.
>
>You will end up with all 12 layers, effectively "pin registered" that you
>can scale from the original board size and re-create using a CAD system.
>
>Have fun
>
>
>
>John Burke
>
>(408) 515 4992
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jeff Seeger
>Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2007 9:02 AM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: [TN] reverse engineering, legit style
>
>,
> Hallooo, Technet -
>
> I've been handed an unusual request, to try and duplicate a PWB
> from >10 years ago for a resupply type of contract. The OE has
> officially declined participation and releases to that effect
> have been obtained. Parts have largely been identified and are
> mostly sourced.
>
> My question is, what manner of tool stands a chance of imaging
> internal layers? XRay Laminography? A chance to stay in photo
> methods would sure help keep costs down.
>
> Board is reasonably small, 2x5 or so, and thankfully not jammed
> or superbly advanced for its era. Layer count is at least 6,
> which would seem appropriate for what I see. However there is
> one scary marking of 12L off to one corner.
>
> If by chance a vendor with expertise happens to be in earshot,
> I'd love a call.
>
> Thanks in advance - one more thing to try and sort out before
> vacation next week (ain't that the way)!
>
>
>
--
Dave Seymour, CID+
Catapult Communications Inc.
800 Perimeter Park Dr, Suite A
Morrisville, NC 27560
Direct: (919)653-4249
Main: (919)653-4180
Fax: (919)653-4297
[log in to unmask]
---------------------------------------------------
Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 15.0
To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in
the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet
To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL)
To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest
Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives
Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815
-----------------------------------------------------
|
