PCB Exposure using UV light LED box
I came across this interesting project. The guy decided to make UV PCB exposure box made of UV light LED’s. The main reason why he used LED was the power dissipation and compactness. Assuming that one UV tube would take about 6W while one UV LED would take about (20mAx3.2V=64mW). Most of that energy UV tubes dissipate as heat energy.
So he took:
54 x UV LEDs of 400nm (6000 - 7000 mcd) – 100 units in Ebay costed 12€;
18 x 68ohms resistors 1/4W - 0,36 €;
1 connector – 0.50€;
1 electrolytic condenser of 2200uF – 30v;
1 Eurocard Plate 100×160 about 5 € ;

The the plate of LEDs is powered by 12V power supply. LEDs radiation angle is 20º , so they took about 8cm heigh box that light could cover the whole PCB area when distances between LEDs are 18mm.


Download circuit and PCB from original site.
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January 22nd, 2007 at 7:57 pm
Hi,
Were you able to expose the PCB properly? I mean did it do good job?
What about the intensity variation in LEDS? Let me know what results you found?
February 13th, 2007 at 11:11 pm
Nice idea.
However, I miss some practical information that I would consider to be quite important, such as:
- what is the mean wavelength of the UV LEDs used? Is it in the 450-480 nm range, 380-400 nm or anythoing else?
- what is approximately the exposure time?
- is the exposure uniform accross the whole area? With this kind of geometry I would expect that there should be “lighter” spots above the center of each square formed by four adajcent LEDs. (I would expect a more uniform pattern if the LEDs were placed in a hexagonal grid)
Jindra
February 13th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
Sorry, it is 400 nm, written in the article. I think it was a sort of UV blindness - maybe from the photos :)
September 4th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
Please could you tell me where I can obtain a PCB in order to construct the UV LED PCB lightbox project….?
Thank You,
James
September 4th, 2007 at 10:03 pm
Circuit and PCB
September 5th, 2007 at 12:14 am
Thank you for your answer, but I meant a PCB that was already produced or was the intention for constructors to produce their own from the art work ?
Thank you
James
November 8th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
hi
i’m making one with a plastic storage box, the type you see on walls in shops. would it actually work better to put the LEDs hexagonaly?
thanks very much
james waples (13)
November 8th, 2007 at 3:16 pm
I think there is nothing wrong to put LEDS hexagonal or in other shape. Main thing is to keep light uniform as possible for smooth exposure. I don’t if this would give better results as this also depends on distance from PCB to LEDs, exposure time. You should give a try :)
March 4th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Hello,
the links for pcb and circuit are not working from were can i find them?
what box can i use and what are the required dimentions?
Thanks in Advance
March 4th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Links are fixed now. Thanks.