On Mar 10, 2006, at 11:51 PM, Vasile Surducan wrote:

> last year offer:
> LPKF ProtoMat S62 (with machine hood)                12.500,00
Cheaper than I expected!

> Vacuum Cleaner                                          790,00

Some sort of vacuum cleaner is REQUIRED, unless you feel
like breathing fiberglass dust (which is NOT good for you!)
LPKF isn't above massive overcharging for components you can
get elsewhere, but the vacuum has to be good enough to NOT
throw tiny bits of fiberglass into the air.

> Vacuum Table                                            950,00

I'm not sure what this does.  Mine doesn't have it as an option.

> Set of Accessories for LPKF ProtoMat S62 - 1/8"         780,00
> Brush head, bent with short antistatic brushes           25,00

Hmm.  I'd buy a set of universal cutters (the .2mm size) and get
the rest of my tools elsewhere, I think.  I'm not sure what
the brushes are for.

> Vision system, camera supported positioning system    2.500,00

Can't comment.

> Small Hand Microscope, magnification factor 60          220,00
>
Similar things available elsewhere, much cheaper.
I haven't found a microscope particularly useful, but then I
intentionally design conservative boards.

The usual process for me goes:
Export from Eagle using CAM processor to TOP, BOT, DRL files.
Import into LPKF "layout" software, do isolation, add routed
  border.  Add text directly to milling layer (sometimes.)
Export to LPKF "tool management" software.
Move files to the computer with the LPKF connected.
Run "tool management" sw, position design on a hopefully
  already set up blank board.  Check to make sure that the
  real board blank matches the SW, and no corners of the
  new design are accidentally in the air instead of on the board.
Run milling on bottom.
Flip board and run milling on top (if double-sided.)
Usually I use only the .2mm cutter for all milling, leaving a
  lot of extra copper on the board.  (usually I design the board
  so the extra copper ends up as ground plane.)
Make sure 'drill phase' is set up properly; it'll need to be
  reversed if it's a SS board drilled from the bottom, and NOT
  reversed if it's a DS board drilled from the top.
Drill holes.  Usually .6mm, .8mm, 1mm.  (no automatic tool change
  on my unit.)  Cheat sometimes, using the 1mm drill for those 1.1mm
  holes that don't really need to be that big :-)
Make sure "cutting phase" is set up properly (as for drilling.)
Route outline using 2mm (ok, 3/32inch) router bit.
Remove from lpkf, scrub clean, remove from panel.

Looks like: http://homepage.mac.com/westfw/PhotoAlbum19.html

I can leave-and-come-back during the longer phases.  But it's
a pain if a tool breaks in the middle of a phase...

BillW
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