Summary of DIY Double Sided 60W LED UV Radiation Unit With Vacuum Pump
The author built a compact, high-power UV exposure box for PCB fabrication to replace unreliable toner transfer methods. Using affordable 395nm-405nm LEDs instead of expensive 365nm units, the project features two 5-meter LED strips providing 60W total power. Controlled by an ATmega328P microcontroller, the unit supports single and double-sided exposure with integrated vacuum capabilities.
Parts used in the DIY Double Sided 60W LED UV Radiation Unit:
- ATmega328P microcontroller
- Two "5M Ultraviolet 395nm 3528 SMD LED" rolls
- UV LED panels (120 LEDs per meter)
- Vacuum pump
- CAD files
- Firmware source code
This is a description of how I designed and built my UV exposure box. After experimenting a bit with dry-laminate photo-resist and liquid UV hardened solder mask I decided to stop trying to improve my toner transfer technique and rather build a proper UV radiation unit for making printed circuit boards.
I wanted it to be powerful and compact so I decided to use UV LEDs as the UV source. The preferred wavelength for the LEDs would probably be 365nm, but those LEDs turned out to be hard to find, and very expensive. The 395nm-405nm LEDs on the other hand are very inexpensive. And best of all, can be bough as high-density LED-strip’s on 5-meter rolls. So I bought two “5M Ultraviolet 395nm 3528 SMD LED” rolls that have 120 LEDs per meter for a total of 600 LEDs per roll. From what I could tell from a bit of googling the wavelength should work even though it is not ideal. Initial tests proved that the 395nm LEDs worked very well.
This page (and the unit itself) is still very much work in progress. The CAD files and firmware source code can be found in my github repository.
Features
The UV exposure unit is controlled by an ATmega328P microcontroller and have the following features:
- Single and double sided exposure. Each side radiated by a 594LEDs / 30W UV LED panel (The unit has a total of 1188 LEDs providing 60W of LED light).
For More Details: DIY Double Sided 60W LED UV Radiation Unit With Vacuum Pump
- Why did the author choose 395nm LEDs over 365nm?
365nm LEDs were hard to find and very expensive, whereas 395nm LEDs are inexpensive and available on long rolls. - How many LEDs are included in each roll?
Each 5-meter roll contains 120 LEDs per meter, totaling 600 LEDs per roll. - What is the total wattage provided by the unit?
The unit provides a total of 60W of LED light using 1188 LEDs across two panels. - Which microcontroller controls the UV exposure unit?
The unit is controlled by an ATmega328P microcontroller. - Can the unit perform double-sided exposure?
Yes, the unit features both single and double-sided exposure capabilities. - Where can the CAD files and firmware be found?
The CAD files and firmware source code are located in the author's github repository. - Is the wavelength of 395nm considered ideal?
The article states that while 365nm is preferred, initial tests proved that 395nm LEDs worked very well even if not ideal.
