127 lines
4.5 KiB
Markdown
127 lines
4.5 KiB
Markdown
TODO: Add table of content
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# MSLA PCB Exposure: KiCad → Photon Mono 4
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Using an MSLA (Masked Stereolithography Apparatus) resin printer for creating PCBs is a technique known as "Direct UV Exposure." Instead of printing a plastic part, you use the printer's LCD screen as a dynamic digital mask to cure photosensitive materials (etch resist, solder resist and silkscreen) on a copper board.
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KiCad PCB layers need to be converted to `.pm4n` files for direct UV exposure on an **Anycubic Photon Mono 4** (9024×5120 px, 17 µm/px, 1494.12 DPI) on the screen size of 153.408 x 87.040 mm.
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---
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## Setup
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### 1. KiCad: Set your design grid
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In KiCad's PCB editor, go to `Preferences → Preferences → PCB Editor → Grids` and add a custom grid of 0.017 mm. This ensures trace edges land on pixel boundaries and avoids the sub-pixel rounding that causes the ±1px size error people see with arbitrary grids.
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### 2. Create the `Dummy.pm4n` file
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Open **CHITUBOX Basic** slicer (or any other slicer that works for your resin printer), select printer **Anycubic Photon Mono 4**, slice any tiny STL (e.g.: 1×1×0.05 mm box), and save as `Dummy.pm4n` in the same directory as `export.sh`.
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This file is reused for every job — it carries the correct LCD resolution metadata.
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### 3. Install dependencies
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```bash
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python3 -m venv .venv
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source .venv/bin/activate
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pip install pygerber Pillow numpy
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```
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Or activate the `venv` once and put `source .venv/bin/activate` in your shell profile.
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### 4. Export multiple layers (e.g. copper + soldermask + silkscreen)
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```bash
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./export.sh \
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--layers Front,Back,F.Mask,B.Mask,F.SilkS,B.SilkS \
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--invert Front,Back,F.Mask,B.Mask,F.SilkS,B.SilkS \
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--mirror Front,F.Mask,F.SilkS \
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--exposure 60 \
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../kicad2panel/panel/Flow_Controller_Panel.kicad_pcb
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```
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It should output:
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```bash
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Plotted to './output/gerbers/Flow_Controller_Panel-Front.gbr'.
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Plotted to './output/gerbers/Flow_Controller_Panel-Back.gbr'.
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Plotted to './output/gerbers/Flow_Controller_Panel-F_Silkscreen.gbr'.
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Plotted to './output/gerbers/Flow_Controller_Panel-B_Silkscreen.gbr'.
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Plotted to './output/gerbers/Flow_Controller_Panel-F_Mask.gbr'.
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Plotted to './output/gerbers/Flow_Controller_Panel-B_Mask.gbr'.
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output/pm4n/Flow_Controller_Panel-Front.pm4n
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output/pm4n/Flow_Controller_Panel-Front.preview.png
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output/pm4n/Flow_Controller_Panel-Back.pm4n
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output/pm4n/Flow_Controller_Panel-Back.preview.png
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output/pm4n/Flow_Controller_Panel-F_Mask.pm4n
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output/pm4n/Flow_Controller_Panel-F_Mask.preview.png
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output/pm4n/Flow_Controller_Panel-B_Mask.pm4n
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output/pm4n/Flow_Controller_Panel-B_Mask.preview.png
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output/pm4n/Flow_Controller_Panel-F_Silkscreen.pm4n
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output/pm4n/Flow_Controller_Panel-F_Silkscreen.preview.png
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output/pm4n/Flow_Controller_Panel-B_Silkscreen.pm4n
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output/pm4n/Flow_Controller_Panel-B_Silkscreen.preview.png
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```
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#### 4.1. Check the layer preview
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Check the `output/pm4n/Flow_Controller_Panel-*.preview.png` — traces should appear black on white background.
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- background = UV exposed = resist removed = etched away
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- traces = dark = resist kept = copper stays
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#### 4.2. Check the printer exposure
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Open the `.pm4n` in `Chitubox Basic` slicer to visually verify before printing.
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#### 4.3. Adjust exposure
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Start with `--exposure 60` and bracket from there — Bungard presensitized at 405nm typically lands between 30–120s depending on board vintage and storage.
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#### Export single layer (e.g. copper)
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Export the front layer as gerber
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```bash
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kicad-cli pcb export gerbers -o output/gerbers -l F.Cu ../kicad2panel/panel/Flow_Controller_Panel.kicad_pcb
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```
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It should output
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```bash
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Plotted to 'output/gerbers/Flow_Controller_Panel-Front.gtl'.
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```
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Convert the gerber to pm4n and preview
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```bash
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python3 gerber_to_pm4n.py Dummy.pm4n output/gerbers/Flow_Controller_Panel-Front.gtl \
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--invert --mirror --exposure 120
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It should output
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```bash
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output/gerbers/Flow_Controller_Panel-Front.pm4n
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output/gerbers/Flow_Controller_Panel-Front.preview.png
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```
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Open the preview image
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```bash
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xdg-open output/gerbers/Flow_Controller_Panel-Front.preview.png
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```
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Open the `Flow_Controller_Panel-Front.pm4n` in `Chitubox Basic` slicer to visually verify before printing.
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---
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## Troubleshooting
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**`kicad-cli: command not found`** — add KiCad to PATH:
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```bash
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export PATH="/usr/lib/kicad/bin:$PATH"
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```
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Or on Flatpak:
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```bash
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alias kicad-cli='flatpak run --command=kicad-cli org.kicad.KiCad'
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```
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**Expected Gerber not found** — KiCad's layer→filename mapping:
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| Layer | Filename stem |
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|---|---|
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| `F.Cu` | `Front` |
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| `B.Cu` | `Back` |
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| `F.Mask` | `F_Mask` |
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| `B.Mask` | `B_Mask` |
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| `F.SilkS` | `F_Silkscreen` |
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---
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