PCB Business Card.

I was playing around with PCB layers and found myself designing a PCB business card. I have never been as eager to get PCB boards as I was this time.

Here are the front and backside of how the PCB looks like

Electronics is clearly the winner of the day

by John Ford

Analysis

Sim card

I placed the sim card pad there for the aesthetic appeal and that it looked cool. I was trying to copy the pad on the Debit or Credit cards. It doesn’t work and if you try it on an ATM or PDQ machine I am not liable.

QR code

Instead of adding my website name on the silkscreen layer, I added a QR code that when scanned can automatically send you to my website. I plan on using, a copper layer in the future, instead of a silkscreen when drawing the QR code.
I also plan on adding a top solder mask layer underneath the copper layer to increase its definition. This can be demonstrated in the email text. I added traces beneath to provide some feel to the PCB.

Printing

Instead of using the top silk layer I will change it to copper and add the top solder mask layer. This will increase the definition and make the text silver similar to the email address. I will also try out different font styles.

Nairobi outline

This is one of my favourite aspects of the card. In future, when conducting revisions I will remove the copper track that passes through.

NFC

This is to add more functionality. If your phone has NFC you can read the chip and it will send you directly to my website. Currently, the NFC is not in all the business cards.

I plan on, using Electro-less Nickel / Immersion Gold (ENIG) surface finish as it offers a flat surface, on the future models, as it is lead-free and RoHS compliant, longer shelf life, and looks better. I will also reduce the copper thickness to around 0.8mm. Since JLCPCB uses a white silkscreen on a black PCB that will remain constant.

I will be attending PyConKE22 on the 6th and 7th of May 2022 and I will share these boards. Hope my friends enjoy having some little piece of Rodney in their lives

I don’t know anything about life, but I know something about Printed Circuit Boards.

Rodney Osodo

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Let’s be friends on Twitter. Happy Coding 😉

Resources

1. SparkFun PCB Basics
2. Mission Critical Youtube Video
3. Anamy Engineering Youtube Video