Last week we etched circuit boards in Circuit Design class. We had the choice of etching with acid or vinegar. My partner, Danara, chose acid while I tried with vinegar. Here’s what happened. The star design is Danara’s.

 

Vinegar took a lot longer. Because we had a couple of boards using the same container of vinegar, the residue from one board would float onto another board. Danara had her own container of acid, which did a super clean job. I may try again with vinegar, one day. For now, I’ll do over with acid.

 

For Circuit Design and Prototype, everything we make will be tiny. These components and designs are what we usually don’t see when things are working well. We only get a glimpse of them when we get a device repaired. Our first assignment was to appreciate the beauty of these tiny parts that makes much of the world around us function.

I have a few Shanzhai iPhones laying around from my research in Shenzhen. Below are photos and videos of the parts seen under the microscope.