Double Sided PCB Workflow

Creating a reliable double sided PCB on the Voltera V-One always follows the same pattern: drill, print the top side, print the bottom side, connect the layers, then assemble. This page gives you the high-level workflow so you know what to expect from start to finish.

This is a general overview for any double sided board made with the V-One drill attachment.

Before you start

Make sure you have:

• The V-One Drill Attachment installed and powered, with a sacrificial FR1 layer mounted on the bed.

• A double sided PCB design with correctly exported Gerber and drill files.

• An FR1 substrate clamped securely so it cannot shift between drilling and printing.

• Appropriate drill bits and rivets for connecting vias and through-hole pads.

Once you’re set up, follow the workflow below.

1

Drill the holes

Start by mounting a blank FR1 board on top of the sacrificial layer and clamping it down securely.

In this step you will:

• Drill small holes for riveted vias.

• Drill larger holes for through-hole component vias.

Check out the section on Working with Rivets for additional insights on designing your PCB for effective rivet use.

The drilled holes serve two critical purposes:

• They form your electrical connections between top and bottom layers.

• They act as reference features that you’ll later use to align the bottom layer to the top.

Once you've completed all of your drilling clean up the dust and debris to ensure a clean working area and surface.

2

Print the top layer

With drilling complete, you can print the top side of your circuit, just like you would for a single sided board, but now your substrate already has drill holes.

• Align your design using the drilled holes as the alignment reference points.

• Print the top layer

• Inspect the print for shorts or gaps before curing.

• Unclamp your board and remove the sacrificial layer. Place your board directly on the heated bed for curing.

Let the top layer fully bake and cool before you flip the board.

3

Print the bottom layer

Once the top side is cured, flip the board to expose the bottom side. Now you will align and print the bottom layer so that it matches the drilled holes.

• Flip the board and clamp it to the print bed.

• Use two drilled holes as references for alignment.

• Run an aligned print of the bottom layer so that pads and vias line up with the existing holes. Accurate alignment here is essential for a fully functional board.

• Bake your board on the heated bed to cure the bottom layer.

4

Add rivets

With both sides printed and cured, you can now connect the top and bottom layers using rivets.

• Insert rivets into via and through-hole locations that need electrical connection.

• Use the appropriate rivet tool to press the rivets so they make solid contact with both sides.

When done correctly, rivets provide low-resistance connections and add mechanical strength to the board.

5

Dispense solder paste

It's now time to dispense solder paste onto our board for final assembly.

Only one side of your board can have solder paste dispensed on it and reflowed.

• Navigate to the SOLDER workflow and apply solder paste to all SMD pads on the top side of the board.

6

Assembly and reflow

Finally, populate and solder all components to complete your double sided PCB.

• Place surface mount components on the pasted pads.

• Reflow the board according to your recommended reflow profile.

• Hand-solder through-hole components and any SMD parts on the backside of the board that could not be pasted and reflowed.

After reflow and hand soldering, visually inspect both sides for bridges, cold joints, or incomplete connections.

You now have the full end-to-end picture of how a double sided PCB is made on the V-One. Use this workflow as a mental checklist any time you plan a new double sided design.

Want to see every step in action? Complete the Punk Console Project for a full walk through of a 2 layer PCB.