My previous PCB work had included floppy disk earrings and a pendant. These were nostalgic and practical, as they could be represented by three colors and fashionably nostalgic (many folks like vintage computing). Affordability is also a factor as PCB costs are by the square inch and board houses usually make a minimum number per order, usually 3 to 5.

I decided to make another earring and pendant set for this guide. Thinking color, I chose the bright colors and black borders of Mondrian design. A good proof of concept which will not break the bank.

Deciding on Your Own Design

With the choice of colors, it opens the design possibilities. The constraint is still that designs will be printed on an inflexible 1.6mm substrate with white silkscreen (think of white as the canvas layer). The board specification choices are more limited than with full range PCB services at present.

Size

Think of the design you want and the functionality of the object produced. Do you want some drink coasters with a logo on them? Perhaps a pendant of a favorite pet?

Choose the picture to use and think of the size of the creation, keeping in mind that the larger it is, the more expensive it will be when you order.

Resolution

Like all printing endeavors, the resolution of the image you plan to use can make the final product look better. The JLCPCB PCB printer is 1200 dots per inch (472.4 dots per cm), 6 color. Having an image with a high number of pixels per inch/cm is recommended.

Colors

Looking at the PCBs on the Overview page and above, representing a range of colors appears easy to do. The image I chose has simple primary colors, only because I decided on that design.

You are free to use as many colors as you wish, noting that inkjet style printers may have limits, and subtle color changes may be made in manufacturing. Picking colors that do not need exact matching (like not using specific Pantone colors) is recommended.