Electronic – Correcting printed PCB (add a via)

pcbpcb-assemblypcb-fabricationpcb-layersvia

This board is a prototype for the project and is for testing. It is missing the soldermask and silkscreen layers, so correcting mistakes is very possible. The board was printed correctly, but somehow I missed one via (grr) from the top layer of copper to the bottom, and the software I used (ExpressPCB) of course doesn't have any checks for things like this.

I would like to know how to add my own via. There is no ground plane on this board because I used the bottom layer for traces to lower the size of the board. It is a basic 2 layer "prototype PCB".

Below you can find a picture of the portion of the board front and back with the trace ends circled. They are lined up directly over/under each other. I need to connect those two.

Top
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Bottom

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The two solutions I'd imagine would work:

  1. Use a tiny drill bit or mill and drill a hole through, and make sure solder is filling the whole and touching both traces
  2. Just solder a wire to the top trace, wrap it around, and solder it to the bottom trace.

Best Answer

I suggest you combine the two methods. Drill a hole near the traces and thread a thin bare wire through the board, lay it along the exposed traces by a few mm and solder it on both sides.

If you don't have such a wire handy, just strip a piece of stranded wire and use one of the strands

Nobody will notice unless they look very carefully, and it will be reliable.