Ask HN: Most effective non-destructive way to reverse-engineer a PCB at home?

5 points

4 years ago

Hello!

I am looking for effective non-destructive ways in order to reverse-engineer PCBs at home.

I found or could only think of...

    ...trying to shine through the board with very bright light.
    ...scanning the PCB.
    ...using a self-built, well-isolated X-Ray chamber[1][2], which, if done wrong and without special meters, can cause me cancer.
    ...using ultrasonic waves.
    ...using acoustic microscopy[3].

All other ways, which I have found so far[4] are destructive; the best of them is using sandpaper and sand down each layer. I would like to avoid these.

Are there other effective non-destructive ways, which are applicable at home?

-Keks

[1] https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/Phys_p083/physics/how-to-build-an-x-ray-machine

[2] https://www.hackster.io/news/a-diy-x-ray-machine-yes-a-diy-x-ray-machine-9fd37d49a1fa

[3] Slide 48: https://defcon.org/images/defcon-22/dc-22-presentations/Grand/DEFCON-22-Joe-Grand-Deconstructing-the-Circuit-Board-Sandwich.pdf

[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8FQZIPkgZM

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