Making Complex Cutouts/Outlines

On 07/18/2010 03:28 PM, C H wrote:

I've never had a board made with anything other then round holes and the

finished pcb rectangular in shape.  I'm wondering how the board fab prefers

different shapes to be represented in the gerber.  Should a cutout such as

an elongated hole be drawn as a filled polygon?  I assume board outlines

should just be drawn as zero-width lines in the correct shape (same way I

draw rectangular board outlines).  Do board fabs generally charge more for a

specially shaped board even if it is just a rectangle with rounded corners?

Should both the cutouts and the outline be put into one gerber file?  How do

I indicate if the interior cutout should be plated through?

>

Thanks!

>

>

It is best to check with your board house. I have never done anything

but rectangular board but monitor the groups.

Outlines and slots go in the milling layer. Holes above a size are

milled not drilled and Eagle seems to takes care of that.

The DRC will keep plating away from the edger of board and holes on the

milling layer so it may making a new layer for the plated cutouts

milling. Then output it with notes to the board house that these are

plated. Also expect a cost increase for slots and special handing.

Paul R.

C H wrote on Sun, 18 July 2010 15:28

I'm wondering how the board fab prefers

different shapes to be represented in the gerber.

Think about the process.  Boards are drilled early, then milled at the end.

The board house will derive the router paths from the outline gerber file.

Keep in mind that the router bit has some finite diameter.  If you're not

sure, ask the board house what diameter bit they like to use.  They may

charge more if a smaller one is required.

They may also charge more if you want thru plating on your non-circular

cutouts, as this requires a milling step before plating when they normally

wouldn't do one.  It may cost extra because of that.

Quote:

Do board fabs generally charge more for a

specially shaped board even if it is just a rectangle with rounded

corners?

Should both the cutouts and the outline be put into one gerber file?

How do

I indicate if the interior cutout should be plated through?

Obviously the right people to ask are your board house.

--

Web access to CadSoft support forums at www.eaglecentral.ca.  Where the CadSoft EAGLE community meets.

Thanks for the notes.

I'm waiting for a reply from my boardhouse, but also want to get a feel for

industry standards so my files stay universal.

When the board outline is cut, is this always done with a milling bit?  If

so, then it seems rounded board outlines and interior cutouts (non-plated)

should be an easy add and all stay in the same layer.  Plated cutouts

proably ought to have their own file.

Just out of pure curiousity, how long do these bits last?  I used to do a

lot of amature diy board fab and fiberglass can really do a number on steel.

The thought of routing fiberglass makes me cringe.

"Olin Lathrop" <eagle@embedinc.com> wrote in message

news:i1vtb0$nq4$1@cheetah.cadsoft.de...

>C H wrote on Sun, 18 July 2010 15:28

>> I'm wondering how the board fab prefers different shapes to be

>> represented in the gerber.

>

Think about the process.  Boards are drilled early, then milled at the

end.

The board house will derive the router paths from the outline gerber file.

Keep in mind that the router bit has some finite diameter.  If you're not

sure, ask the board house what diameter bit they like to use.  They may

charge more if a smaller one is required.

>

They may also charge more if you want thru plating on your non-circular

cutouts, as this requires a milling step before plating when they normally

wouldn't do one.  It may cost extra because of that.

>

Quote:

>> Do board fabs generally charge more for a specially shaped board even if

>> it is just a rectangle with rounded

>> corners? Should both the cutouts and the outline be put into one gerber

>> file? How do I indicate if the interior cutout should be plated through?

>

Obviously the right people to ask are your board house.

>

--

Web access to CadSoft support forums at www.eaglecentral.ca.  Where the

CadSoft EAGLE community meets.

"C H" <chris@hansenhobbies.com> wrote in message

news:i1vvo5$3t4$1@cheetah.cadsoft.de...

Thanks for the notes.

>

I'm waiting for a reply from my boardhouse, but also want to get a feel

for

industry standards so my files stay universal.

>

When the board outline is cut, is this always done with a milling bit?  If

so, then it seems rounded board outlines and interior cutouts (non-plated)

should be an easy add and all stay in the same layer.  Plated cutouts

proably ought to have their own file.

>

Just out of pure curiousity, how long do these bits last?  I used to do a

lot of amature diy board fab and fiberglass can really do a number on

steel.

The thought of routing fiberglass makes me cringe.

>

>

>

"Olin Lathrop" <eagle@embedinc.com> wrote in message

news:i1vtb0$nq4$1@cheetah.cadsoft.de...

>>C H wrote on Sun, 18 July 2010 15:28

>>> I'm wondering how the board fab prefers different shapes to be

>>> represented in the gerber.

>>

>> Think about the process.  Boards are drilled early, then milled at the

>> end.

>> The board house will derive the router paths from the outline gerber

>> file.

>> Keep in mind that the router bit has some finite diameter.  If you're not

>> sure, ask the board house what diameter bit they like to use.  They may

>> charge more if a smaller one is required.

>>

>> They may also charge more if you want thru plating on your non-circular

>> cutouts, as this requires a milling step before plating when they

>> normally

>> wouldn't do one.  It may cost extra because of that.

>>

>> Quote:

>>> Do board fabs generally charge more for a specially shaped board even if

>>> it is just a rectangle with rounded

>>> corners? Should both the cutouts and the outline be put into one gerber

>>> file? How do I indicate if the interior cutout should be plated through?

>>

>> Obviously the right people to ask are your board house.

>>

>> --

>> Web access to CadSoft support forums at www.eaglecentral.ca.  Where the

>> CadSoft EAGLE community meets.

>

>

Hi all,

Just out of pure curiousity, how long do these bits last?  I used to do a

lot of amature diy board fab and fiberglass can really do a number on

steel.

The thought of routing fiberglass makes me cringe.

It all depends on the thickness of the material, the size of the bit, the

material type, etc.  Using an .093" bit, the bit would last about a half

hour on a silver .062", and about an hour on a tin lead, same thickness.

The type of routing is also a consideration; palletized routing will be much

harder on the bits than simple routing of large shapes.

Terri

When making complex cutouts that are plated how do you specify this in Eagle so that you can connect a trace to it? For example, I have a rectangular cutout that needs to be plated.

Thanks,

Eric

Am 22.09.2011 18:07, schrieb Eric Sanderson:

When making complex cutouts that are plated how do you specify this in Eagle so that you can connect a trace to it? For example, I have a rectangular cutout that needs to be plated.

 

A milling contour drawn in layer 46, Milling, is considered as plated,

in layer 20, Dimension, as non-plated.

--

Mit freundlichen Gruessen / Best regards

Richard Hammerl

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