Is there a PCB construction that creates an area of the board that can easily be broken?
In the sketch the dotted section could be easily broken to reduce the size PCB. My design would have each breakout section containing a button(s) that wire back to a single edge connector. Breaking off pieces of the PCB reduces the number of buttons.
I was wonder if such a technique is used and what it might be called when constructing a PCB?
Also, if you don't mind ordering thinner PCBs, then it's possible to cut with some scissors, with no slots or holes necessary. You can just draw on the silkscreen layer, a line to guide the scissors visually : )
This was a 0.8mm board I think, and it costs about the same (or very little extra).
The faint grid dots are 1mm spaced in the screenshot below, to get an idea of the size of the board (it is a 7mm wide strip basically). I added a few tiny holes (yellow) on the silkscreen line, but they were not necessary, but no harm to add them to make it a bit easier.
This was an LED strip board, where I just wanted a couple of different options to snip off a few LEDs. I guess a similar idea to the buttons you mention.
(In case anyone's curious, the scissors are these ones, they are more like snips, with the short cutting blades but with large handles. The blades are finely serrated, I think that is helping provide good board grip during cutting too.
I got them from Workshopshed choosing a fiber-optic toolkit for me, during a secret Santa event, and these scissors were part of the kit. They're really nice.
(In case anyone's curious, the scissors are these ones, they are more like snips, with the short cutting blades but with large handles. The blades are finely serrated, I think that is helping provide good board grip during cutting too.
I got them from Workshopshed choosing a fiber-optic toolkit for me, during a secret Santa event, and these scissors were part of the kit. They're really nice.
