Forum

I would like to place a small slot approx 5mm long alongside a square pad on a pcb (using Protel). If the width of the cutter used to rout the pcb is 1mm, is it best to place a track in the same layer as the board profile 0.5mm away from the track?
If this is so, please can you confirm the size of the cutter used to rout the board.
Thanks

: I would like to place a small slot approx 5mm long alongside a square pad on a pcb (using Protel). If the width of the cutter used to rout the pcb is 1mm, is it best to place a track in the same layer as the board profile 0.5mm away from the track?
: If this is so, please can you confirm the size of the cutter used to rout the board.
: Thanks


Hi Alan
We can use either 1.0mm or 2.0mm tools to route the board. Please specify your preference on your order.
What you have described sounds ok. Put any slots in the same layer as you use for the board contour.

Best Regards
Your Pcb-Pool Team

In the same idea, it is possible to place slots before the via metalization process ? (the idea is to metalize the slot)
And what would be the minimum diameter of the tool ?
The goal is to make large castellated holes on the side of a PCB.

Hello,
Yes this is indeed possible. Please go to our home page and look at the section on "Rout Tolerances" on our specification page.
Also if you want to guarantee the edges of your slot will be plated then make sure that you have enough copper around the slot (Same rules apply as Annular ring spec for Plated holes)

Hope this answers you query.
Best Regards
Your Pcb-Pool Team

Hello, in the same idea of metalizing slots, shall we add slots in the "Drills" layer ?

Hello Magnier,

the easy way to tell us there is a metallized slot is to send an add. contourlayer named "plated slots" (Gerber).
It´s difficult to output a plated slot from a drill layer in the Layoutsoftware.
The specification abot the minimum sizes you can find : http://www.pcb-specification.com/uk
- rout tolerance.

Your
Beta LAYOUT Service Team

Sorry if I still do not understand, but it is not totally clear about rules for minimum-width slots.

For cutouts, the outside edge of the cutter appears to follow the center of the contour line.
But, to be clear, what if I want a simple interior minimum-width slot of length of 1mm wide x 10mm long?

For this slot example, is it correct that the center of the 1mm cutter follows the center of the contour line?
If so, should I specify the line path as 1mm wide x 9mm long (which will cut a 10mm long slot), or does your CAM automatically subtract half the diameter on each end of the line, which means I should have specified a 1mm x 10mm long line?

Finally, what if the drawn slot size is smaller than the minimum cutter diameter? zB What would I get if I just defined a rectangular area in the contour layer (using Eagle) of 0.76mm by 10mm? Would it be 1mm x 10mm or something else?

thanks,
Dan

Hi Dan

Everytime the endsizes of contourlines will be the center of the line. That makes sure that boardsize is still the same (Contourtrack 0,1mm or 1mm).
For the cutouts its importand to know that the smallest routing bit (witdh) is 1mm, the smallest length is 2.5mm.
Easy to handle is when you drawing into your layout (e.g. eagle -> dimension) the cutout like the finished board. The area inside will be cutted.

To have a cutout smaller as the minimum routeris not possible in the PCB-POOL, but you can have an offering in our special service "PCB-OVERSEAS". In this case you can us an inquiry with quantity and layout files to sales[at]beta-layout.com then you will get a offer for your boards.

Your PCB-POOL Service Team

Thank you for your reply, but, it is not clear, so I have made 2 example drawings that I hope will make it very clear what I am asking.
Please, if you can, define the rectangle(s) and/or line(s) that would be used to create these two slots.
Example-1 slot is a minimum width slot using your 1mm router bit, and Example-2 slot is a slightly larger slot that is like an area to be routed out.

Hi Dan

We will use the slot as a rectangle. The edges will have the radius from the used routing bit (normally 1mm for innercutouts).
See attached picture.

Ah, es ist jetzt alles klar.

Thank you. Now I can define my slots and sleep well.