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PCB panellization -- request information

Could some electronics guru please shed some light on the following ? Recently, a colleague of mine was discussing the PCB panellization technique, where a large PCB board can consist of a number of smaller boards, and after fabrication, this large board is cut up into a number of smaller boards, each for a slightly different use. What puzzled us was how in this case would the Berber files be organized. I have some familiarity with Gerber files, and it was not clear how the fabrication details for two(for example) separate PCBs be included in the same Gerber file, given that they are PCBs for different purposes. Is it the case that the initial layout is done in way that at the time of Gerber file generation, they come out as layout details for two separate PCBs, but included in the same Gerber file ? Any hints, ideas or relevant pointers to information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Reply to
dakupoto
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Usually you can do it yourself - the pcb software has a "panelization" tool or "step and repeat". The gerbers then show the full panelized artwork (an array of individual circuits). You put the scoring lines on the fab layer (or on another one).

Alternatively the PCB supplier can do it for you. But remember any solder paste stencil has to match so this can complicate things if this is done by someone else, since you won't have the matching gerbers then.

In the special case of multiple designs on the same panel, you can just present this as a single gerber with an array of circuits again with scoring lines shown as before. In principle this should make no difference but most do charge extra in my experience. I guess it is harder for them to QC / test.

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John Devereux
Reply to
John Devereux

Board manufactures typically use 12"x12" or even 24"x24" formats to build the PCB layer by layer. The gerbers or artwork is repeated across the Panel to inprove yield and also for manufacturing/stuffing pruposes.

THe scoring you refer to is called V-scoring and ther is a special "pizza' cutter to cut the boards down to the final shape.

But usually the panel, once it is fabricated, is then stuffed. Either with thru-hole or Pick and place SMT parts. Then wave soldered or run thru an IR oven for SMT. For SMT there are Fiducal marks out side the V-score area that help the pick and place machines line up the smt parts. After stuffing the Edges and with the fiducial marks are cut off at the v-score. Half way down this page is a V-score example

Cheers

Reply to
Martin Riddle

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