Doing my first panelized board and using either pcbway or jlc. There are 2 small boards with different designs. Going to have them panelize but not sure on how to do the art. Right now they are simply surrounded by a white outlines noting each boards size (fortunately they are both the same height).
So what do you do? Merge them together and they will know the outline will designate where the Vcuts go? Leave a space between?
Something so simple and their pages of "help" doesn't make this clear. When you order the board do you combine the area of both? (which is confusing as they may take it as a single board). I'm sure one of you has used them before and can offer help. --thanks
hell with it. I think it's going to be easier to do just 1 design per panel and choose to have them panelize. I was trying to do 2 or 3 different designs per panel -- a pain.
That can be gotten around by tying all the power and grounds together. It doesn't need to be a continuous sheet copper pour, but just a trace connecting them should make it a single design. I've never tried it, but it should get past any automated checking. I kinda doubt people look at it very hard if the machine doesn't flag it.
My art has a simple rectangle around it for the outline layer. Does that serve as the instruction for the Vcuts? My software (Sprint layout) doesn't have a "panelize" option. So do I just merge all the lines together? I guess also, as I want to have some assembly done, that I will have to rename the components on the copies? for example, I have R1 and R2 on the main board, so I would have to rename on the copies R4 R5 etc etc. -- thanks
I don't know. I've always let the contract manufacturer take care of that. They are the ones who will be building it. I know they don't renumber anything on my boards. I'm sure the equipment doesn't need that. They and the machine understand how to assemble one board and can repeat that procedure with the appropriate offset.
The tying grounds thing is if you want bare boards. Why do you want to panelize them yourself anyway? If it is cost, is the cost really that much more to have two boards made than one combined board?
You could -- but that's probably not the best option.
Show them what you want *one* board to look like and let them tell you how many they can fit on a "sheet" (keeping in mind that a sheet is not just defined by the PCB material but, also, by the tools that they have available FOR YOUR JOB.
Depending on quantity, they might also squeeze N copies of your board onto someone else's run. The more flexible you are, the more latitude they have and the better pricing you'll likely get.
Not sure I understand your question... if you are asking whether you should merge the edge of the silk screen from "board 1" into the adjoining edge of board #2... No. If you want the outline to be visible in the final product, you have to allow space for a cut between them. The vendor will know how narrow that cut can/should be.
Design *a* board (or, two different boards, in your case). Let the vendor worry about how to panelize.
When the boards go for assembly, they will have been *cut* into your single-board size/shape. So, the identifiers on each *instance* (copy) of that board will be the same; R23 will always be in the same place on each board.
Don't be afraid to ask the vendor for clarification. They may figuratively roll their eyes but they want you to end up with a successful board -- else you're not likely to use them for more boards in the future!
[I.e., if you don't understand something they are saying, ask for clarification. It's perfectly acceptable to not have all the answers! :> ]
You can also ask if they have any suggestions for you that might make your board more manufacturable -- trace widths, pad widths, vias, component spacing (for pick-n-place), etc. Most people are happy to share their knowledge/experience with you -- esp if it translates into business for them!
often the cuts have to be on a separate layer. outline around the whole thing... probably.. I've never ordered any myself. their website is too broken...(or browser too old)
On Eagle, the sequence with 1 finished board showing: with the "group" command put a polygon around the board. with the "cut" command mark the center at 0,0. with the "paste" command place as many copies of the original board as desired with the original. Eagle's group & cut & paste commands are pretty much generic creatures and should be found on other board editors. In fact, you have probably seen those command with text editors.
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