The real problem is not having both plated and non plated holes of the
     same diameter in the same file, but to have them in the same tool
     sequence of the file.  The manual editing involved in separating them
     has certainly seen its human factor.  Multiple files have also seen
     their human factor.  Sometimes CAM systems won't give multiple files
     the same zero datum and they could end up not registering correctly to
     one another on the board.

     Mike Mikucki
     Product Engineering
     Hadco


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: [TN] drill files-plated/non-plated holes
Author:  Bob Walker <[log in to unmask]> at SMTPLink-Hadco
Date:    9/24/98 4:45 PM


Hi All,

 I'm trying to better understand the process of drilling holes in a PCB
and the files that are used by the board fabricators to do this. I am a
PCB designer and presently send gerber files (fabrication gerber
included) and a drill file (excellon format) to my board house for boards
to be made. The fabrication drawing contains a drill table with symbols
that represent each hole size and whether or not it is a plated or
non-plated hole. I never allowed a plated and non-plated hole to be the
same size in any of my designs because my CAD tools couldn't recognize
that a plated and non-plated hole could be the same size and thus
couldn't generate 2 different symbols for each. Well now my CAD vendor
has provided me with the ability of tagging my padstacks as either a
plated or non-plated hole so that I can generate a different drill symbol
for my fab drawings. And I can also generate different drill files that
can either include all hole styles, only plated holes or only non-plated
holes which I thought would help my board fabricator out by not having to
separate out the plated from the non-plated hole coordinates in the drill
file. But when I called him to see if he could make better use of 2 drill
files (plated and non-plated), he said he only wants the 1 file that
contains both the plated and non-plated hole locations. Wouldn't it be
better to have the 2 files? What don't I know? I would greatly appreciate
all feedback from any designers or board fabricators.

Regards,

Bob Walker
[log in to unmask]

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