HI Mike,
First, thanks for responding to my question because I have been trying
to understand just what is in the files that I send to the board
fabricators because my CAD tools now provide me with new options
concerning them. It appears that my CAD vendor has done everything that
you stated a board fabricator would probably want in a drill file, or
files, and that is why I don't understand why he would still want just
the one file. Just to repeat again, I can generate 3 types of drill files
whereas each one contains an identical 'part program header' that lists
all of the different tools needed for a design and they all use the same
zero datum location. And if there is a plated and non-plated hole that
reflects the same hole size from the design info, then the file will
contain 2 tools, one for the plated and another for the non-plated holes,
so that there doesn't have to be any manual editing of one tool sequence
to separate the plated from the non-plated holes. So I could generate one
file that contains coordinates for only plated holes, another file with
coordinates for only non-plated holes or another file that contains both
plated and non-plated holes, with separate tool selections for each one.
The only problem that I can see with the combined file is that there is
no way of distinguishing the plated tool selection from the non-plated
tool selection. You would then have to refer to a fabrication drawing and
the drill table symbols to figure that out.
I guess that in trying to reduce any possible errors in fabricating a
board today, I would think that having 2 drill files (plated and
non-plated) with the content that I have described above, would be better
than having 1 file and having to refer to a fabrication drawing to figure
out which are the plated and non-plated holes if they were both set to be
the same finished hole size. Thanks again for your feedback.
Bob Walker
[log in to unmask]
----------
From: TechNet
Sent: Friday, September 25, 1998 7:43 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [TN] drill files-plated/non-pl
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
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