Steve - Two suggestions. (1) Can you get a hold of the PCB fabricator and have them gut a deeper V-Groove? I don't know what your specs say for the material remaining (web thickness), but you can probably go a lot thinner. (2) Maybe you can try cutting them with a water jet? A laser is also a possibility, but it would cost a lot more than $5K. Just some alternatives . . . Ed Valentine Electronics Manufacturing Solutions 8612 Mourning Dove Road, Raleigh, NC 27615 Phone: (919) 270-5145, Fax: (919) 847-9971 Email: [log in to unmask] Website: http://www.ems-consulting.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Stephen R. Gregory" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Monday, August 28, 2000 9:54 PM Subject: [TN] Depanelizing boards within a "RCH"... > Hi all! > > I got another "opportunity"...we may be getting some boards in here that are > in a 2-up panel, that are polyimide, that have to be depanelized. "So whutz > yer problem Steve?" > > Problem is that there are traces that run .015" from the edge of the > board...nifty huh? > The boards are scored within that dimension, but it was learned that snapping > them out isn't a solution, or is using a machine called a "Maestro" (I can't > remember the company that makes them), or one from "Radoll Designs", that > follow along the score lines to separate the boards. They say that they've > tried these tools and that this results in innerlayer separations because of > the brittle-ness of the polyimide material...I can understand that. > > So they say it needs to be cut with a diamond saw, again, I understand > that...polyimide laminate is some tough stuff to cut. So I went on a search > for diamond saws...got a bunch of hits that have saws to cut ceramic tile, > and lapidary tools to cut jewelry stones and such, but nothing that I've > found that convinces me that I'll be able to set this board up in and be able > to be repeatable within .015"...it seems now I'll have to try and eyeball > everything with something like a rip fence. The systems that I've seen also > all have oil or water cooling systems for the blades that will douch the > boards with liquid from the saws that I don't think is a good idea to do... > > I know, I know...this is asking a lot...such is my life...but is there > anything out there that any of you know of that can do this? For less than > $5K? > > Customer says that they'll be getting away from panelized designs sometime > soon, but not soon enough to not have to build panelized boards for a > while...guess this stuff is why I have a job... > > If I figure out how to do this, I'll let ya'll know...if I'm still sane...and > can type on my keyboard... > > -Steve Gregory- > > ############################################################## > TechNet Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c > ############################################################## > To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in > the body: > To subscribe: SUBSCRIBE TECHNET <your full name> > To unsubscribe: SIGNOFF TECHNET > ############################################################## > Please visit IPC web site (http://www.ipc.org/html/forum.htm) for additional > information. > If you need assistance - contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or > 847-509-9700 ext.5315 > ############################################################## ############################################################## TechNet Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c ############################################################## To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the body: To subscribe: SUBSCRIBE TECHNET <your full name> To unsubscribe: SIGNOFF TECHNET ############################################################## Please visit IPC web site (http://www.ipc.org/html/forum.htm) for additional information. If you need assistance - contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.5315 ##############################################################