Thomas Kropski wrote: > > What is the smallest reasonable text size for silkscreen text. Text > height, width, and thickness. With design density increasing, we would > still like to have as many ref des possible. From a PCB designer, > what tooling parameters are acceptable for good resolution on the > finished products. The only real limitation to silkcreen is your PCB fabricator. We have successfully used 40 mil high by 6 mil stoke width with the right vendor. Older eyes may require help, but the text is completely readable and clear. Our typical text size is 60 x 10 and 50 x 8. Our software does not control the width. As to the suggestion of eliminating silkscreen altogether by Tom Coyle, that is a tempting but limited view. Every company will have different products and priorities. Saving $1 per panel could cost $thousands in assembly and rework errors. If your engineers get everything right every time, and you use pick and place machines for assembly with every single part, including through-hole parts on both sides of the PCB, and do not add discrete wiring at a later assembly, who needs silscreen? :) David *************************************************************************** * TechNet mail list is provided as a service by IPC using SmartList v3.05 * *************************************************************************** * To subscribe/unsubscribe send a message <to: [log in to unmask]> * * with <subject: subscribe/unsubscribe> and no text in the body. * *************************************************************************** * If you are having a problem with the IPC TechNet forum please contact * * Dmitriy Sklyar at 847-509-9700 ext. 311 or email at [log in to unmask] * ***************************************************************************