Creating Gerbers and Drill File with slotted, plated holes and V-scoring

Eugene Yurk

• September 28, 2020 01:36

I'm at odds figuring out how to do this. This is what is said about ordering on their web site:

Please kindly make sure that the v-cut lines, cut outs, millings and slots are in the same layer with the board outline. If it is not in the same layer with the board outline, it will be missed. So please kindly check it before you place your order.If it is missed due to they are not in the same layer with the board outline, we will not responsible for it.(If the slots are to be plated, it needs to be with the drill holes in the same layer, or it will be missed easily).

I guess the board outline can be added to the mechanical layer where the slots are defined as rectangles of the right size (as per another help article here) and I'm sure I can add notes to that layer like "V-cut line",...

Whats baffling me is the last line about plated slots needing to be with the drill holes in the same layer. First off, drill data is not a layer (confusing already) and I'm not sure how (if it even can) to get DSPCB to put milling data in the drill file. Supposedly Excellon format supports it but...

I've talked to JLCPCB support and that was a waste of time.

So if anyone can help guide me in this regard, it would be greatly appreciated.

This is the first job I'm doing with plated slots (yes there's an oval top/bottom pad over/under each slot just so its said) and also v-scoring.

I've used JLCPCB many times in the past but it was always 1 board per job and no plated slots.

0

• 

  Jayx .

  • September 29, 2020 22:25

  Hi Eugene,

  I've used Elecrow in the past, but the same should apply to JLCPCB. Slots outline should be drawn on the mechanical layer (the same as PCB outline). For plated slots, I've had a pad on both side of the PCB and a normal round drill hole in the centre of the slot, plus the outline. For not plated slots I've had just a slot outline on the mechanical layer. I think Excellon format allows for a slots to be defined, but I don't think it's supported by DSPCB and PCB fabricators usually don't want it. 

  0
• 

  Eugene Yurk

  • September 30, 2020 00:19

  I did talk to JLCPCB tech support and got some information back from them today but they failed to tell me what layer they want the slot milling on.

  What they showed is an oval pad and then a smaller oval pad inside (the milling - its not square on the ends, obviously and it looks like they don't want an outline rectangle).  They didn't show a hole dead center of the oval pad thats the same diameter as the width of the slot as you say. They did state that they require a minimum 0.2mm annular ring around the slot.

  Honestly, I can't see HOW the hole would cause issues.  It just ties things together to further indicate the milled slot is part of a plated pad.

  I actually found what JLCPCB said (other than for the drill hole) on the OHSPark web site showing how to make a plated slot here:
  
  https://docs.oshpark.com/design-tools/eagle/cutouts-and-slots/

  Scroll down to the "Plated slots in Footprints" section.  As I'd said, minus the drill hole, thats the example JLCPCB sent me.

  I did ask JLCPCB for some clarification so we'll see what they say.

  They did want the milling information for the plated slots in the drill file.  Even though excellon supports it now, DSPCB can't generate it from what I've been told by tech support for DSPCB.  Apparently DSPCB Pro can but I don't have a copy of that. But then, not all PCB CAD packages can generate milling data in drill files so JLCPCB has to accept another format. A nice, pointed comment with the job sure wouldn't hurt any and for sure there will be one.

  Obviously this is the first time I've had to do a plated slot.  What surprised me is that even with how popular a fab house JLCPCB is and even seeing some youtube videos from people who've done plated slots with JLCPCB, no one seems to talk about how to do it.

  Thanks.

  0

Please sign in to leave a comment.