this method is the best set of trade offs esp good pointer is the SAVE-AS
Dennis Saputelli Ian Wilson wrote: > > On 12:07 AM 3/09/2003, Tim Fifield said: > >When making a panel is it best to do it in Protel or a gerber tool such as > >Camtastic? > > > >Tim Fifield > > My preferred solution for production boards is to lay up the full panel on > the board outline layer, including breakoff strips (or v-groove) > information. This panel includes outlines for all the individual boards as > well as any production boarders, tooling holes and break-off holes > (unplated 0.75mm holes in my case and the only 0.75mm holes in the > design). I include dimensions showing the step and repeat. > > Then I lay up the design just in one individual board. So I have the full > production panel, but just the one board layed up. I then get the PCB > maker to do the step and repeat. > > This gives me control over the production panel, while still allowing me a > fully editable, synchronisable final design file. I do not have to muck > about with separate PCB files for the editable form and the final > production form (a problem maintaining consistency). The PCB makers I have > used to date have been very happy with this. > > Prototype or mixed boards are a different issue - with mixed board panels > watch out for inconsistent design rules if you are panelising in Protel - > especially anything to do with layer stackups and and planes. Remember > that copying and pasting from one PCB to another does *not* copy the design > rules - best off using Save-As, at least initially, to create a basis for > the panel that includes the appropriate manufacturing design rules from one > of the (hopefully) consistent individual PCB designs. > > Panelising in Protel is a great way to make odd mistakes but can work if > you keep very switched on. There are a number of gotchas, but many of us > do do it. > > Ian -- Dennis Saputelli ========= send only plain text please! - no HTML ========== _______________________________________________________________________ Integrated Controls, Inc. www.integratedcontrolsinc.com 2851 21st Street tel: 415-647-0480 San Francisco, CA 94110 fax: 415-647-3003 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * To post a message: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * * To leave this list visit: * http://www.techservinc.com/protelusers/leave.html * * Contact the list manager: * mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * * Forum Guidelines Rules: * http://www.techservinc.com/protelusers/forumrules.html * * Browse or Search previous postings: * http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *