Please help me with a kicad project. - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: silviasol
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2015, 09:14:21 am
content: I am new to kicad but have figured out the basics which is all I need for my simple projects. I made and ordered my first board from osh park. It worked for what I needed but would be better if it was a thinner board, this board is about 1mm thick and I need about .5mm. Is there a different manufacturer that has thinner boards? Or is there a setting in kicad for board thickness? Second, is it possible to make drill holes in the board so I can snap off parts of the board? Any help would be great

author: piranha32
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 28, 2015, 09:28:05 am
content: Quote from: silviasol on July 28, 2015, 09:14:21 amSeeed offers 0.6mm and 0.4mm board materials, but 0.4mm board is much more expensive. Itead also has such options, but both will add $100 to the bill. For prototypes you select board thickness during placing the order. You don't have specify it on your project files.For drill lines you will have to find manufacturer which allows for panelizing using them. Most cheap board houses do not allow for panelization, although I've just noticed that Seeed added allowed to request V-grooving with their Fusion service (until now it was possible only for more expensive Fusion Premium).

author: charlespax
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2015, 08:02:48 pm
content: I always useDirtyPCBs. They're the cheapest and fastest board house around. Flat pricing of ten boards up to 5x5 cm for $14 USD or up to 10x10 cm for $25. You can go larger too and they calculate the cost. They offer 1.6, 1.2, 1.0, 0.8, and 0.6 mm thickness at no extra cost.

author: silviasol
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2015, 02:09:08 am
content: Quote from: charlespax on July 28, 2015, 08:02:48 pmNice, good price. Do they offer drill holes so I can snap off parts of the board? I want to make it like the picture below. This board is actually cut so only a few fiberglass layers are left allowing it to snap off. Is there any setting in kicad for that?

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2015, 02:39:41 am
content: Quote from: silviasol on July 29, 2015, 02:09:08 amNo EDA package supports that directly; unfortunately there's nothing in the Gerber spec for something like that. Those are done by placing lines on the mechanical layer to indicate where you want the scoring, and labelling them to indicate that. It's generally something you only do when you have a whole panel made, and will generally require some communication with the fab to make sure that your labelling isn't missed.

author: charlespax
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2015, 03:21:38 am
content: Quote from: silviasol on July 29, 2015, 02:09:08 amA bunch of holes shouldn't be a problem. You can combine that will milling slots. Just place lines on the milling layer.On the DirtyPCBs site they state about panelizing, "Yes, you may panelize 2 layer boards! It's amazing, we know. However, the 4 layer board house isn't so dirty and WILL NOT accept panelized designs."On V-grooves "Nope. We don't do it. Why not? The board house said fine, free, no problem - then never did it. Eventually they told us it was an extra fee. Sorry, no more v-groove." Eagle has a Vscore layer for this (see attached), not sure about KiCAD..

author: piranha32
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 29, 2015, 03:34:02 am
content: Quote from: charlespax on July 29, 2015, 03:21:38 amThere is no general rule AFAIK. Each manufacturer may have different rules. If you don't use them, they will not do panelization. Seeed wants C-vut lines on outline layer (GKO/GML in gerbers), or on layers 46/50 in Eagle (board spec page for Seeed's Fusion:http://support.seeedstudio.com/knowledgebase/articles/447362-fusion-pcb-specification). Other board houses may have different requirements. You should contact the manufacturer and ask them for for specification, or check specification page.

author: silviasol
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2015, 05:44:55 am
content: Quote from: piranha32 on July 29, 2015, 03:34:02 amV-cut or V-groove looks like what I need. On their fusion specifications page you linked it says "The minimum board dimension of V-CUT 80mm*80mm". Does that mean each section with v-cuts can be no smaller then 80mm x 80mm. Each piece in my design is 6mm by 10mm. Maybe there is no way to make it so small?

author: piranha32
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 01, 2015, 06:03:54 am
content: Quote from: silviasol on August 01, 2015, 05:44:55 amI have no idea. Last time I used Seeed's service they did not offer panelization yet. According to the response I found on Seeed's technical forum it's the size of the entire panel:http://www.seeedstudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=5911,however they have a limit of max 5 boards per panel, and with such small boards it makes no sense to use them. Try to ask on the forum if they can help you, or find another manufacturer.Another option would be to panelize the design using markings on the silkscreen and cut the board yourself using table saw, or guillotine.

author: silviasol
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2015, 07:02:43 am
content: Quote from: piranha32 on August 01, 2015, 06:03:54 amI cut them myself with an osh park board I made. They are so small it makes it really tough. I guess that will be the only option.

author: piranha32
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 01, 2015, 07:18:30 am
content: Quote from: silviasol on August 01, 2015, 07:02:43 amFor such small boards I think that it will be most convenient to cut them using a small circular saw. I have Proxxon FKS/E and I love it. If you need the saw only for cutting board, Proxxon KS should be sufficient, just don't forget to get a diamond blade. HSS blades, or even with carbide tips will quickly get dull on on glass PCB (Proxxon also recommends tungsten blade, but toothed blade may be too rough on such small pieces). If you would like to use the saw also for other projects, Proxxon FET is more expensive, but will let you work on bigger pieces of material.

author: fcb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2015, 08:17:59 am
content: I also use and recommend DirtyPCBs, but they don't do scoring.

author: silviasol
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 04, 2015, 02:45:12 am
content: Hackvana got me what I needed! .8mm and v-cut for every piece! Awesome guys over there, check them out!

author: piranha32
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 04, 2015, 03:21:31 am
content: Quote from: silviasol on August 04, 2015, 02:45:12 amThanks. Added to bookmarks.

author: silviasol
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2015, 05:44:53 pm
content: Turns out like all other pcb houses I could not get v-cuts on such small parts, he tried a bunch of places but the only one that would do it wanted an extra large fee. I just ordered it without c-cuts and .8mm. Works great just snipping the pieces off with my wire snips and was really inexpensive.