Is it ok to have silkscreen graphics over the board outline? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: tiltit
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2014, 02:35:36 pm
content: Hi everyone,I am just about to order my fist pcb from seeedstudio, mt design is exactly 10X5cm but I have some silkscreen graphics over the board.Does anyone know if seeedstudio can deal with that?Thanks

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2014, 02:47:07 pm
content: From what I've seen, they should be able to handle it, though I've never done that myself. Couldn't you have edited that silkscreen about as fast as you could ask?

author: tiltit
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2014, 02:56:17 pm
content: Quote from: c4757p on August 14, 2014, 02:47:07 pmNot really, I just started learning how to design PCBs. The only way I could do that is to modify the component libraries I made for this project. But if possible, I would like to keep them the way they are.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2014, 03:11:07 pm
content: Does Eagle not have a way to edit a local copy of a component in place? That sucks if so - I find myself doing that all the damn time. (Also awards KiCad pretty much the only "I have $x and something else doesn't" points it'll ever get)

author: tiltit
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2014, 03:22:20 pm
content: Quote from: c4757p on August 14, 2014, 03:11:07 pmNot that I know of.I have also recently being trying out Kicad, and I must say that I like it. I like the the use of the keyboard sortcuts a lot and what ever I do seems to look way better in Kicad. But since I am a noob, I am using Eagle for my first design because pcb houses like seeedstudio support eagle. Chances of me making a dumb mistake are therefore somewhat reduced.

author: MarkL
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 27, 2014, 08:35:33 pm
content: One thing you can do with eagle is use the "smash" command to make the names, values, and attributes float for a given part. Then you can move/resize/delete the text as desired.It won't do anything for the part placement outlines and other shapes, but at least you can make the names and values land inside the board boundaries.

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2014, 12:07:32 am
content: They'll cut it off, also, if any overlies pads or holes. Or at least, they should, it's SOP for most.(What, were they just going to print that floating sliver the way it shows in 3D?)Tim

author: FrankBuss
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 28, 2014, 12:33:46 am
content: As was written, you should "smash" it to move the text independantly from the components. And another trick: Smash all components (you can use group smash), enable just the name and labels layer, group all again and make them the same font size, which could be smaller than what you used currently (depending on the PCB manufacturer). And sometimes the Gerber files has problems with TTF fonts, so change all to the Vector font, then you can be sure that it looks exactly like on the screen. The pins on the right could be labeled just J1 and J2, then you could move the label above and below. But right, usually it doesn't matter if it is outside the board outline, it will be just cut.

author: tiltit
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2014, 02:08:02 pm
content: Thanks a lot for all the good tips. I will keep on improving layout.Seeedstudio where really quick to send me the boards. A little over a week.It feels really good to get a nice board with one own design.Here is a pic.

author: Wilksey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2014, 02:26:40 pm
content: Wow, just over a week?Are these cheap far east manufacturers really that quick these days?I have been eyeing up Elecrow I have used Seeed in the past and it took just over 3 weeks to deliver, which I was pleased with at the time as it took the same amount of time for a prototype house here in the UK to send the same thing, just 10(+)x cheaper for more boards, Elecrow used to offer free coloured boards rather than Seeed where you had to pay extra for them.On a side note, I do like Eagle and use it frequently, having the option to edit a component in place would be nice, also 3D, as for silk screen, usually board houses just "chop" off the bits it can't print or fit on the profile.The profile is set within the board boundaries anything over those will not get included or cropped AFAIK.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2014, 12:14:00 pm
content: Seeed make the boards quick, about 1 week turn around, if you only get a basic green 5cmx5cm they can be even faster.The only problem is shipping is 1-2 weeks extra unless you buy EMS, which doubles the cost of most small projects.Still, for $50USD you can get 10cmx10cm PCB plus shipping, with about 1.5 week turn around, it's not bad.