0.4mm unplated mounting hole for Kicad - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: panocode
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 20, 2023, 07:31:39 pm
content: Hello! I'm trying to make a 0.4mm unplated mounting hole for kicad, does someone know how I can make one/where I can find a footprint for one? I don't really know what other details to add, it's honestly just that, a small unplated mounting hole.

author: bill_c
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2023, 09:49:42 pm
content: Are you sure abut that size? That's like human hair size in American units.

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2023, 10:16:10 pm
content: Quote from: bill_c on September 20, 2023, 09:49:42 pmSize is OK. Your American hair would be 0.04 mm.

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2023, 10:38:06 pm
content: cant you just edit an existing hole from the library

author: panocode
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 20, 2023, 11:40:25 pm
content: Welp turns out you can just make an edge cut circle... and it works just as well... I wasted probably too much time on it.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 21, 2023, 12:19:52 am
content: It may work for visuals, but your board manufacturer may not accept this.I don't think there is a way to make a hole like this from the PCB editor. The only way I know how to do that with no manufacturing issues is to make a footprint that is just an NPTH Pad with pad and hole diameter set to the same value. It would end up in a drill file, so it would be a real drilled hole.

author: sparkydog
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 21, 2023, 02:23:33 pm
content: Place a footprint of an existing NPTH, e.g. MountingHole_2.1mm. Then either just edit the pad size, or edit the footprint if the margin is going to be a problem.

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 21, 2023, 08:36:22 pm
content: Indeed. KiCad has a "MountingHole" library, and it has some 100+ pre-defined mounting holes ranging from 2.1mm to 8.4mm and a good portion of them areNPTH(NonPlatedThroughHole).Apart from that, you can set any pad in a footprint toMechanical, NPTHand/or change it's diameter.

author: EPAIII
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2023, 07:48:34 am
content: 0.4mm translates to 0.0157". The hair on my arm measures 0.1mm so 0.4mm is fairly large.0.4mm drills do exist and are fairly large as small bits go. 0.1mm ones are easily available. But will a fab house want to go that small without charging a large premium in the price? I don't know. I do machining work and I would be very nervous using such a small bit. Solid carbide would be necessary for PCBs and they are very brittle so breakage would be a big concern. And they should/must be run at high spindle speeds which a given fab house may or may not have available.Are you sure you need that dimension? Real sure?Quote from: panocode on September 20, 2023, 07:31:39 pm

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2023, 03:23:32 pm
content: Why would they charge for 0.4 mm drill when they routinely drill 0.3 mm vias? Those vias before plating may even be 0.4 mm.But yes, as a mechanical hole, 0.4 mm does not make much sense. Still, it is very easy to do.

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2023, 07:07:42 pm
content: Quote from: EPAIII on September 24, 2023, 07:48:34 am0.1 mm? Are you a wild boar?

author: EPAIII
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2023, 03:25:55 am
content: Well, bully for them. I am glad to hear that they can. But I did see that at least one source did charge extra for 0.15mm holes. That's a bit less than 0.006".I have never even tried to order a hole that small, so I didn't know.

author: EPAIII
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2023, 03:29:43 am
content: No, just boring.Quote from: Benta on September 24, 2023, 07:07:42 pm