🚀 go-pugleaf

On 26 Dec 2006 23:50:13 -0800, "Vitaliy" <m.vitaliy@gmail.com> wrote:

>> When laying out a multi-layer board, you should put a wide track at
>> the edges of the board on the power or ground plane layers to keep the
>> copper on those layers away from the edge of the board.  (Anything you
>> place on a plane layer will end up as "no copper" on the finished
>> board.)
>> >
>I think I'm missing something: should I leave some space between the
>edge of the board and power plane (which will be internal plane)?
>
Yes.  If you let the copper on the planes extend to (and beyond) the
edge of the board, you may get short circuits between planes or
between a plane and a metal card guide.
>
>> Discuss the matter with your board shop.  If I have two or more boards
>> that I want built on a common panel, I'll usually produce separate
>> gerbers for each board, then ask the board maker to combine them on a
>> single panel.  However, a co-worker places multiple boards on a panel
>> himself, and sends gerbers for the full panel to the board shop.
>> Either way, the board shop will separate the individual boards if
>> asked.  If you panelize the boards yourself, you should first ask the
>> board shop what separation they want between boards - they need some
>> unused space to leave room for the router bit to go between boards.
>>
>OK, I will look into panelizing the boards myself (also I would like to
>panelize different designs (same # of layers though) on the same
>board). If you can suggest a program that can take two gerber files and
>create one board will be great (I'll check if this can be done in
>OrCAD).

I use Protel, which does allow cutting-and-pasting from one board
design to another, or within a board design.  When I make a panel,
I'll finish all the board designs in individual files, then copy and
paste them into a new blank design.  In Protel, when pasting designs,
you have to use a "Paste Special" command, and tell the program to
permit duplicate reference designators - otherwise Protel will
re-number components on the second and later boards.

-- 
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI  
peterbb4 (at) interchange.ubc.ca  
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