Board fabricators purchase laminate in preferred panel sizes, such as: 16 x 18 inches, 18 x 24 inches, and 21 x 24 inches. A larger panel size provides more effective cost per unit area processed. In producing a board, the fabricator requires maybe 3/4� around the outer edges of the pane for tooling and processing. So, an 18 x 24 inches panel only has a usable area of 16.5 x 22.5 inches available for an active board.
For process set-up and control, fabricators put all kinds of coupons and registration targets that they use on: * Coupons * Registration targets * Tooling holes * Electrical connection * What not
Your customer has determined that they like chevron [�V�] shaped registration targets. It�s curious how they even determined their preference. Assemblers and users don�t even see registration targets. Registration targets are not an element of the board design, because if they were, your customer would have added the registration targets themselves. Registration targets are an element of the fabricators� internal process control. It�s like fiducials. Some machines can image on any old feature. Other machines require a fairly specific feature to image on. The fabricator knows what they prefer for their process.
I think it�s interesting that your customer is asking you to: * �Add chevron solder mask registration marks to their board design. * Drive fabrication capability study from their board vendor(s). * Make sure tolerances are established correctly for copper traces and solder mask opening. * Review their pad/trace/solder mask design to verify if there are any potential issues.�
So, tell us. For you do this: * When are they cutting a PO? * How much are they paying you? * How did you or your boss even price-up a job like this? * How many hours do figure this is going to take to complete?
What the hey, if you�re making good money and making your customer happy, life is good. And you�ll be able to learn a heck of a lot about fabrication on your customer�s nickel.
reply »