RE: Bulletproof your WG6100!

>>Also-- as the board complexity goes up you might need a couple extras for
>>manufacturing defects. AP Circuits has been pretty good about getting me
>>good fabs, but without electrical testing on the boards you're never really
>>sure until you try it. (Which is why I like to pre-assemble the more
>>complicated stuff like the Sega Multigame. The multigame averages over 28
>>holes per inch for components and vias...)
>
>So you did not have electrical test done on the sega multigame pcbs?

Nope. I dunno if AP Circuits even offers full electrical test. From
experience here at work it generally adds between $150-500 depending on the
design. That's a big chunk to swallow for only 36 boards. Since I'm
building them up anyway I figured I'd gamble some time vs. money on that
one. :-)

>Yes, this is a single layer board. So the price quote I have is for single
>layer. Also, the board will have a solder mask on the trace (bottom) side.
>It adds very little to the cost to add the solder mask, so I am getting
>that done.

I think I'd go ahead and add mask and silk screen (front side) if I do
anymore "you put it together" boards too. The problem with AP Circuits is
that mask/screen means by default "level 2" service which has a $256 setup
charge so it's a big financial hit unless you're doing more than about 800
square inches of boards. (The total run of the Sega Multigames is about
half that...)

>The solder mask helps alot when soldering components to the pads.
>Since it is a single layer board, I will do a quick trace/pad continuity
>test on each PCB I send to anyone ordering unassembled PCBs. That way, you
>won't get a bum PCB.

Ehhh, soldermask is nice if you're going to wave solder the thing, but I
think it's no-big-deal for hand-building. Arguably it's annoying depending
on how much room your mask gives you (particularly for surface mount
stuff).

As a single-layer board I wouldn't even worry about testing them... I'm
willing to bet you made the traces prety heavy, and since you don't have
any vias or plated-through holes it should be pretty bullet-proof.

-Clay

Clayton N. Cowgill Engineering Manager
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Received on Wed Jan 14 15:19:38 1998