Last month, I had single sided boards made for a display project, and after sending the Gerber files to the pcb manufacturer, I went and chatted with them about the drill size for the 26,000 LEDs. ( the drillfile had the default 0.6mm )
I needed the LEDs to "sit" on the stops of the legs, which nowadays are so small you can hardly see the stop ( the flattened part of each leg )
I got a sample from the LED manufacturer, and we decided that they would drill the holes 0.7mm, which worked out fine, the boards were populated with no problem.
I changed the hole size on my library.
This month I had to make another order with 15,500 LEDs, but between myself and the guy at the pcb manufacturers, we forgot to change the drillplan to 0.7mm, and they made all the boards with 0.6mm holes !
We only had 2 days to redrill all 31,000 holes ! They did half the boards, one at a time back on the cnc drill, and I did the rest working all last weekend using my little Dremel drill press. but at least I could do 5 boards at a time. Thank heavens it was single sided and not thru hole !
The next order looks like 65,000 LEDs I won't make this mistake again ! ...
"I've cut this board three times and it's still too short!" love it, confirms the old adage " measure twice, cut once "
In this case I forgot to check the drill plan file ( and the factory forgot the previous decision on hole size )
I make electronic scoreboards and signs www.scorebauds.co.za and have landed a nice job for some export displays.
For my smaller one-off runs of scoreboards, I havn't bothered with SMD LEDs, but I think I will have to head that way with these bigger jobs coming in - but of course its now a case of not havng the time to source the LEDs ( I have luckily found a supplier of reliable of 5mm LEDs from China, so I might get some samples of smd types with the next order )
The assembly of the pcbs is locally done ( South Africa ) so I dont feel guilty buying the LEDs from China, they all come from there anyway, even if I buy locally at 8 times the price !
I must take that substitution board off the website, its way too overcomplicated.
I have a much simpler version in the pipeline, but never seem to get the time to prototype it !
Youre right, business has been really tough for the last couple of years, but I get the sales of the scoreboards from referals - its viral, every new board gets seen by the visiting teams etc. and orders trickle in.......
I finally got his batch of displays out , after weeks of 18 hour days .
Note to self, and anyone considering farming out pcb assembly ( I know its fairly obvious ) :-
Get samples of components - the latest batch of ultrabright LEDs that I have coming from China next week, have the Anode with the short leg, and the flat on the rim ! When I queried the sample , the supplier said " thats right, we call it reversed polarity " ????
Chat to the pcb manufacturing guy, take samples of each component, agree hole size, solder mask clearances , and silk screen.
Take sample board to assembling guys, run through their routine.
I supplied a perspex jig this time to drop over the LEDs when the boards go over the solder bath to keep the aligned, and they say its much easier to put on than the aluminium one I gave them before, they can see which LED is crooked.
Thier feedback is priceless.
Don't just give up and get it made in China ( even if most components are )
I put " Proudly made in South Africa " on my products ( even if I sit all weekend drilling out holes
