[sdiy] PCB faceplate large hole creation?

[Brian Willoughby]

Naive question: If someone actually ordered a PCB in aluminum - not as a faceplate - would the copper traces deposited on aluminum actually work? Seems like the Electrical Test would fail with everything shorted out.

By the time you go to the trouble of designing a PCB with the intention of using it as a face plate in aluminum, it seems like you might as well just start with Front Panel Express (Germany and USA). They have the ability to put letting on the face plate via routing or silk screening. I've seen both, and the silk screen seems to work fine. I think that the person ordering it may have specified a clear coat to protect the silk screen.

Brian


On May 27, 2021, at 11:54, Tim Parkhurst via Synth-diy <synth-diy at synth-diy.org> wrote:
> Has anybody tried using aluminum PCBs as panels? There's an informative thread about it here:
> https://modwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=180347&sid=cb70d7a755740e33b2aaee77ec6068e5
> 
> And the manufacturer of choice seems to be PCBWay:
> https://www.pcbway.com/
> 
> The options for colors and finishes are a little limited, but I'm thinking a black solder mask with white silkscreen (or vice-versa) would cover the vast majority of DIY and prototype needs. Thickness of 1.6 or 2.0mm should be fine in most cases, especially for the average Euro module. Even slots should be easy-peasy. The prices look amazing too. 
> 
> Tim (aluminum or aluminium?) Servo
> ---
> 
> On Thu, May 27, 2021 at 8:24 AM <doug at synthark.com> wrote:
>> I'm building a jack faceplate, which requires large holes (MIDI, USB).  
>> While I can create the holes in my PCB tool (DipTrace), it flags most of 
>> the holes as DRC violations (too large to drill, > 0.2"), which makes 
>> sense, since PCB fabs probably aren't setup to drill large holes.  I'm 
>> guessing my best solution would be to CNC the PCB after it's fab'd 
>> (since the USB hole is not circular).  Can anyone confirm or provide a 
>> better solution?
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> -- 
>> Doug Huseby