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Does the part that says, "Plate Through Holes with copper, 0.001" thick min" mean that 0.001" hole plating will be applied to all plated holes?

I am new to the fabrication process and I am wondering if I am reading this correctly.

What is the meaning of this fabrication rule?

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Voltage Spike
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circuit_noob533
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1 Answers1

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Yes, it means each through hole will get 0.001" copper minimum.

First the holes are drilled, their size according to the drill schedule/drill file. Then the holes are plated. Sometimes holes are not plated, so it's a good idea to make notes in the file on what you are doing (ie a"ll the holes are plated" or "All but X holes are plated" or "The holes on X line of the drill schedule are not plated" to make sure the PCB's are being fabricated correctly. (it's not fun to get PCB's back that don't work.)

Voltage Spike
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  • Thank you. Is there a good rule of thumb to follow for picking thickness plating relative to hole diameter? – circuit_noob533 Oct 22 '19 at 18:33
  • Nowadays, it's best to consult the manufacturer and ask them what the standard plating size that they use is (and most often is listed on their website). Some manufacturers let you chose the plating size (sometimes specified in oz). Usually non standard plating sizes will cost more. Some applications (like high speed or RF) need controlled plating sizes, this will also cost more – Voltage Spike Oct 22 '19 at 18:45
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    Also see this question: https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/355699/pcb-base-copper-weight-vs-plating-thickness – Voltage Spike Oct 22 '19 at 18:46
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    @circuit_noob533: I don't think I ever specified pllating thickness when I ordered boards - I just assumed the board shop would Do The Right Thing. Companies with strict engineering standards would, no doubt, specify plating thickness and other things that I didn't worry about (we didn't have strict engineering controls for PCB design where I worked.) – Peter Bennett Oct 22 '19 at 19:35
  • So they default to IPC A600/6012 Class 2 plating. Given a via with 10 mil diameter, would there be any severe consequences from dropping the 0.001'' plating rule. This is for a switching regulator so the only thing that I can think of is that it's needed for better heat dissipation? – circuit_noob533 Oct 22 '19 at 20:50
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    Current carrying capacity of vias/resistance could become a concern if the plating was smaller – Voltage Spike Oct 22 '19 at 21:13