Re: gEDA-user: a pcb level panelizer tool

[DJ Delorie <dj@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> This repeats the rest of the G-codes into an array of 2 x 11 with a 
> spacing of 5 x 1.1 inches.

Plain old grid panels are, in my experience, rare.  More likely I'm
mixing multiple projects onto a single panel so I can etch them all at
once.

If you just want as many of one board as fit in a panel, most fabs can
do that for you without you having to worry about how much space to
leave between them to compensate for *their* process.

> As to "tweeking" drill sizes, I don't get what you mean.  Why would I 
> want to tweek a drill size on just one of N boards in a panel?

No, I tweak every single one of them all at once, in batch, to match
my process.  In my case, I set all the drill sizes to 8 mil to act as
a "drill helper" for my manual drilling setup.

> Once you have done the panelize step, any changes require you to
> delete all work of panelizing and do it again after you make the
> change.

Er, not really.  My scripts merge a placement PCB with the original
PCBs to form a combined panel PCB.  So, I do all the panel-related
editing (outlines, alignment marks, board placement) on the placement
panel, then merge the projects into them.  If I have to edit a
*design*, I do so, then re-merge the panel.

The panel post-processing I do for my etch is done in batch, and can
be scripted.

> Shouldn't the software deal with that for you by just allowing you
> to specify the panel rather than creating it by copying stuff?

I think you're being naive about what a "panel" can be.  It's much
more than just a simple grid of one board.


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