how to make a proper board dimension outline for OSHpark?

[k7michal]

Noob alert. 

There's a few webinar's / youtube's showing how to use the Polygon tool to create a GND plane and fill, but for the life of me I just can't find this most simple detail of how to create a board outline on the dimension layer? 

The best I could find is this, but there's got to be a proper Eagle solution:

http://docs.oshpark.com/design-tools/gerbv/create-board-outline/

Thank you.

Michal.

[jorge_garcia · Accepted solution]

Hello @k7michal,

I hope you're doing well. In EAGLE, just use the LINE and ARC commands to draw the board outline on Layer 20. That's all you have to do, just draw the outline using the drawing tools that ship with EAGLE.

Please let me know if there's anything else I can do for you.

Best Regards,

[k7michal]

Jorge, thank you for your prompt reply... I am doing well and hope you are too. 

You know, I did see this solution in some video amongst all the hours of footage that i watched already... It's challenging to retain everything, or remember where it was mentioned. 

Anyway, I proceeded to make an outline and save and reboot Eagle 9.2.2. When I ran the CAM processor I did not notice the   outline from Dimension layer 20 in the preview. When I Generated CAM data and uploaded to OSHpark, I got the same error for no border... I'm guessing it's because of the DRC rules being used?

When I uploaded the .brd file to OSHpark I did get a good result and an appropriate quote, which is good enough for now, but I wonder about using alternative budget fab houses. 

Thank you Jorge. 

[k7michal]

@jorge_garcia.

I uploaded and merged the 2 layer DRC rules issued by OSHpark, and reran the CAM Processor and uploded the gerbers and still the same issue of no border came up.... Then after poking around I learned that the Excellon format only processes layers 1-16. Am I tracking this correctly? 

I guess the question is, will these gerbers work for another fab house that is expecting a border outline on layer 20? 

And if not, then what is the correct solution?

Thank you. 

[one-of-the-robs]

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@k7michal wrote:

I uploaded and merged the 2 layer DRC rules issued by OSHpark, and reran the CAM Processor and uploded the gerbers and still the same issue of no border came up.... 

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I've not played with the OSHpark rules but if they're DRC rules they shouldn't affect the CAM output. The default CAM jobs that ship with Eagle should produce a separate "outline only" file. It used to be called <board-name>.dim on the old CAM processor; I can't remember what it's called now.

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@k7michal wrote:
Then after poking around I learned that the Excellon format only processes layers 1-16. Am I tracking this correctly? 

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Excellon is the format of the drill file, which doesn't really care about any of those layers as it only describes the drills (holes, vias, PTH pads)

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@k7michal wrote:

I guess the question is, will these gerbers work for another fab house that is expecting a border outline on layer 20?

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Most board houses don't deal with Eagle native files (.brd/.sch) so they don't care about Eagle's layer numbering. What they care about is the content of the Gerber files. Most will want the outline to be present in all Gerber files as well as by itself in an explicit dimension file. Normally, this is what you get with Eagle's default CAM jobs.

So I guess the question is, have you modified the CAM job at all? Can you post any of your files here, or are they commercially sensitive?

[k7michal]

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@one-of-the-robs wrote:So I guess the question is, have you modified the CAM job at all? Can you post any of your files here, or are they commercially sensitive? 

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No I'm not at the level of customizing CAM details yet. All I did was upload the OSHpark 2layer .dru file to Eagle. 

Thank you. 

[jorge_garcia · Accepted solution]

Hi @k7michal,

I hope you're doing well. EAGLE actually ships with a CAM job from OSH park. As @one-of-the-robs mentioned the DRU file from OSH park just defines the constraints the board has to conform to in order to be manufacturable.

The CAM job consists of the instructions that produce the manufacturing data for your board from EAGLE. To produce the CAM data for OSH park, click on the CAM processor icon. In the dialog that pops up click on the Paper icon on the top this will open a pulldown menu scroll down to third-party > Osh park and pick the one for the number of layers you have.

Run it as is and send that to your board manufacturer.

Let me know if you continue to run into problems.

Best Regards,

[k7michal]

@jorge_garcia

My DUDE! You're the MAN!

My exported CAM files were accepted by OSHpark!