Question about v-scoring PCBs

What does V-scoring mean? I am trying to create eight 1.0x1.5" circuits. This fits perfectly onto a 3"x4" footprint. If the company offers to v-score the 3x4 board into 8 sections, how much material will I be losing due to the scoring? When I "break" the boards apart, will it look clean or still require some finishing?

Thanks.

V-Scoring

V-scoring uses a tool shaped like the letter V. Once the scoring is done the boards will tend to break along the score lines. The breaks should be clean and require no further finishing. An alternate technique looks like machined slots and perforations, like they used to use on stamps. These don't break as clean.

I would recommend that you not try to crowd the boards to the limits of the dimensions. Leave a bit of material all the way around each board and all the way around each panel, if you ever expect them to be assembled by a contract manufacturer. They can give you guildeines on panelization and the location of tooling holes.

A certain clearance is required. The panels need like an extra 100mils or whatever for the lost material.

Be aware there are limits for how a v-score can break. For example, if you need to make one big "T"-shaped board and fill in the extra space on either side of the T you've got a problem. The break can't propagate from one side of the board to the other.

But on the other hand, perhaps you have one long vertical board on the right side running from the top of the panel to the bottom, and the left side has one rectangle on top of another. So in this case the v-scores themselves make a "T", rather than one of the boards. In this case the long board on the right can be broken off, then the remaining score line now goes from end-to-end of the remaining panel thus the two rectangles can be broken off of each other. It could not be done in the reverse order.

Thanks all. I've taken the V-scoring route, there is .025 inches of space around footprints. The actualy pads are further from the edges.

Perhaps I'm really childish?, but I want a set of those boards to snap apart! 8)

Nigel Goodwin said:

Perhaps I'm really childish?, but I want a set of those boards to snap apart! 8)

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You aren't the only one!

I'll be sure to film it so you can participate vicariously in the snappage.

dinofx said:

I'll be sure to film it so you can participate vicariously in the snappage.

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But it's not the same!!!!!. :evil:

I suppose I should find a new cutting tool.

All I have for my boards is a weak hack saw. It works, but it takes about 10 minutes to cut a 6cm by 6cm board!

It should take only ONE :!:

Can someone recommend me a saw perfect for circuit boards that is commonly available to buy in hardware stores?

With some care a carbide scriber and straightedge applied to both sides before the boards are assembled does work for snapping them apart. The real problem is not injuring your fingers when they are used as the fulcrum.