X-Authentication-Warning: delorie.com: mail set sender to geda-user-bounces using -f X-Recipient: geda-user AT delorie DOT com X-Virus-Scanned: Debian amavisd-new at mail.linetec.nl Message-ID: <9f0833cf-24ad-4442-9368-25ceaffc3be5@linetec.nl> Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2024 12:01:11 +0100 MIME-Version: 1.0 User-Agent: Mozilla Thunderbird Subject: Re: [geda-user] Solder mask commands? To: geda-user AT delorie DOT com References: <0b116853-49cd-4af3-9770-83f61a026778 AT linetec DOT nl> <20240204151304 DOT 3E77986212AA AT turkos DOT aspodata DOT se> Content-Language: en-US From: "Richard Rasker (rasker AT linetec DOT nl) [via geda-user AT delorie DOT com]" In-Reply-To: <20240204151304.3E77986212AA@turkos.aspodata.se> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Reply-To: geda-user AT delorie DOT com Errors-To: nobody AT delorie DOT com X-Mailing-List: geda-user AT delorie DOT com X-Unsubscribes-To: listserv AT delorie DOT com Precedence: bulk I submitted the modified board, and all is well now -- but I still got into a bit of a discussion about this solder mask oversize/expansion thing. I remarked that this was the first time in many decades that I was asked to set the solder mask oversize to zero, however the person from the PCB house said that zero oversize has been the industry standard for at least 20 years, ever since the lithographic workflow wasn't exclusively based on photographic films any more. But when I look up best design practices for various PCB design packages and other sources, I still see a small (usually 4 mil) expansion size mentioned. So what is it? Would it be a good idea to henceforth use zero oversize solder masks? What do people around here do? Thanks for any thoughts. Richard