Thanks Steve.
I'd say etch first, then drill. I've often read that drilling creates a small 'lip' around the hole, interfering with the proper etching of pads.
STEP #1:
- use a bolted drilling platform for each PCB format you drill.
- drill 4 corner holes on the platform using the software, they will be your pilot holes.
- place metal rods in the holes tall enough to hold several PCBs in place.
STEP#2:
- etch your PCB, always including those 4 corner holes.
- manually drill the 4 corner holes.
- slip 2 or 3 etched PCBs onto the drilling platform.
Ta daaa!
That's my idea to get the same alignment all the time. You only have to manually drill 4 holes for each new PCB. 2 holes would be sufficient, but 4 adds stability in case you screw up 1 hole. You can drill 6 holes or more for added safety if you suck as much as me.
It might not be perfect, but it would be stable enough for my requirements and low volume.
Robert
OH YEAH, don't forget to include a clamping mechanism on all 4 sides to prevent the PCB from 'lifting' along with the drill bit. One idea is to use 4 bolts instead of rods, so you can bolt the PCBs into place.
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