Drilling holes in PCB

[HunterSailor]

Hey guys,

I was wondering if it's safe to drill a hole in a PCB considering i don't damage the traces.

I've attached an image for your clarification.

In the image I've marked the area where i want to drill and I've check there are no traces in that particular area that interacts with the traces i need, the ones i need are to the right.

[pbx2]

2 minutes ago, titaniumshield said:

Hey guys,

I was wondering if it's safe to drill a hole in a PCB considering i don't damage the traces.

I've attached an image for your clarification.

In the image I've marked the area where i want to drill and I've check there are no traces in that particular area that interacts with the traces i need, the ones i need are to the right.

No traces = Safe, Just don't crack the PCB.

[Turtleinahafshel]

3 minutes ago, titaniumshield said:

Hey guys,

I was wondering if it's safe to drill a hole in a PCB considering i don't damage the traces.

I've attached an image for your clarification.

In the image I've marked the area where i want to drill and I've check there are no traces in that particular area that interacts with the traces i need, the ones i need are to the right.

dont do it pcbs have wires on the inside you could destroy it.

[bgibbz]

2 minutes ago, Turtleinahafshel said:

dont do it pcbs have wires on the inside you could destroy it.

I doubt that's a multi layer pcb. 

[Turtleinahafshel]

Just now, bgibbz said:

I doubt that's a multi layer pcb. 

still i wouldnt take the risk

[DocSwag]

9 minutes ago, Turtleinahafshel said:

still i wouldnt take the risk

It's probably like $5 anyways  

[mariushm]

In general, it's not safe to drill holes in circuit boards unless you know for sure there are no traces in internal layers.

If the board is just two layers (top and bottom) that's fairly easy to determine, and in the case of the circuit board above it's too simple board to be anything but a two layer board.

 

That circuit board looks like it's meant to host the microphone and headphones jacks for a  computer case and a separate eSATA connector. It looks like they separate the grounds and in general everything is neatly separated between the two sides, so you could probably easily just cut the board in half and it would still work just fine.

[HunterSailor]

16 minutes ago, Turtleinahafshel said:

dont do it pcbs have wires on the inside you could destroy it.

That PCB is already cut in half and I've tested it, it works.

[HunterSailor]

2 minutes ago, DocSwag said:

It's probably like $5 anyways  

It's a front I/O connector PCB, from which i have already removed the USB part....

[HunterSailor]

2 minutes ago, mariushm said:

In general, it's not safe to drill holes in circuit boards unless you know for sure there are no traces in internal layers.

If the board is just two layers (top and bottom) that's fairly easy to determine, and in the case of the circuit board above it's too simple board to be anything but a two layer board.

 

That circuit board looks like it's meant to host the microphone and headphones jacks for a  computer case and a separate eSATA connector. It looks like they separate the grounds and in general everything is neatly separated between the two sides, so you could probably easily just cut the board in half and it would still work just fine.

Yes i think that's safe because I've already removed the USB part... i just wanted to confirm. Plus it works...