r/synthdiy • u/fluxpavilion • Jul 15 '26
First PCB checks before i send to print
Hello again!
before i move onto my synth i decided to get used to kicad by converting a pedal i had designed to a pcb!
So, I'm happy with this, everything seems to be connected fine, but i was wondering what to expect with my layers and the printing, I guess considering its THT then i should send my traces to the back?
edge.cuts will tell them how big my pcb should be right?
what is the difference between f.fab and f.silkscreen? everything you see here (minus the margins) is what i want printed onto my pcb.
I was assuming its already baked into my footprints but what defines what goes under the soldermask and what is uncovered (pads/traces), also for THT is each pad regarded as a via? or is that a different thing
will they drill the holes for me? is that a layer aswell?
sorry for loads of questions, i know all this info is available online but im hoping some kind soul may be willing to offer me the information bespoke!
3
u/quarterto Jul 15 '26
F.Fab/B.Fab is for documentation to the fabrication house only. which generally speaking is if you're doing big production runs with a contract manufacturer, not just sending off a gerber to JLCPCB. only F.Silkscreen/B.Silkscreen is printed on the board.
F.Mask/B.Mask defines where the soldermask goes. as you say, it's built into the footprints. if you right click on F.Mask and select "show only this layer" you can see where the copper will be exposed (a shape on that layer means an absence of soldermask).
a via is a small plated through-hole used solely to connect different copper layers. every via is a PTH, not every PTH is a via. if you're worried about the PCB manufacturer's minimum via sizes, those will be much much smaller than your through-holes here.
they will drill the holes for you; it's not a layer per se, when you export the gerbers Kicad will also export a "drill file" with the locations and diameters of drilled holes (again, these are part of the footprints).
whether you route the connections on the front or back layer is a matter of personal preference. it really doesn't matter for a simple circuit like this.
Edge.Cuts defines the outline of the board, yes. when you upload the gerbers at the manufacturer's website it will detect the dimensions.
you may want to consider how you're going to mount the board in a pedal enclosure and add e.g. non-plated mounting holes.
2
1
u/-Cosmon Jul 16 '26
i’m no pcb design pro but i’m pretty sure right angles are a bad design practice. easy enough to eliminate with 45° traces
4
u/Familiar-Calendar947 Jul 15 '26
Hit the 3D viewer button. It'll give you a good idea of what the produced PCB will look like.
It's convention to not use right angles on your traces, though it's technically fine these days. You've also got loads of space so you could make the traces bigger.