In Drill file, bit size or finished 'plated' hole size?

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I am using FreePCB and want to submit my board to BatchPCB/Gold Phoenix. The documentation says that the drill file is written out in ‘finished’ (plated) hole size and not drill bit size. Is this right or does BatchPCB need drill bit sizes instead? Thanks

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Unless a PCB supplier says otherwise, you can assume that their hole sizes are ‘finished’ sizes. Olimex is the only co. I know of that requires a plating allowance to be added to the drill sizes.

Leon

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leon_heller:
Unless a PCB supplier says otherwise, you can assume that their hole sizes are ‘finished’ sizes. Olimex is the only co. I know of that requires a plating allowance to be added to the drill sizes.

Leon

That’s one of the reasons I quit using Olimex. When all is said and done, you’re paying about $1.50-$1.75 per square inch…but they have drill restrictions, no bottom silk, and the already mentioned plating allowance. Also, it’s very difficult to pay them, as they claim PayPal won’t let them accept funds. You either have to make an international fax transmission of your credit card information, or stay up until 3am to make a call to someone who may understand 1/3 of what you say.

Now…dealing directly with Chinese board providers, I’m getting about $0.10 per square inch DS SS PTH panelized, but you do need to buy a couple hundred inches. BatchPCB is decent, though I did get a little itchy waiting 1 month for my last order to switch to “Panelized” status.