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Slots in PCBs
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NivagSwerdna:
I would like to cut a slot in my PCB through which another PCB will slot at 90 degrees.... Which got me to wondering...

What constraints exist in practice when making slots?

Can they really have square edges or should they be rounded?

I looked on the JLPCB web site but couldn't find any guidance.

In my example I need a slot through which a PCB would fit... The PCB being 37mm wide and 1.6mm thick.

I presume I would need to allow wiggle room too.

Does anyone have any wisdom they could share please.

Thanks
Nivag

Jeroen3:
Usually the milling tool is 2mm. So the minimum width is 2mm. Square corners will also be at 2mm radius.
Less is possible, but requires an extra step at higher price.
And you have to keep enough rigidity in the board to be able to mill and pick&place. This depends on the design.
Miti:
They use router bits for slots and those are, obviously, round. So you can have square outer corners but rounded inner corners but that’s ok as long as the flat part of the slot has the same length as the board you put through. As for the wiggle room, the board thickness may vary a bit, mainly with the finish. Immersion gold is more consistent, hasl is bumpy, for example. For my  projects I make it tight and, if needed, a small file does wonders.
NivagSwerdna:
So say I just went for a 2mm wide slot... It would have semi circles at both ends .. should I submit a board outline layer which has the arcs?

(Currently I have a 1.6mm X 37mm rectangle with no wiggle room)
T3sl4co1l:
You can make a dogbone shape so the board registers against a flat end stop in the slot.

They'll rout smaller slots too, but there may be added cost; 2mm is just the most common end mill.

mikeselectricstuff also did a video about doing this at minimum cost, where you make a somewhat zig-zag pattern so the board is sprung between faces with the correct spacing, without requiring a smaller end mill.

Tim
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