all the boardhouses these days use either Ucamco or Genesys Frontline as data intake software. since the size is larger than 2mm it will be automatically converted to a milling step. They will detect unplated holes in the Gerber data and automatically convert these to post plate step. NON-ISSUE place a pad with pad diameter and hole diameter set to 2.4mm. Is that true? I am offering ten(10) engineer-nice-person points for an elegant solution to this trivial problem! cheers Place a primitive/polygon on a mechanical layer and perform TOOLS>CONVERT>CREATE BOARD CUTOUT FROM SELECTED PRIMITIVES problems: -there is no nice screw model representation like in METHOD 2 -will it generate proper gerber drill data to the manufacturer? I am afraid it will be just a random cutout that they will have to route in some expensive way -I don't get the nice dimension outlines: screw head (grey circle) and screw clearance (green circle) -it will not make a plated hole: I have read that its best to keep all holes plated, even mounting ones, as it reduces the tooling overhead. problems: -this METHOD gives errors when processing the PCB as it is an object in the PCB not referenced in the schematic -I also tried creating a schematic library part, and adding the above mentioned PCB library footprint(pad) and 3D model to it - now I had to hide unnecessary bloat items in the schematic -same Eurocircuits fabricator problem as above METHOD 3. You could add a 3D model to each screw hole in the METHOD 1, but you would have to align it one by one, and here its all pre-done. The bonus is that you can add a 3d model of the screw, which makes it much nicer for the final board 3D render. Create a PCB library footprint for the hole (also from a pad). What gives? How do I make a larger hole then? METHOD 2. Clearly that can not include routing and cutouts. problems: -if you set annular ring to 0mm you will get manufacturer errors, as you will get a virtual 0mm point surrounded by soldermask clearance ring in gerber files -if you set annular ring to 2.4mm, same as hole size, you will get a hole with soldermask clearance ring (makes the soldermask susceptible to peeling with screw torque) -using a PCB template rules from (my fabricator of choice) for Class 6C - 2 layer - 1.55 mm i get an design rule error saying 'Hole Size Constraint (Min=0.25mm) (Max=2mm) (All) 4' which means they do holes up to 2mm. Place a pad on the PCB, set hole size to 2.4mm and annular ring size to less than 2.4mm. I have found three methods used to make mounting holes, none of them is satisfying to me: METHOD 1. I want to make a mounting hole of 2.4 mm diameter for a M2 screw.

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