OSSO

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Journal: Friday, Oct 16, 2026

  1. Oct 16, 2026 9:45 AM ET: Concept S (v2), taller slot, stretched companions, no frame anchors
  2. Oct 16, 2026 9:50 AM ET: Concept T (v2), narrow vertical slot, rotated TH zones
  3. Oct 16, 2026 9:50 AM ET: Concept T note
  4. Oct 16, 2026 9:52 AM ET: Concept U (v2), companions to the board edge, interposer skyline
  5. Oct 16, 2026 10:05 AM ET: Interposer height locked
  6. Oct 16, 2026 10:10 AM ET: Concept U (v2), stack side view, 10 boards
  7. Oct 16, 2026 10:11 AM ET: Enclosure envelope
  8. Oct 16, 2026 10:12 AM ET: Stack vs multilayer
  9. Oct 16, 2026 10:13 AM ET: Partitioning
  10. Oct 16, 2026 10:14 AM ET: Spec drives partitioning
  11. Oct 16, 2026 10:16 AM ET: Concept U (v2), exploded view
  12. Oct 16, 2026 10:20 AM ET: Concept U (v2), exploded view with section A-A (2 pages)
  13. Oct 16, 2026 10:22 AM ET: VERSION 2 FROZEN
  14. Oct 16, 2026 10:46 AM ET: v3 process review, step 1 (fixturing and registration)
  15. Oct 16, 2026 10:48 AM ET: v3 process review, step 2 (silk removal)
  16. Oct 16, 2026 10:49 AM ET: v3 process review, step 3 (mask opening)
  17. Oct 16, 2026 10:51 AM ET: v3 process review, step 4 (in-place stencil)
  18. Oct 16, 2026 10:51 AM ET: v3 process review, step 5 (paste and stencil removal)
  19. Oct 16, 2026 10:52 AM ET: v3 process, renumbered
  20. Oct 16, 2026 10:53 AM ET: v3 process, steps 6b-10 (top-side components only for now)
  21. Oct 16, 2026 11:00 AM ET: v3 process compiled; alignment recommendations
  22. Oct 16, 2026 10:59 AM ET: Why top-side components only
  23. Oct 16, 2026 11:01 AM ET: In-circuit test (ICT) as a stack layer
  24. Oct 16, 2026 11:02 AM ET: No bare copper rule
  25. Oct 16, 2026 11:04 AM ET: PINNED, open item
  26. Oct 16, 2026 11:05 AM ET: Cleaning after mask reveal
  27. Oct 16, 2026 11:08 AM ET: v3a alignment proposal drawing
  28. Oct 16, 2026 11:12 AM ET: v3 concept A (alignment changes adopted)
  29. Oct 16, 2026 11:14 AM ET: Companion board design note (future)
  30. Oct 16, 2026 11:15 AM ET: Tuning priorities
  31. Oct 16, 2026 11:17 AM ET: Blank copper weight
  32. Oct 16, 2026 11:20 AM ET: Blank spec decisions
  33. Oct 16, 2026 11:22 AM ET: v3 concept B (Ø3.0 pogo pads, blank spec)
  34. Oct 16, 2026 11:24 AM ET: First Gerber prep (PCBWay upload test)
  35. Oct 16, 2026 11:30 AM ET: First Gerber set, OSSO BLANK v3b (PCBWay upload test)
  36. Oct 16, 2026 11:30 AM ET: v3b Gerbers, pin-1 mark restored
  37. Oct 16, 2026 11:32 AM ET: Via size
  38. Oct 16, 2026 11:32 AM ET: VERSION 3 FROZEN
  39. Oct 16, 2026 11:36 AM ET: ENIG gold thickness
  40. Oct 16, 2026 11:38 AM ET: PCBWay quote
  41. Oct 16, 2026 11:46 AM ET: Jig pins
  42. Oct 16, 2026 12:02 PM ET: PCBWay APPROVED
  43. Oct 16, 2026 12:03 PM ET: Blanks ordered
  44. Oct 16, 2026 1:40 PM ET: Jig design start
  45. Oct 16, 2026 1:45 PM ET: Jig concept A (v4a), FDM first iteration
  46. 2026-10-16 1:48 PM ET — Jig registration plan
  47. Oct 16, 2026 1:58 PM ET: Jig v4b 3D CAD (concept A)
  48. 2026-10-16 2:45 PM ET — Version 4 frozen
  49. Oct 16, 2026 3:17 PM ET: Jig v4b Bambu Studio 3MF projects
  50. 2026-10-16 3:31 PM ET — Jig material path
  51. 2026-10-16 10:08 PM ET — Carrier v4b print feedback
  52. Oct 16, 2026 10:14 PM ET: Jig v4c carrier (face-up, no pockets)
  53. 2026-10-16 10:35 PM ET — 3MF fix (v4c)

Oct 16, 2026 9:45 AM ET: Concept S (v2), taller slot, stretched companions, no frame anchors

Oct 16, 2026 · 9:45 AM ET · #

Oct 16, 2026 9:50 AM ET: Concept T (v2), narrow vertical slot, rotated TH zones

Oct 16, 2026 · 9:50 AM ET · #

Oct 16, 2026 9:50 AM ET: Concept T note

Oct 16, 2026 · 9:50 AM ET · #

the designer: leave the strip freed by the narrower wire route (x 22-37, y 57-83) open for SMT. No extra companion pads and no merged companion.

Oct 16, 2026 9:52 AM ET: Concept U (v2), companions to the board edge, interposer skyline

Oct 16, 2026 · 9:52 AM ET · #

Oct 16, 2026 10:05 AM ET: Interposer height locked

Oct 16, 2026 · 10:05 AM ET · #

Interposer gap locked at 11.5mm (stack pitch 13.1mm with 1.6mm boards). TH zones clear through the window of the flipped board above when no companion is mounted there. Pin requirement: double-ended, collared, >=1A. Pin choice still TBD; several stocked non-custom options exist at this height (Xinyangze YZD0029-20135-01, YZD0047-25131-01, generic 13mm collared pins). See refs/pogo_selection.md.

Oct 16, 2026 10:10 AM ET: Concept U (v2), stack side view, 10 boards

Oct 16, 2026 · 10:10 AM ET · #

Oct 16, 2026 10:11 AM ET: Enclosure envelope

Oct 16, 2026 · 10:11 AM ET · #

the designer: the safety over-enclosure target is a 150x150x150mm cube. That leaves about 5mm per side around the 140mm boards and about 30mm of headroom above the 10-board, 119.5mm stack for top-board components, standoff hardware, ring terminals and walls.

Oct 16, 2026 10:12 AM ET: Stack vs multilayer

Oct 16, 2026 · 10:12 AM ET · #

the designer: a 10-board stack is roughly equivalent to a 20-layer PCB built from economical 2-layer boards. Some signal paths are longer, but total SMT area is much larger. Caveat (OSSO): board-to-board interconnect is limited to the 40 pogo sites per gap, versus vias anywhere on a true multilayer, so it suits modular, bus-style designs.

Oct 16, 2026 10:13 AM ET: Partitioning

Oct 16, 2026 · 10:13 AM ET · #

the designer: deciding what goes on each board takes extra routing intelligence, but it may need fewer vias, since signals that must be close stay on one board. Idea: a future OSSO software tool that suggests how to split a design across the stack.

Oct 16, 2026 10:14 AM ET: Spec drives partitioning

Oct 16, 2026 · 10:14 AM ET · #

the designer: the Spec (here, the schematic) drives the decision of what goes on which board. This ties directly to "Open Source Spec to Object": schematic in, board partitioning, laser-ready boards out.

Oct 16, 2026 10:16 AM ET: Concept U (v2), exploded view

Oct 16, 2026 · 10:16 AM ET · #

Oct 16, 2026 10:20 AM ET: Concept U (v2), exploded view with section A-A (2 pages)

Oct 16, 2026 · 10:20 AM ET · #

Oct 16, 2026 10:22 AM ET: VERSION 2 FROZEN

Oct 16, 2026 · 10:22 AM ET · #

the designer snapped the current state as Version 2. Snapshot: versions/v2_2026-10-16 (drawings, refs, journal). Key files: base_v2u (plan, concept U), osso_stack_side_v2u (side), osso_exploded_v2v (exploded view plus section A-A, 2 pages). Locked: 140mm board, 11.5mm interposer gap (13.1mm pitch), corner brass power bus at 10A per rail, 32 companion pads, 150mm cube enclosure. Pin TBD. Everything after this is v3.

Oct 16, 2026 10:46 AM ET: v3 process review, step 1 (fixturing and registration)

Oct 16, 2026 · 10:46 AM ET · #

the designer: the blank mounts in a jig hard-mounted to the laser optical table. A microscope camera fixed rigidly to the galvo is zoomed on the blank registration mark, and the operator adjusts the jig screws while watching a large video display. OSSO notes: (1) a fixed camera sees one point, but correcting rotation needs at least 2 widely spaced marks, so the jig must translate between marks or the camera offset must be known; (2) the 140mm blank in the 150mm field leaves about 5mm per side, so the alignment budget is tight; (3) double-sided engraving needs a datum visible from both sides, so consider drilled or plated reference holes (e.g. the corner M3s) rather than surface-only fiducials.

Oct 16, 2026 10:48 AM ET: v3 process review, step 2 (silk removal)

Oct 16, 2026 · 10:48 AM ET · #

the designer: the engraver removes all silkscreen that should not remain (the inverse of the silk image). The ENIG pads are not silk-covered, so they are excluded, along with cutouts and drills. OSSO notes: (1) on the blank, the silk must stop about 0.2mm short of all ENIG pads (pogo, corner rings, companion lap pads); (2) laser settings must remove silk without damaging the soldermask, which needs a laser test; (3) the removal image = board outline minus kept silk, pads, cutouts and drills, which can be auto-generated by the Spec-to-Object tool.

Oct 16, 2026 10:49 AM ET: v3 process review, step 3 (mask opening)

Oct 16, 2026 · 10:49 AM ET · #

the designer: remove the soldermask everywhere copper must be exposed for SMT mounting. OSSO notes: (1) mask opening comes before copper isolation, so the jig must hold registration between steps; (2) the new openings are bare copper (not ENIG) and need soldering soon, flux or OSP to avoid oxidation; (3) a mask-ablation laser test is needed, and openings should be about 0.05-0.1mm larger than the pads.

Oct 16, 2026 10:51 AM ET: v3 process review, step 4 (in-place stencil)

Oct 16, 2026 · 10:51 AM ET · #

the designer: apply a flexible adhesive stencil film to the PCB and laser-cut the paste areas. OSSO notes: (1) the stencil is self-registered, which is a big advantage; (2) use about 0.1-0.13mm polyimide/Kapton-type film (it sets the paste height) with clean peel and no residue; (3) a film-cut laser test is needed so cuts don't mark the exposed copper; (4) paste windows about 90% of pad area, and pogo, corner and companion ENIG pads stay covered (no paste). Correction (10:52 AM): companion lap pads likely DO get paste (soldered joint); only pogo and corner ENIG pads stay covered.

Oct 16, 2026 10:51 AM ET: v3 process review, step 5 (paste and stencil removal)

Oct 16, 2026 · 10:51 AM ET · #

the designer: squeegee the paste through the film, then peel the stencil off. OSSO notes: peel slowly at a low angle while the paste is wet; the jig must hold the board flat under squeegee pressure, and a film border helps the peel; the pogo and corner ENIG pads stay clean under the film.

Oct 16, 2026 10:52 AM ET: v3 process, renumbered

Oct 16, 2026 · 10:52 AM ET · #

the designer added copper isolation after mask opening. Sequence: 1 fixture and register; 2 silk removal (inverse); 3 mask opening for SMT; 4 copper isolation (engrave negative outlines to define traces, rest stays as ground fill); 5 adhesive stencil film and paste-window cut; 6 paste, then peel stencil. OSSO notes for step 4: cut goes through mask plus copper (laser test needed, passes depend on copper weight); about 0.15-0.2mm isolation gaps; ground fill ties to the - corner bus; clean debris before stencil film.

Oct 16, 2026 10:53 AM ET: v3 process, steps 6b-10 (top-side components only for now)

Oct 16, 2026 · 10:53 AM ET · #

6b place components (jig camera can guide); 7 reflow, using a soak profile for the large ground-fill heat sink and keeping the board flat; 8 clean (IPA or wash), dry fully, keep ENIG pogo and corner pads bright; 9 inspect under the microscope camera, then continuity/short test (watch for slivers from isolation); 10 optional conformal coat or OSP on any remaining bare copper. Only top-side SMT for now, so a single reflow; the bottom side carries traces and pads only.

Oct 16, 2026 11:00 AM ET: v3 process compiled; alignment recommendations

Oct 16, 2026 · 11:00 AM ET · #

Oct 16, 2026 10:59 AM ET: Why top-side components only

Oct 16, 2026 · 10:59 AM ET · #

the designer: components go on the top side only because of tight packaging interference within the stack. It is better to add another layer to the stack than to work around bottom-side parts. Someday simple low-profile passives could go on the bottom, but that complication is avoided for now.

Oct 16, 2026 11:01 AM ET: In-circuit test (ICT) as a stack layer

Oct 16, 2026 · 11:01 AM ET · #

the designer: ICT can be done with a dedicated test PCB that temporarily acts as another stack layer, using the standard interposer. Extra ENIG test pads (not interposer pads) may be added to boards for this custom ICT. OSSO note: test pads must stay reachable, clear of the printed ring, columns and spine (or the test interposer gets matching holes).

Oct 16, 2026 11:02 AM ET: No bare copper rule

Oct 16, 2026 · 11:02 AM ET · #

the designer: avoid bare copper. Every laser-exposed copper area gets solder via paste and reflow, including unused (no-populate) pads, which still get paste. All other pads must be ENIG from the factory. Process change: the stencil paste windows include no-populate pads; step 13 (optional coat/OSP) is dropped.

Oct 16, 2026 11:04 AM ET: PINNED, open item

Oct 16, 2026 · 11:04 AM ET · #

Isolation-cut copper edges (bare sidewall on both sides, bottom never reflowed). Options discussed: conformal coat masked with laser-opened stencil film, or accept the edges and run tarnish tests. the designer may prefer other TBD methods. Unresolved.

Oct 16, 2026 11:05 AM ET: Cleaning after mask reveal

Oct 16, 2026 · 11:05 AM ET · #

the designer: a cleaning step after the copper reveal lets the laser "just barely" get through. OSSO: IPA removes loose soot but not charred mask film; plan a stop-short laser pass, then IPA, then a light mechanical scrub (fiberglass pen or Scotch-Brite) or a mild flux wipe. Add the cleaning method comparison to the mask-off-copper laser test. Status (11:06 AM): cleaning method after mask reveal is TBD and will be decided by laser testing.

Oct 16, 2026 11:08 AM ET: v3a alignment proposal drawing

Oct 16, 2026 · 11:08 AM ET · #

Oct 16, 2026 11:12 AM ET: v3 concept A (alignment changes adopted)

Oct 16, 2026 · 11:12 AM ET · #

the designer accepted all of align_proposal_v3a (R1-R8). The v2 files are untouched.

Oct 16, 2026 11:14 AM ET: Companion board design note (future)

Oct 16, 2026 · 11:14 AM ET · #

the designer: some companion boards may extend beyond the overall 140mm outline to allow large or specialty components. OSSO note: this affects the 150mm enclosure (it needs openings or a larger shell) and the no-edge-stop side at x=0.

Oct 16, 2026 11:15 AM ET: Tuning priorities

Oct 16, 2026 · 11:15 AM ET · #

Most tuning expected: (1) SMT copper exposure (mask off without char or copper damage); (2) copper isolation (clean cut, no slivers or FR4 damage); (3) stencil film cut, which lands on freshly exposed bare copper and must not mark it (the designer). Silk removal is expected to be easier.

Oct 16, 2026 11:17 AM ET: Blank copper weight

Oct 16, 2026 · 11:17 AM ET · #

Decision: blank uses 1oz (35um) copper. Remaining blank-only decisions: mask and silk color/type for UV ablation; thickness and ENIG spec; pogo pin and column width; drill and plating specs; what fixed silk ships on the blank.

Oct 16, 2026 11:20 AM ET: Blank spec decisions

Oct 16, 2026 · 11:20 AM ET · #

Oct 16, 2026 11:22 AM ET: v3 concept B (Ø3.0 pogo pads, blank spec)

Oct 16, 2026 · 11:22 AM ET · #

Oct 16, 2026 11:24 AM ET: First Gerber prep (PCBWay upload test)

Oct 16, 2026 · 11:24 AM ET · #

Confirmed: the M2 companion anchors are NPTH. Before generating, sizes still to set: via drill/pad, TH zone drill/pad, fiducial hole size (0.4mm suggested), M3 plated 3.2mm. Non-standard fab notes: full silk flood over copper (no clipping except pulled back from ENIG), full copper pour both sides fully masked, ENIG only on exposed pads, isolated pads in pour intentional, NPTH callouts, routed NPTH slot, tight tolerance on tooling datum, no order number or markings, single boards with no panel tabs.

Oct 16, 2026 11:30 AM ET: First Gerber set, OSSO BLANK v3b (PCBWay upload test)

Oct 16, 2026 · 11:30 AM ET · #

Oct 16, 2026 11:30 AM ET: v3b Gerbers, pin-1 mark restored

Oct 16, 2026 · 11:30 AM ET · #

the designer: "no markings" means no labels or branding only; all alignment marks stay. Pin-1 triangle added as a silk VOID (black mask shows): top (13,127)-(19,127)-(13,121); bottom mirrored under the L-R flip at (127,127)-(121,127)-(127,121), so it reads top-left when the flipped board is viewed from its own side. Clearance: C/C' keep-outs end at y=114.5, corner clamp rings at x 130.5, top TH zone ends at y 99.7, so no collisions. Verified present: A (22,22), B (118,22) Ø0.4 plated + rings both sides; C (118,112) top; C' (22,112) bottom; tooling hole Ø3.0 (70,4.0); slot 2.0x3.0 (70,136.0). FAB_NOTES item 9 updated, zip regenerated, top/bottom previews refreshed.

Oct 16, 2026 11:32 AM ET: Via size

Oct 16, 2026 · 11:32 AM ET · #

the designer accepted the 0.3mm drill / 0.6mm pad vias as used in the Gerbers. The v3b Gerber set is conceptual, for PCBWay pricing and technical verification. Drawing notes (Ø0.6/Ø1.0) to be corrected in the next drawing revision.

Oct 16, 2026 11:32 AM ET: VERSION 3 FROZEN

Oct 16, 2026 · 11:32 AM ET · #

Snapshot: versions/v3_2026-10-16 (drawings, refs, fab, process, journal). Key: base_v3b plan, exploded_v3b plus section, side_v3a, PROCESS_v3, Gerbers OSSO_blank_v3b (PCBWay concept test). Blank spec: 1.6mm FR4, 1oz, ENIG, black mask, white silk flood, Ø3.0 pogo pads, dowel hole and slot, fiducials A/B/C. Everything after this is v4.

Oct 16, 2026 11:36 AM ET: ENIG gold thickness

Oct 16, 2026 · 11:36 AM ET · #

Test board: 1u" immersion gold (PCBWay default). Later revisions: consider upgrading to 2u" for wear on the repeatedly mated pogo and corner contact pads.

Oct 16, 2026 11:38 AM ET: PCBWay quote

Oct 16, 2026 · 11:38 AM ET · #

Oct 16, 2026 11:46 AM ET: Jig pins

Oct 16, 2026 · 11:46 AM ET · #

the designer: use two plain round dowel pins, a snug one in the Ø3.0 tooling hole and a Ø2.0 one in the 2.0x3.0 slot (free along y on x=70). The slot replaces a diamond pin. Use ground h6 dowels with chamfered tops; the round-hole pin is slightly taller.

Oct 16, 2026 12:02 PM ET: PCBWay APPROVED

Oct 16, 2026 · 12:02 PM ET · #

Oct 16, 2026 12:03 PM ET: Blanks ordered

Oct 16, 2026 · 12:03 PM ET · #

the designer ordered the 5 OSSO_blank_v3b boards from PCBWay using store credits (low risk). Purpose: real-material laser tests (silk, mask, isolation, film) instead of scrap.

Oct 16, 2026 1:40 PM ET: Jig design start

Oct 16, 2026 · 1:40 PM ET · #

Laser table: M6 threaded holes on a 25x25mm grid, blind and only about 4-5mm deep. Implications: short screws, low torque, so use many fixing points; a stiff aluminum base plate (~200x200, 6-10mm) with 8+ M6; dowels on the flip line under the galvo center; a top plate with push-pull X/Y/rotation fine adjust; clear the area under the cutouts; hold the board flat (vacuum or edge clamps). Need: galvo center vs grid, focal height.

Oct 16, 2026 1:45 PM ET: Jig concept A (v4a), FDM first iteration

Oct 16, 2026 · 1:45 PM ET · #

the designer: the first jig is an FDM print, made for iterating, not aluminum.

2026-10-16 1:48 PM ET — Jig registration plan

Oct 16, 2026 · 1:48 PM ET · #

Oct 16, 2026 1:58 PM ET: Jig v4b 3D CAD (concept A)

Oct 16, 2026 · 1:58 PM ET · #

2026-10-16 2:45 PM ET — Version 4 frozen

Oct 16, 2026 · 2:45 PM ET · #

Oct 16, 2026 3:17 PM ET: Jig v4b Bambu Studio 3MF projects

Oct 16, 2026 · 3:17 PM ET · #

2026-10-16 3:31 PM ET — Jig material path

Oct 16, 2026 · 3:31 PM ET · #

2026-10-16 10:08 PM ET — Carrier v4b print feedback

Oct 16, 2026 · 10:08 PM ET · #

Oct 16, 2026 10:14 PM ET: Jig v4c carrier (face-up, no pockets)

Oct 16, 2026 · 10:14 PM ET · #

the designer's first carrier print (v4b, support face down): the dowel holes collapsed without supports, and the first layers were messy while the top layers were perfect.

2026-10-16 10:35 PM ET — 3MF fix (v4c)

Oct 16, 2026 · 10:35 PM ET · #