Apertures in EKI-LM4F232 board

Hi Alex,

  This is a multi layer board.  You risk shorting out the internal layers of the board if you drill in the corners.  I do not recommend drilling the board.

- Ken

Alexander Uvarov

TI's engineers did it

I think that is highly unlikely!

I very much doubt that TI engineers actually drilled the holes themselves!
Almost certainly, the photo shows a (slightly) different revision of the boad - which was manufactured with the holes in it.

Alexander Uvarov

supposed that it's possible without any damage

Suspect that poster/interested others really seek method to: "Safely/easily mount" this "mounting-hole free," relatively expensive pcb.  (who/where pcb drilled was unfortunate word choice by non-native English speaker - "seized" (by follow-up) as means to state the obvious - yet without significant thought/merit.)   Proposed instead - several "safe/real" solutions with added benefits...

Here's what's worked for our group: inserted male, single row headers, from the top of M4F Eval board.  This provided greatest use of the Eval bd.  Second board (our custom,  general application board) - inserted precisely mating, female, single row sockets, from the bottom of our 2nd/application bd.  Thus the Eval board mounts firmly beneath our application board - held by the friction of >80 header/socket joints.  (while enabling fast board to board disconnect - or the creation of different, application boards.)   Note that each/every edge pin from the Eval board is accessible from our (top) application board (we used female sockets with longer male pins - these pins enable easy connection (just as they do on the Eval board with male pins inserted from top) but with the added benefit of our including signal identification on the top, Ap board's silk screen.  (unfortunately "missed" on M4F QFP Eval - but included on earlier M4F BGA Eval - this proves both an enormous "time-saver" and serves to provide some protection against signal "mis-routing" - caused by the abundance of heretofore, "unmarked" pins. 

Those still interested/awake note mounting info still awol...  Our application pcbs include, "mounting tabs" - which include the "over-looked" mounting holes.  These tabs are pre-scored (enabling easy "separation") - projecting both from each side and top/bottom of the Ap board.   Standard hardware (plastic spacers) then pass just beyond (i.e. wider or longer than) the Eval board to enable our 2-board "assembly" to mount to a chassis/enclosure. 

Note - method described won't soon fly on the Shuttle (BTW - Shuttle RIP) nor work "issue-free" in other high vibration environments.  (not really the intention of an Eval board) 

Those not adding custom circuitry (i.e. larger, more legible display, mini-joystick, keypad, audio transducer etc) may velcro small pcb "squares" (which hold pre-mounted, "headless" screws) to the bottom of the Eval board - "maintaining" the Eval board's footprint and eliminating any 2nd board addition.  May also insert Eval board's "edges" into mated slots of non-conductive, "stand-off slabs."  These add to Eval's footprint - but immobilize it - and of course include the "missing" mounting holes...