Tilmann Reh wrote:> > Ralph Malph schrieb: > > > > Or could I use a polygon to open up an area in the solder mask? I did > > > not try much in that area. > > > > By George! That did it! I can draw a rectangle on the tStop layer to > > open up some copper around the six pads. I already found somewhere that > > you can put the same name on multiple pads by adding a $ or # or > > something similar to the name. So I could use six pads inside a solder > > mask rectangle to add these to the part. > > ... > > The inner rectangle has no solder mask and six 0.013" vias. The outer > > rectangle has solder mask and 0.018" vias. I don't see how to do the > > outer ones. > > Sorry, I really can't see your problem here. > > EAGLE does not support extended pad shapes in packages without > DRC complaints, but you can draw about anything directly in your > board (most often using polygons makes sense) with perfect match > of specifications and DRC. However, you can include non-copper > objects (like stop mask) in the package definition. > > I have written about this several times in eagle.support.eng, > I thought you had noticed that.But you don't say anything about the pads or vias that are needed to connect to the other side of the board. I guess I could use a stop mask rectangle in the package to allow the heat transfer pad on the part to be soldered to the board. But then all the rest of this area has to be hand drawn, the copper pour on both layers and the 10 vias with two different hole sizes. The fact that I can't put this in the package in the library is my complaint. It is silly to have to manually add these features each time you use the part.
What is the Best PCB Layout software ? (Money no object)
Started by ●January 12, 2004
Reply by ●January 14, 20042004-01-14
Reply by ●January 14, 20042004-01-14
I *am* using polygons. The problem is with the vias that need to be added. I have to do this manually on the board rather than once in the package. Kay Schubert wrote:> > Ralph, > > try to use polygones. Don't forget to give it/them the right signal name. If > the signal name (e.g. GND) is the same for different polygones or Vias, > Eagle will connect them together ( or tries it). I hope it helps you.... > > ...kay > > "Ralph Malph" <noone@yahoo.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag > news:40037BCE.9A6DFF99@yahoo.com... > > Ralph Malph wrote: > > > > > > Ian McBride wrote: > > > > > > > > "Ralph Malph" <noone@yahoo.com> wrote in message > > > > news:40036859.F8EA05E7@yahoo.com... > > > > > > > > > One thing it can't do (without screwing up the DRC) is holes in a > PAD. > > > > > I am using a small regulator that requires heat spreaders on the top > and > > > > > bottom of the board connected by vias directly under the thermal pad > on > > > > > the bottom of the package. I know this is not normal, but TI > recommends > > > > > it. I was never able to get rid of the DRC errors this produced. > > > > > > > > If this is the package I remember, you can make the thermal pad a > small pad > > > > with THERMAL=OFF inside a rectangle on the top layer. A pain, but no > DRC > > > > complaints. > > > > > > I am not trying to make a thermal. I am trying to make a fairly large > > > rectangular pad with six holes (vias) in it. The entire rectangle needs > > > to have the solder mask removed from it. I guess I could have split the > > > pad up into six equal, rectangular areas as pads. But they should be > > > touching and I don't think I can get this past the DRC either unless I > > > allow everything to touch. I believe I have object spacing set for 10 > > > mil at the moment. > > > > > > Or could I use a polygon to open up an area in the solder mask? I did > > > not try much in that area. > > > > By George! That did it! I can draw a rectangle on the tStop layer to > > open up some copper around the six pads. I already found somewhere that > > you can put the same name on multiple pads by adding a $ or # or > > something similar to the name. So I could use six pads inside a solder > > mask rectangle to add these to the part. > > > > However, there are still four more vias that are outside this pad area > > that need a surface plane which is under solder mask. I believe adding > > a rectangle to the copper layer of a part causes problems because it > > does not have the signal name. Or maybe a rectangle does not need a > > name? But will that cause other problems such as a copper pour leaving > > a gap around it? > > > > The part according to TI should be like this... > > > > +---------------------+ > > | +-----------+ | > > | O | o o o | O | > > | | | | > > | | | | > > | O | o o o | O | > > | +-----------+ | > > +---------------------+ > > > > The inner rectangle has no solder mask and six 0.013" vias. The outer > > rectangle has solder mask and 0.018" vias. I don't see how to do the > > outer ones.
Reply by ●January 14, 20042004-01-14
Ralph Malph schrieb:> ... > But then all the rest of this area has to be > hand drawn, the copper pour on both layers and the 10 vias with two > different hole sizes. > > The fact that I can't put this in the package in the library is my > complaint. It is silly to have to manually add these features each time > you use the part.Agreed, this topic is already on our wishlist. But currently, the described method is the only one that is DRC-clean, and normally there are not too many of those packages on each board. -- Dipl.-Ing. Tilmann Reh Autometer GmbH Siegen - Elektronik nach Ma�. http://www.autometer.de ================================================================== In a world without walls and fences, who needs Windows and Gates ? (Sun Microsystems)
Reply by ●January 4, 20132013-01-04
In my opinion, it's clearly EAGLES PCB Design software. You can try out the free trial first. The support and tutorials are awesome, too! http://www.cadsoftusa.com/
Reply by ●January 4, 20132013-01-04
On 1/4/2013 4:43 AM, manu28101992@googlemail.com wrote:> In my opinion, it's clearly EAGLES PCB Design software. > You can try out the free trial first. > The support and tutorials are awesome, too! > > > http://www.cadsoftusa.com/ >The best is Altium. No limits, no funny libraries, not just a hobby tool.
Reply by ●January 4, 20132013-01-04
On 04/01/2013 14:03, hamilton wrote:> On 1/4/2013 4:43 AM, manu28101992@googlemail.com wrote: >> In my opinion, it's clearly EAGLES PCB Design software. >> You can try out the free trial first. >> The support and tutorials are awesome, too! >> >> >> http://www.cadsoftusa.com/ >> > The best is Altium. > > No limits, no funny libraries, not just a hobby tool. > >If you are a full-time PCB designer, and not a circuit designer, then Altium may be a good choice. If PCB design is something you do occasionally, then stay away, it's far too complicated and you need to re-learn everything you've forgotten every time you use it. Cheers -- Syd
Reply by ●January 4, 20132013-01-04
On 2013-01-04, hamilton <hamilton@nothere.com> wrote:> On 1/4/2013 4:43 AM, manu28101992@googlemail.com wrote: >> In my opinion, it's clearly EAGLES PCB Design software. >> You can try out the free trial first. >> The support and tutorials are awesome, too! >> >> >> http://www.cadsoftusa.com/ >> > The best is Altium. > > No limits, no funny libraries, not just a hobby tool.Unfortunately that appears to be available just for for a hobby OS. -- Grant Edwards grant.b.edwards Yow! I'm thinking about at DIGITAL READ-OUT systems gmail.com and computer-generated IMAGE FORMATIONS ...
Reply by ●January 4, 20132013-01-04
In article <20cf19a8-5875-4479-a981-926de1dc3234@googlegroups.com>, manu28101992@googlemail.com says...> > In my opinion, it's clearly EAGLES PCB Design software. > You can try out the free trial first. > The support and tutorials are awesome, too! > > > http://www.cadsoftusa.com/My biggest issue with Eagle is that I have a terrible time getting other people's schematics to print out properly on a B/W laser printer. The colored lines and text look like crap and are nearly illegible on an 8.5x11" printout. (This may be a user-education fault on my part.) I often run into this problem when printing out schematics for the boards from Olimex. I use PADS Logic, Layout, and Router from Mentor Graphics. The original package was about $4K for the basic setup. You can add some features for extra bucks. It only autoroutes two layerss at the level I have, but that's fine since I don't do boards with more than 4 layers--two of which are usually ground and power planes. The printouts look good too. The colored stuff gets converted to B/W in a way that keeps things legible. Mark Borgerson
Reply by ●January 4, 20132013-01-04
On 04/01/13 17:43, Mark Borgerson wrote:> In article <20cf19a8-5875-4479-a981-926de1dc3234@googlegroups.com>, > manu28101992@googlemail.com says... >> >> In my opinion, it's clearly EAGLES PCB Design software. >> You can try out the free trial first. >> The support and tutorials are awesome, too! >> >> >> http://www.cadsoftusa.com/ > > My biggest issue with Eagle is that I have a terrible time getting other > people's schematics to print out properly on a B/W laser printer. The > colored lines and text look like crap and are nearly illegible on > an 8.5x11" printout. (This may be a user-education fault on my part.) > I often run into this problem when printing out schematics for the > boards from Olimex. > > I use PADS Logic, Layout, and Router from Mentor Graphics. The > original package was about $4K for the basic setup. You can add > some features for extra bucks. It only autoroutes two layerss > at the level I have, but that's fine since I don't do boards with > more than 4 layers--two of which are usually ground and power planes. > > The printouts look good too. The colored stuff gets converted > to B/W in a way that keeps things legible. > > > Mark Borgerson >I've got no comments about the quality of the software or its suitability for the job, but if you are happy spending $4K on the software then surely you also have the budget for an A3 colour printer?
Reply by ●January 4, 20132013-01-04
On Friday, January 4, 2013 11:43:13 AM UTC-5, Mark Borgerson wrote:> My biggest issue with Eagle is that I have a terrible time getting other > people's schematics to print out properly on a B/W laser printer. The > colored lines and text look like crap and are nearly illegible on > an 8.5x11" printout. (This may be a user-education fault on my part.) > I often run into this problem when printing out schematics for the > boards from Olimex.You can force monochrome (check "black" in print dialog for better monochrome readability. Alternatively, get one of these, works great and decent size output: Canon PIXMA iX6520 Inkjet Business Printer $149.95 The paper costs more than the printer ! Hope that helps, Best Regards, Dave
