Plated Through Slots

On 18.04.2018 22:38, Chuck Huber wrote:

 

Good afternoon, all,

 

What is the best way to designate a slot to be plated through?

Essentially, I need an oval shaped hole that's plated through.

 

Eagle v7.7.0.

 

Ideas?

 

Thanks,

    - Chuck

 

 

Ive done this quite a few times (Eagle 7.7.0). It works best on library

parts because then you can control each layer in the same go. Adding a

milled slot directly on the board requires careful planned routing

around and under it.

In the package editor, I start with a pad somewhere at one corner/end of

the slot. If you set the pad hole size to the mill width, you can get a

better impression how much copper you need around the slot. Then I add

the mill shape over the pin. In some cases a oblong pad may be the

correct shape, but if not, I draw a polygon on each of the 16 layers,

even if Im only using just a few of them. Make sure the polygons

generates a "rest edge" as large as the rest-ring of the pad. Always add

stop and paste layers to polygon pads. You may disalbe the pad's stop

and paste, but they should ideally merge with the one you draw.

Remember to send the gerbers of the mill layer and write a doc how to

use it.

The manufacturer will most likely understand that milled patterns in the

middle of all-layers copper island should be plated, but you better add

it to the docs too.

Note:If you embed the slots in polygons, the fill thermals maybe have

some connection issues with polygon pads. Make sure they look ok, or

disable thermals of the polygons. Also note the added heat required to

solder these slots.

On 04/19/2018 07:42 AM, Morten Leikvoll wrote:

On 18.04.2018 22:38, Chuck Huber wrote:

 

Good afternoon, all,

 

What is the best way to designate a slot to be plated through?

Essentially, I need an oval shaped hole that's plated through.

 

Eagle v7.7.0.

 

Ideas?

 

Thanks,

     - Chuck

 

 

 

Ive done this quite a few times (Eagle 7.7.0). It works best on

library parts because then you can control each layer in the same go.

Adding a milled slot directly on the board requires careful planned

routing around and under it.

 

In the package editor, I start with a pad somewhere at one corner/end

of the slot. If you set the pad hole size to the mill width, you can

get a better impression how much copper you need around the slot. Then

I add the mill shape over the pin. In some cases a oblong pad may be

the correct shape, but if not, I draw a polygon on each of the 16

layers, even if Im only using just a few of them. Make sure the

polygons generates a "rest edge" as large as the rest-ring of the pad.

Always add stop and paste layers to polygon pads. You may disalbe the

pad's stop and paste, but they should ideally merge with the one you

draw.

 

Remember to send the gerbers of the mill layer and write a doc how to

use it.

 

The manufacturer will most likely understand that milled patterns in

the middle of all-layers copper island should be plated, but you

better add it to the docs too.

 

Note:If you embed the slots in polygons, the fill thermals maybe have

some connection issues with polygon pads. Make sure they look ok, or

disable thermals of the polygons. Also note the added heat required to

solder these slots.

Good morning, Morton and Paul,

That's about what I was thinking as well.  I hadn't thought about

putting a manual rest ring in on all layers, nor the mask.  The pad

confirming the finished hole size is another good idea.  All good ideas.

I agree with the problems of using the milling layer on the board.  It's

very easy to overlook a trace crossing over it - I've don't it.  As

such, I use the dimension layer for non-plated slots to allow the DRC to

catch such errors.

The copper around the slot and a note in the README should queue the

board house to route the slot prior to plating, or at least to call me

if they're left scratching their heads.

Thanks,

    - Chuck

On 04/19/2018 07:42 AM, Morten Leikvoll wrote:

On 18.04.2018 22:38, Chuck Huber wrote:

 

Good afternoon, all,

 

What is the best way to designate a slot to be plated through?

Essentially, I need an oval shaped hole that's plated through.

 

Eagle v7.7.0.

 

Ideas?

 

Thanks,

     - Chuck

 

 

 

Ive done this quite a few times (Eagle 7.7.0). It works best on

library parts because then you can control each layer in the same go.

Adding a milled slot directly on the board requires careful planned

routing around and under it.

 

In the package editor, I start with a pad somewhere at one corner/end

of the slot. If you set the pad hole size to the mill width, you can

get a better impression how much copper you need around the slot. Then

I add the mill shape over the pin. In some cases a oblong pad may be

the correct shape, but if not, I draw a polygon on each of the 16

layers, even if Im only using just a few of them. Make sure the

polygons generates a "rest edge" as large as the rest-ring of the pad.

Always add stop and paste layers to polygon pads. You may disalbe the

pad's stop and paste, but they should ideally merge with the one you

draw.

 

Remember to send the gerbers of the mill layer and write a doc how to

use it.

 

The manufacturer will most likely understand that milled patterns in

the middle of all-layers copper island should be plated, but you

better add it to the docs too.

 

Note:If you embed the slots in polygons, the fill thermals maybe have

some connection issues with polygon pads. Make sure they look ok, or

disable thermals of the polygons. Also note the added heat required to

solder these slots.

Good morning, Morton and Paul,

That's about what I was thinking as well.  I hadn't thought about

putting a manual rest ring in on all layers, nor the mask.  The pad

confirming the finished hole size is another good idea.  All good ideas.

I agree with the problems of using the milling layer on the board.  It's

very easy to overlook a trace crossing over it - I've don't it.  As

such, I use the dimension layer for non-plated slots to allow the DRC to

catch such errors.

The copper around the slot and a note in the README should queue the

board house to route the slot prior to plating, or at least to call me

if they're left scratching their heads.

Thanks,

    - Chuck