Documentation

Soldering pad having different auras upon different layers

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General

From version V14 on a soldering pad or a via can achieve different auras on different layers. The main case for using this function is to connect a pad to a certain supply plane by completely embedding it into this plane (i.e. to set it's aura to zero) while the aura remains on other layers. This function will be useful too when working with inner layers or with padstacks. Please find this function in dialog "Change pads".


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How to embed a soldering pad which leads a supply signal (e.g. GND) on one side completely into a groundplane

Padaura 1.png

Figure 1: Pad No. 1 (arrow) is connected to the groundplane GND (red) by it's signal track.


Figure 1 shows that Pad No. 1 is conneted to the GND Groundplane only by it's signal track. The aura (white) remains for all copper layers. You might increase the connective area by transforming the pad to a "Thermal pad". But what you really want is to reduce the aura of this pad on this current layer to zero, for to embed the pad into the groundplane completely. How to do so? First highlight the soldering pad either with a doubleclick M11 or press keyboard key s for selection as long as the desired pad flashes. Highlight it with [Enter] and open the dialog "Change pads" by the use of key [e] (for edit):



Padaura 2.png

Figure 2: The dialog "Change pads" (from version V14 on).


In this dialog enter to the field "No aura for these layers" the layer number for which layer you like to have the aura set to zero. In our case enter character "2" for copper bottom. You may enter several layer numbers within this field - separated by a comma (z.B. 2,10,16,...). After confirmation with Ok you'll see the result immediately:


Padaura 3.png

Figure 3: Pad No. 1 completely is embedded into the area upon layer 2. It's aura is gone.



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The aura remains on another supply layer

Now we want to check whether the aura of the pad remained on a different suppy layer area. Using the Groundplane assistant we now create another supply area VDD on layer 16, copper top:


Padaura 4.png

Figure 4: The Groundplane assistant in layout Menu Actions


After confirmation with Ok we note that the pads aura on layer 16 VDD (blue) remained.


Padaura 5.png

Figure 5: The pad's aura remains on another layer. 16, copper top in this case.



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How to embed all VDD pads within the VDD plane on one strike

Maybe you wish to embed all solder pads carrying a certain supply signal into the corresponding copper layer. Please first use the Selection assistant in Menu Edit.


Padaura 6.png

Figure 6: The selection assistant showing the search criteria entered.


All pads, carrying the desired signal get highlighted.


Padaura 7a.png

Figure 7: Highlighted VDD-Pads


Now open the dialog "Change pads" by the use of key [e] (for edit) and use the same procedure as described above. See the result after confirmation with Ok:


Padaura 7.png

Figure 8: VDD Pads embeddet into the VDD plane



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