solder pads and vias in isolation routing

[dirktheeng]

All,

just a quick question. How do you handle solder pads and vias from eagle when you do isolation routing? Aren't these things something that a board manufacturer usually puts on? is there a way to do that ourselves?

[StigOE]

When you do isolation routing, the solder pads are routed just like the tracks and are just part of a track. Vias are just a hole through the board and a small piece of wire through the hole and soldered on both sides. Another option instead of a wire is a small pin through the hole, soldered on both sides. I can't remember the name of the pins. Multicore had a kit for making "plated-through" vias some time ago, but I think it disappeared when RoHS started to come in effect.

Stig

[bdring]

The output for the layers like a Gerber file contains all the copper in one file. The traces and pads are all connected together. Eagle has some ways to help with isolation routing.

I would not recommend doing a large or 2 layer board. It is not worth the effort. Raw, unplated, unmasked copper is not as easy to solder to. Vias and pins that use both side need to be double soldered. It is not like it is free either. The board material is not cheap and you need special bits. The only advantage is being able to prototype the same day.

Getting real, two sided boards are so cheap and fast these days. I like to use Gold Phoenix or Myro. It cost about $100, delivered for about 100 square inches in 5 days. There are cheaper smaller batch houses, but they take longer.

[macona]

And dorkbotpdx.org has a great deal on boards. Three boards for $5 a square inch. Thats double layer, purple conformal, gold plated, routed to size. Real nice boards, I have done a bunch. They also have larger quantity options now as well. And the spacings allowed are real small so you don't have to worry about even the finest of pitches.

I won't even think about making my own boards as long as this deal is around.

http://dorkbotpdx.org/wiki/pcb_order

[dirktheeng]

And dorkbotpdx.org has a great deal on boards. Three boards for $5 a square inch. Thats double layer, purple conformal, gold plated, routed to size. Real nice boards, I have done a bunch. They also have larger quantity options now as well. And the spacings allowed are real small so you don't have to worry about even the finest of pitches.

I won't even think about making my own boards as long as this deal is around.

http://dorkbotpdx.org/wiki/pcb_order

They say it is $5/sqin for 3 copies... does that mean if the design is 10sqin that it is $50 for the 3 or $150? I'll probably get a few boards made for a project. Have you used them before?

[bdring]

If your board is larger use Gold Phoenix. 155 sq/in for $110. That is less than $1/sqin.

http://www.goldphoenixpcb.com/singlepag ... ecialprice

The quality is great. I have ordered dozens of different designs.

[StigOE]

They say it is $5/sqin for 3 copies... does that mean if the design is 10sqin that it is $50 for the 3 or $150?

It's $50 for all 3, including shipping in the US.

[dren.dk]

Guys, stop screwing around with home made PCBs, have a look here:
http://iteadstudio.com/store/index.php? ... cts_id=175

Yes, that's $2.5 per 10x10 cm PCB and the quality is *so* much better than what you can make on your own.

I've used them quite a bit and written a page about it here:
https://github.com/dren-dk/HAL900/wiki/ ... g-at-ITead