Copper pour spoke infill 220922

Making PCB Layouts, Manual routing, Auto-routing, Copper pouring, Updating from Schematic, Manufacturing Output
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allenpitts
Posts: 52
Joined: 29 Sep 2017, 13:03

Copper pour spoke infill 220922

#1 Post by allenpitts » 22 Sep 2022, 04:12

Hello DipTrace Forum,

Working on PCB with a copper pours for a ground plane and
for a power/signal plane.
The engineer with whom I am working counsels that the spokes connecting
the pour near the barrel jack and the fuse (see attached image
of PCB pour, specifically the purple circles at top right) will not
be enough copper area to carry all the current flowing to
these components. It is recommended that the spokes be filled in
between the component pad and the pour.

A search has been done for how to fill in the area spokes on the
pads connected to the pour (Copper Pour Thermal Spoke Width as Percentage)
but not sure if what was found could be applied.

How can the pad that has spokes be completely and directly connected
to the copper pour?

Thanks.

Allen Pitts
Dallas TX
Attachments
20220920 markup of Staircase_PCB_top_level_220914.jpg
20220920 markup of Staircase_PCB_top_level_220914.jpg (297.79 KiB) Viewed 341 times

allenpitts
Posts: 52
Joined: 29 Sep 2017, 13:03

Re: Copper pour spoke infill 220922

#2 Post by allenpitts » 22 Sep 2022, 04:59

PS. One of the forum posts found suggested drawing shapes to infill spoked pads to
connect to a copper pour. And the PCB Layout Help notes that one can
Place shapes on silk, assembly, component outline, courtyard, mask, paste, board outline,
copper (Signal and Plane), Route Keepout, Placement Keepout layers.

An attempt to draw shapes to infill spokes to a copper has been made
as shown in the attached image. The grey rectangles around the oblong
pad with yellow arrows are shapes drawn.
Ok, by accident the solution may have been found. The grey rectangles
were drawn with the Current Shape and Text Layer = Top Assembly.
In the second image attached, marked "Shapes drawn at the Current Shape
and Text Layer = Signal/Plane" the shapes now seem to be connecting
the pads to the copper pour.

Does this look like the pads are connecting to the pour?

Thanks.

Allen Pitts
Attachments
Spoke_Infill_220922_b.jpg
Spoke_Infill_220922_b.jpg (92.66 KiB) Viewed 340 times
Spoke_Infill_220922.jpg
Spoke_Infill_220922.jpg (130.21 KiB) Viewed 340 times

allenpitts
Posts: 52
Joined: 29 Sep 2017, 13:03

Re: Copper pour spoke infill 220922

#3 Post by allenpitts » 22 Sep 2022, 05:09

PSS Have also discovered (I think how to add shapes to the copper pour at the ground plane. But the consultant is requesting that some areas of the ground copper pour be removed. Is there a way of removing areas of a copper pour?
Thanks.
Allen Pitts

Tomg
Expert
Posts: 2028
Joined: 20 Jun 2015, 07:39

Re: Copper pour spoke infill 220922

#4 Post by Tomg » 22 Sep 2022, 07:51

...How can the pad that has spokes be completely and directly connected to the copper pour?...
1) First, do not add any little copper pieces.
2) Right-click on the desired pad and choose "Thermal Settings..." in the context menu to bring up the Thermal dialog window.
3) In the Thermal dialog window enable the [x]Use Custom Settings option, enable either the Whole Pad or the By Layers option to suit your needs, select "Direct" in the Thermal: drop-list, choose "Current Pad" in the Apply to: drop-list, click on the [OK] button and update the copper pour.
...Is there a way of removing areas of a copper pour?...
Yes. Place a filled drawing figure (or a closed polyline figure) on the Route Keepout layer and then update the copper pour.
Tom

allenpitts
Posts: 52
Joined: 29 Sep 2017, 13:03

Re: Copper pour spoke infill 220922

#5 Post by allenpitts » 23 Sep 2022, 07:25

Hello Tomg,

The instructions worked well.
Thanks.
Allen Pitts

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