How do I add a non signal layer to a footprint pattern?

Making your own components and patterns, organizing and using libraries.
Message
Author
kevl
Posts: 1
Joined: 18 Jul 2014, 06:09

How do I add a non signal layer to a footprint pattern?

#1 Post by kevl » 18 Jul 2014, 06:13

Hi

IPC compliant footprints specify a footprint courtyard. Typically this is a achieved by defining a layer with this name.

I cant seem to be able to do this in diptrace.

Is adding layers impossible or is the functionality well hidden?


Kev

Serg
Technical Support
Posts: 519
Joined: 09 Jun 2010, 01:12

Re: How do I add a non signal layer to a footprint pattern?

#2 Post by Serg » 21 Jul 2014, 03:19

Hello,

Non signal layers are in PCB Layout only.

GSnyder
Posts: 26
Joined: 13 Feb 2014, 21:20

Re: How do I add a non signal layer to a footprint pattern?

#3 Post by GSnyder » 22 Jul 2014, 08:50

You can use the assembly (Assy) layers for this if you're not already using them.

jyl
Posts: 6
Joined: 02 Jul 2015, 22:02

Re: How do I add a non signal layer to a footprint pattern?

#4 Post by jyl » 14 Jan 2019, 21:39

This would however be a great feature!
For example, I currently design boards with PCI like connectors.
To identify the gold-fingers (hardened) the manufacturer request to have the pads duplicated in a non signal 'gold-finger' layer...
Each time I design a new board, I need to draw hundreds of rectangle in this layer on top of each pad that needs to be hardened...
Instead of just placing a component, in which this operation would have been done only once...

may be in a next release...

JYL

JoR
Posts: 5
Joined: 21 Jan 2019, 07:39

Re: How do I add a non signal layer to a footprint pattern?

#5 Post by JoR » 21 Jan 2019, 08:04

kevl wrote: 18 Jul 2014, 06:13 Hi

IPC compliant footprints specify a footprint courtyard. Typically this is a achieved by defining a layer with this name.

I cant seem to be able to do this in diptrace.

Is adding layers impossible or is the functionality well hidden?


Kev
I've been testing the Freeware version and this is probably the biggest fault I've found compared with the software I'm used to work with (I have to say that among the open source/low-cost options I've tested, Diptrace is the one which I found the easiest to use, the best UI and the most promising one).

But it doesn't make sense that you can't draw a courtyard in a dedicated layer. It's generated automatically in the PCB program, but for what I've seen, it isn't checked in the DRC! Then, if they aren't checked, why are the pattern borders generated?

I've made this question on another forum, and the response was that you are responsible for placing correctly the components. But for the same reason, the nets shouldn't also be checked, because you're also responsible for drawing the traces correctly...

For example, from the Diptrace example "PCB_4" ... no error detected (attached). From the Diptrace "PCB_6", multiple collisions... no error detected (I know these collisions aren't a problem in this particular case, but a warning or error message should appear anyways).

If your board is midly-complicated board, it's too much of a risk not checking if there's a collision.
Attachments
PCB_6.JPG
PCB_6.JPG (70.89 KiB) Viewed 1611 times
PCB_4.JPG
PCB_4.JPG (59.3 KiB) Viewed 1611 times

User avatar
KevinA
Posts: 639
Joined: 18 Dec 2015, 08:35

Re: How do I add a non signal layer to a footprint pattern?

#6 Post by KevinA » 22 Jan 2019, 15:01

Why do round thru hole caps, thru hole transistor have two court yards, one round and the second square?

d1wang
Posts: 46
Joined: 12 Nov 2018, 19:19

Re: How do I add a non signal layer to a footprint pattern?

#7 Post by d1wang » 24 Jan 2019, 00:39

The green is silkscreen, and gray is assembly outlines. They don’t have to be the same. The complaint here is that DipTrace doesn’t have any feature for flagging mechanical interference.

We are probably a long way from such feature. For starters, DT’s default libraries have very few footprints that have assembly outline. It would take a massive effort just to update the footprints.

Alex
Technical Support
Posts: 3894
Joined: 13 Jun 2010, 23:43

Re: How do I add a non signal layer to a footprint pattern?

#8 Post by Alex » 25 Jan 2019, 03:23

We update standard libraries according to IPC-7351C standard. Therefore we add new features and new layers (courtyard for example) to Pattern Editor. When new libraries are ready we will consider checking courtyard interference in PCB Layout.

User avatar
KevinA
Posts: 639
Joined: 18 Dec 2015, 08:35

Re: How do I add a non signal layer to a footprint pattern?

#9 Post by KevinA » 25 Jan 2019, 04:55

I should have said rectangle, the round caps have rectangles, if the object is indicating area used by a device how does a square or rectangle work for a round device? If they were SMD devices that do have carriers I can understand but my collection of TH caps do not need rectangles. IPC-7251 3.1.5.4 Through-Hole Courtyard Determination.

NWerner
Posts: 3
Joined: 17 Nov 2018, 03:41

Re: How do I add a non signal layer to a footprint pattern?

#10 Post by NWerner » 27 Feb 2019, 07:22

@Alex:
This feature would be very welcome!
Adding non signal layers to footprint patterns (like eg a courtyard) is very helpfull - even without accompanying functionality like collision detection.

Regards
Norman

Post Reply