No solder on SMT pad

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d-rainger
Posts: 8
Joined: 01 Mar 2013, 10:07

No solder on SMT pad

#1 Post by d-rainger » 27 Jul 2019, 04:02

Hi - I'm ordering some SMT PCBs to be printed and populated, and need to add some parts myself afterwards - to exposed pads on the top layer.
For me this works best if there's no solder on those to start with.
How do I do this?

I've gone to 'mask/paste settings' on the pad, where I'm offered 'top solder settings' and 'top paste settings', but not sure how to set these (they're all on 'common state' at the moment).

I'm using Diptrace 3.3.1.1

Thanks - any help is much appreciated!!

d-rainger
Posts: 8
Joined: 01 Mar 2013, 10:07

Re: No solder on SMT pad

#2 Post by d-rainger » 11 Aug 2019, 22:40

Wow - I'm really surprised!!!!!
I thought that there'd be a way of doing this - or at least someone would let me know that you can't do it.
I generally find forums to be full of helpful friendly people, but I guess this one is the exception.... 70 views, 0 replies. Maybe no-one has any clue how to do what I'm trying to do, and I'm trying to break totally new ground....

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

Re: No solder on SMT pad

#3 Post by Tomg » 12 Aug 2019, 00:40

Eliminating solder paste
1) Select a pad (or pads), right-click on one of the selected pads and choose Mask/Paste Settings... in the pop-up menu to bring up the mask/paste settings dialog window.
2) In the mask/paste settings dialog window choose "No Solder" in the Top Paste Mask and/or Bottom Paste Mask drop list(s), select the desired option in the Apply to: drop list and click on OK.

DipTrace mask characteristics
* All pads receive a global default, or "Common State", solder mask opening of similar shape and size. This global default, or "Common State", solder mask opening is expanded or contracted using the Solder Mask Swell setting in the Export Gerber dialog window. The global default, or "Common State", setting can be overidden by a local, or "custom" setting.

* All pads receive a global default, or "Common State", solder paste area of similar shape and size. This global default, or "Common State", solder paste area is expanded or contracted using the Paste Mask Shrink setting in the Export Gerber dialog window. The global default, or "Common State", setting can be overidden by a local, or "custom", setting.

* Copper planes do not receive a global default, or "Common State", solder mask opening.

* Copper planes do not receive a global default, or "Common State", solder paste area.

* A manually-placed filled drawing figure on the Top/Bottom Mask layer in the Design Area will produce a local, or "custom", solder mask opening. The size of a local, or "custom", solder mask opening is not affected by the global default, or "Common State", Solder Mask Swell setting in the Export Gerber dialog window.

* A manually-placed filled drawing figure on the Top/Bottom Paste layer in the Design Area will produce a local, or "custom", solder paste area. The size of a local, or "custom", solder paste area is not affected by the global default, or "Common State", Paste Mask Shrink setting in the Export Gerber dialog window.
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Hope this helps.
Tom

d-rainger
Posts: 8
Joined: 01 Mar 2013, 10:07

Re: No solder on SMT pad

#4 Post by d-rainger » 22 Aug 2019, 03:40

It really does! Thanks so much!!!

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