Sorry if this question is too basic.
Thanks in advance.
How to make Edge Fingers
How to make Edge Fingers
I'm a brand new Dip Trace user. How do I go about making the pattern for card edge fingers?
Sorry if this question is too basic.
Thanks in advance.
Sorry if this question is too basic.
Thanks in advance.
Re: How to make Edge Fingers
Might be a couple of days late responding to this. If so, I hope this helps someone.
This is how you do it for 100mil spacing pads
First, you need to make a pattern: (you don't have to do this but if you don't want to make each connector one pad at a time in the PCB editor, this will help)
1.) Open up the Pattern Editor
2.) Click on View and then Units.
3.) Set the Units to mils
4.) Make sure the Grid is on - If not, press F11 to turn it on
5.) Type "50" in the Grid Spacing box on the toolbar
6.) Drop as many pads as you need for your fingers
7.) Click and drag over all the pads to select all of them
8.) Right cick on one of the selected pads and select properties
9.) Select the "Type/Dimensions" tab
10.) Select "Rectangle" in the "Shape" dropdown box
11.) Select "Surface" in the "Type" dropdown box
12.) Change the Width to 60mil
13.) Change the Height to 125mil
14.) Click "OK"
15.) Move the pads on the grid to 100mil spacings (assuming that is what you want)
16.) Save this pattern you just made preferably in your own libaray
If you need to make a Component for your schematics, make a new "Edge Connector" pattern in your own Component library and attach this pattern you just made to it. Now you can now include this new Edge Connector on your schematics.
If you don't want to make a Edge Connector in your own Component Library and just want to use the Edge Pattern you just made, you can simply open up the PCB editor and place this pattern directly on you PCB layout.
Again, you don't have to do all this but if you don't want to make each connector one pad at a time in the PCB editor, this will help.
Jeff
This is how you do it for 100mil spacing pads
First, you need to make a pattern: (you don't have to do this but if you don't want to make each connector one pad at a time in the PCB editor, this will help)
1.) Open up the Pattern Editor
2.) Click on View and then Units.
3.) Set the Units to mils
4.) Make sure the Grid is on - If not, press F11 to turn it on
5.) Type "50" in the Grid Spacing box on the toolbar
6.) Drop as many pads as you need for your fingers
7.) Click and drag over all the pads to select all of them
8.) Right cick on one of the selected pads and select properties
9.) Select the "Type/Dimensions" tab
10.) Select "Rectangle" in the "Shape" dropdown box
11.) Select "Surface" in the "Type" dropdown box
12.) Change the Width to 60mil
13.) Change the Height to 125mil
14.) Click "OK"
15.) Move the pads on the grid to 100mil spacings (assuming that is what you want)
16.) Save this pattern you just made preferably in your own libaray
If you need to make a Component for your schematics, make a new "Edge Connector" pattern in your own Component library and attach this pattern you just made to it. Now you can now include this new Edge Connector on your schematics.
If you don't want to make a Edge Connector in your own Component Library and just want to use the Edge Pattern you just made, you can simply open up the PCB editor and place this pattern directly on you PCB layout.
Again, you don't have to do all this but if you don't want to make each connector one pad at a time in the PCB editor, this will help.
Jeff
Jeff
Re: How to make Edge Fingers
Hi Jeff,
Thank you for posting that information.
I'm just starting to use DipTrace and was trying to figure out how to me board edge fingers.
-Tim
Thank you for posting that information.
I'm just starting to use DipTrace and was trying to figure out how to me board edge fingers.
-Tim
Re: How to make Edge Fingers
Here's another approach, as you get used to the program features and want to try some things in a little more advanced way that might save a few steps. (This is for a horizontal row of fingers, i.e. to go along a top or bottom edge of a board... You can swap Width/Height and X/Y values for a vertical row...)
1) Enter Pattern Editor
2) In "Pattern | Pad Properties" select
Type: Surface
Shape: Rectangle
Width: .060"
Height: .300" (or whatever, as needed)
3) In "Objects| Placement Setup | Pad to Pad Spacing" select:
X: 0.1"
Y: 0.0"
4) Now you can select the "Place Pad Line" tool from the toolbar, or "Objects|Place Pads|Line" from the menu. Click and drag horizontally on your workspace to get a row of pads, all in a nice line, and pin-numbered consecutively.
5a) If you want a double-sided edge connector, I would select the whole row of pads you just put down, copy them and paste them into the same layer, then move them to separate them from your first row, then line them up with the existing row, but a little below.
5b) Select "View | Pad Numbers | Show" to see the pad numbers.
5c) Now select the ENTIRE set of all pads (both rows), then right click on a pad and select "Pad Array Numbers".
5d) You'll have to play with the options here, but in the scenario I described, I used "Columns: Top-Down" and "Rows:Left-Right" and it gave me the pin numbering I wanted on my pads, i.e. with 1 and 2 across from each other, starting from the left. For example, if you selected "Rows:Right-Left" instead, it would number them from the right side instead, but with 1 and 2 still across from each other.
6) Once you have the numbering as you want it, select only the "Bottom" row of pads, then right-click and select "Change Side". Then go to the bottom layer, select these pads, and move them to exactly overlay the top pads.
I find that once they're overlaid, it can be tricky to select the row of pads on just one side only to make further modifications, so try to get everything lined up, pins numbered, etc. before doing the move to overlay the top and bottom rows as your last step.
Hope this helps.
1) Enter Pattern Editor
2) In "Pattern | Pad Properties" select
Type: Surface
Shape: Rectangle
Width: .060"
Height: .300" (or whatever, as needed)
3) In "Objects| Placement Setup | Pad to Pad Spacing" select:
X: 0.1"
Y: 0.0"
4) Now you can select the "Place Pad Line" tool from the toolbar, or "Objects|Place Pads|Line" from the menu. Click and drag horizontally on your workspace to get a row of pads, all in a nice line, and pin-numbered consecutively.
5a) If you want a double-sided edge connector, I would select the whole row of pads you just put down, copy them and paste them into the same layer, then move them to separate them from your first row, then line them up with the existing row, but a little below.
5b) Select "View | Pad Numbers | Show" to see the pad numbers.
5c) Now select the ENTIRE set of all pads (both rows), then right click on a pad and select "Pad Array Numbers".
5d) You'll have to play with the options here, but in the scenario I described, I used "Columns: Top-Down" and "Rows:Left-Right" and it gave me the pin numbering I wanted on my pads, i.e. with 1 and 2 across from each other, starting from the left. For example, if you selected "Rows:Right-Left" instead, it would number them from the right side instead, but with 1 and 2 still across from each other.
6) Once you have the numbering as you want it, select only the "Bottom" row of pads, then right-click and select "Change Side". Then go to the bottom layer, select these pads, and move them to exactly overlay the top pads.
I find that once they're overlaid, it can be tricky to select the row of pads on just one side only to make further modifications, so try to get everything lined up, pins numbered, etc. before doing the move to overlay the top and bottom rows as your last step.
Hope this helps.
-
8-bit hobby
- Posts: 2
- Joined: 24 Feb 2019, 01:58
Re: How to make Edge Fingers
This post started in 2013, surely there must be some edge connector fingers in the standard library by now?
Re: How to make Edge Fingers
Now year 2022 and curious about are there any standart pattern at libraries or we need to do same? For instance there is ready made mouse bites. Same we should expect for edge connectors. 
Re: How to make Edge Fingers
So, what is going on? No one from Diptrace knows about this, is there a library I can use or do I have to build all my edge connectors each time?
I mean, this is really basic, but it's downright annoying and tedious to always have to build the edge connectors copying a PDF.
I mean, this is really basic, but it's downright annoying and tedious to always have to build the edge connectors copying a PDF.
Re: How to make Edge Fingers
There are "Conn Edge Cards" component and pattern libraries in standard libraries. There are various sockets for edge card connectors there.
Of course, not all connectors are available. But you can create missed component and pattern in custom libraries.
Of course, not all connectors are available. But you can create missed component and pattern in custom libraries.
Re: How to make Edge Fingers
When making the edge finger pads surface mount it also makes a pad in the paste layer, is there any way to turn that off so it wouldn't create a pad in the paste layer?
Re: How to make Edge Fingers
ok, now I have to figure out how to add in edge chamfering so that I do not need to manually file the edge off for edge connector insertion... anyone knows how to do this?