Really struggling to progress with F360 for custom pad creation - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: neevo
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 29, 2024, 11:11:39 pm
content: Hello everyone. I have a machine shop at home and do the odd weird project. Currently I am trying to build a couple of PCB's for a custom volume potentiometer for a 1950-1960's preamplifier. I am using F360 Electronics and have the bulk of the boards built, but I cannot for the life of me work out how to do the ground and wiper traces for the board... and I am struggling to find a decent resource to help guide me through too. I have put a thread on Autodesk's forum but not had any responses yet.I was hoping I could just create 2 rings of trace and then trim or block the parts I didn't want copper on, then drop a pad in these sections to link it with the schematic, but I just can't figure it out. The only way I have been able to get anything close so far, is making a rectangle pad and doing a circular array and use a large through hole for the center.Is what I want to do possible in F360 and if so where can I get some support to try and solve this issue, or do I need to cut my losses and try a different program. I really like F360 for CAD work, but the electronics section is really hard to get to grips with.For example, the outer array of long pads in this design should really be wedges with a small gap in between:

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2024, 08:18:48 pm
content: From the links below it looks like there are a few ways to do it. Assuming they work..You can import the outlines from another drawing tool, as its probably easier to draw them there, DXF and then make it into a polygon.The other method might be just straight drawing the polygons on the PCB, as they don't need to be pads. But this would be more work and more error prone.https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-electronics/fusion-360-pcb-how-to-make-weird-pad-shapes-circle-triangles/td-p/12371944https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-electronics/how-do-i-create-a-custom-shaped-smd-pad/td-p/9368684Either way you want to remove the soldermask in the area where the wiper will move across. See photos of DMM wipers:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/dmm-contact-wipers/

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2024, 10:32:14 pm
content: Quote from: neevo on April 29, 2024, 11:11:39 pmAutodesk has a long (30+ years) of history of buying up other software companies and destroying the usability, and maybe make some replacement. Autodesk does not value their customers any further then for the revenue they generate. I understand it's a commercial company, but they are quite extreme. Take for example Fusion 360. They have been abusing their user base for free beta testers and advertisement, and in the end they give the big finger and turn on the thumb screws.For PCB's I've been happily using KiCad for 8 or so years. As Free and Open Source software it will always remain free. No cloud / mist based stuff. No subscriptions, artificial pin count, board size or other artificial limitations. It "just works", has been greatly improved over the last years. You are of course also free to donate any amount fit to the KiCad project for the joy it gives you, but donations are always voluntary.