Can I make castellated vias in eagle? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: con-f-use
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 21, 2015, 01:16:45 pm
content: I wonder what the proper way is to make castellated vias in eagle (sea picture). Of course one could simply cut a regular pad in two, but that seems like something a board house would have problems with. Also it's a bit hacky. So do you know of a canonical way?

author: bktemp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2015, 01:52:31 pm
content: Ask the board house how it should be done, because it may require an additional step during production.

author: towlerg
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2015, 02:31:02 pm
content: Hi,at the risk of appearing stupid, in what way are castellations better than a row of plated thro holes?George

author: marshallh
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 21, 2015, 03:30:37 pm
content: Just make the board outline run straight through the vias.

author: con-f-use
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 21, 2015, 03:50:08 pm
content: Quote from: towlerg on May 21, 2015, 02:31:02 pmYou can reach them with an iron (when soldering them smd-style on top of another board). Also half the board space when panellizeing.

author: Pjotr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2015, 06:37:49 pm
content: Quote from: marshallh on May 21, 2015, 03:30:37 pmMost PCB makers don't allow this and reject the design. It pollutes the diamond tools for cutting the boards. For the same reason they also don't allow you to have copper planes straight to the edges of the board but require a minimum clearance.Best is to ask your PCB maker how to do this. It depend largely on their processing.

author: atferrari
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2015, 08:59:19 pm
content: Quote from: con-f-use on May 21, 2015, 03:50:08 pmCould you show a picture of one mounted of top of another? Thanks.

author: langwadt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2015, 10:03:51 pm
content: Quote from: atferrari on May 21, 2015, 08:59:19 pmhttps://cdn.sparkfun.com/assets/learn_tutorials/3/6/2/How_to_solder_castallated_via_tutorial-32.jpg

author: marshallh
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 22, 2015, 04:30:47 am
content: Quote from: Pjotr on May 21, 2015, 06:37:49 pmThat may be true but it doesn't seem to bother the chinese fabs. Can't hurt to ask whatever fab you are using.

author: Corporate666
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 22, 2015, 04:39:17 pm
content: Quote from: Pjotr on May 21, 2015, 06:37:49 pmThat's not my experience at all.I just tell the fab that the board outline going through holes/vias is by design and I have never hard a board rejected or any complaints at all from them. Same with copper right to the edge of boards.Copper won't have any effect at all on a diamond tool in terms of "pollution"... it may make feed/speed more important on the routing pass but that's about it.

author: Pjotr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2015, 04:54:22 pm
content: Ok, lucky you but: "Remember, you are unique, just like everybody else"It is true that the Chinese fabs don't bother what Gerbers you send them as long as they can read them. The European fabs check them to their design and manufacturing rules.