Edge solder pads

Community PCB Design
1

Hi to everyone,

I just want to ask does anyone know how to draw these egde solder pads in Cadsoft Eagle, similar to these ones on this module:

http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/produc … ts_id=8474

Thanks,

M.

2

As far as I know - those are just regular plated-through-hole pads, like you’d use for any chip, except that they’ve been cut down the center during board separation. So, just have the pads along the edge of the board; and add your final cut line right down the center.

Cheers,

–David Carne

3

crazy_m:
I just want to ask does anyone know how to draw these egde solder pads in Cadsoft Eagle, similar to these ones on this module:

The exposed pads are two sided and have plating on

the outer edge, in this case they are also gold flashed.

To get this to work the PCB is routed (outer edge

milled) before the plating process. This requires the

co-operation of the board house. I doubt you can

get this done in BatchPCB (which doesn’t provide

gold plating either).

Is there another way you can connect you proposed

PCB design within the general (and cost effective)

parameters of the board house?

4

As far as I can tell - those example pads are not edge plated - only plated within the barrel of the via, which can be done plated before separation.

Cheers,

–David Carne

5

busonerd:
As far as I can tell - those example pads are not edge plated - only plated within the barrel of the via, which can be done plated before separation.

Yes, on second viewing with magnification I agree.

That would make the end result easier to do (but

still beyond BatchPCB, judging by the PCBs they’ve

fab from my artwork).

6

I know when I was at SFE, we had gold phoenix [the fab that batchpcb uses] fab boards with similar style platings / cuts [see the SFE bluetooth modules, for example].

The main difficulty will be in communicating that you want the board cut through those pads - if you just want a prototype, perhaps have it made larger, and then bring it down with a shear, or sander or something.

Cheers,

–David Carne

7

busonerd:
As far as I know - those are just regular plated-through-hole pads, like you’d use for any chip, except that they’ve been cut down the center during board separation. So, just have the pads along the edge of the board; and add your final cut line right down the center.

Well, that were also my toughts.

busonerd:
I know when I was at SFE, we had gold phoenix [the fab that batchpcb uses] fab boards with similar style platings / cuts [see the SFE bluetooth modules, for example].

The main difficulty will be in communicating that you want the board cut through those pads - if you just want a prototype, perhaps have it made larger, and then bring it down with a shear, or sander or something.

I think I’m going with this one right now.

Thank you people.

8

When I wanted pads like that for in-system programming on a PCB of mine I just placed them right at the edge of the board. I got a DRC error, which I suppressed.

Leon

9

I’d do what Leon suggested. Stick stuff beyond the board dimensions, and make sure you note that its intentional and you want the score/route tochop stuff in half, less you get a “helpful” person increase the board size for you.