Missing solder pads on top layer

Archive BatchPCB
1

I recently ordered a board from batchpcb (and they sent me 4! you’re awesome batchpcb!) but it has a problem. This is only my second board with batchpcb, so I am sure it was something I did, but I have been reading and studying and I can’t for the life of me figure out what went wrong.

My board is a little complicated because I intend to solder some parts on the top and others on the bottom. I used the eagle ‘mirror’ tool to flip the components that are going on the back - that worked fine - even the silks were moved to the right layer. The problem is that only the bottom side has pads that can be soldered to. I am not sure if its that there are no pads on the top, or if they are covered in solder mask or what.

Both my top and bottom solder mask gerbers are identical which from what I have read seems normal for non-SMD boards. Frankly I am still a little confused what the solder mask layer actually DOES and specifically why (based on looking at the gerbers in viewplot) we want soldermask on top of the pads (assuming I understand what I am looking correctly in the gerber images).

Shouldn’t the pads on both sides of the board be available to be soldered to?

Here is the pcb, showing top side up top and bottom under it:

http://www.machadolab.com/pcb/photo.JPG

Notice how on the bottom board, all the pads have the metal exposed and can be soldered to, but the top board, there either are no pads or they are covered with the light green solder mask (not sure which is the case).

For reference, here are the preview image that batchpcb gives you when you upload the gerber files if that helps understand what I might have done wrong:

http://www.machadolab.com/pcb/batchpcb1.png

and

http://www.machadolab.com/pcb/batchpcb2.png

Anyone what I did (or perhaps didnt do) to cause the pads to only be on the bottom?

Gerber files:

http://www.machadolab.com/pcb/rf_timed_ … panel2.GTL

http://www.machadolab.com/pcb/rf_timed_ … panel2.GBL

http://www.machadolab.com/pcb/rf_timed_ … panel2.GTS

http://www.machadolab.com/pcb/rf_timed_ … panel2.GBS

http://www.machadolab.com/pcb/rf_timed_ … panel2.GTO

http://www.machadolab.com/pcb/rf_timed_ … panel2.GBO

http://www.machadolab.com/pcb/rf_timed_ … panel2.TXT

2

This looks like a production issue. I checked your Gerbers and everything looks fine with them.

You will get better results if you email the customer service people since this forum isn’t regularly patrolled by them.

In the mean time, since your board is entirely through hole, you can still fully populate your board and solder it from the top side. It may not meet IPC class-3 standards but it will definitely be usable until corrected boards are available.

-Bill