I’m having a really hard time getting the online DRC to accept my files as it continues to complain about 8 mil line widths and 8 mil spacing. However, what is really irritating me is that I have measured the lines in a CAM viewer and width is 10 miles and the spacing is 16 mils (I keep increasing it hoping to get through DRC). I’m willing to post the gerbers, or whatever else anyone may want to look at.
-Frustrated.
Which software are you using? Posting would help too. I had a similiar problem long ago, using FreePCB. The issue was actually with the board outline (it was set at 5 mils instead of 8+ mils). Found it by searching through the gerber and drill files.
Sorry, in my frustration I left out some details.
Protel DXP 2004. I have all the correct design rules, I’ve verified the design in CAM. I’ve designed 10’s of boards with no problems at all, but can not get the DRC bot to accept my bot unless I put in a spacing of 18 mils. Seeing as this board is only 1" square, that blows out most of my ground pour.
Lemme get this straight, you’re having an issue with the groud plane clearance to the edge of the board?
Really? It can go down to 18 mil clearance? That’s much better than what I have mine set at… 25 mils.
It sounds like you figured out the problem. In terms of square area, you really only loose about 1.3% of the ground plane covering the board. Is it possible to arrange the parts so the more noise sensitive components are in the middle? That way the less sensitive components could be closer to the edge (possibly sticking out of the plane). Although this doesn’t look to pretty, it should pass the DRC while keeping the board small. Just an idea.
Um, no. It has nothing to do with the clearance to the edge of the board. It has to do with the clearance between the plane and select pads/vias/traces. I have 18 mil clearance between my plane and the requisite traces/pads/vias. However being such a small board completely reduces the amount of copper required to make an effective plane and blowsout some of the copper required to get all of the ground points.