Rotated Fine-Pitch SMD Pads in Eagle

Community PCB Design
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Some of you may know that Eagle emulates rotated rectangles (like SMD pads) by zig-zagging a fine wire over the desired area (more or less). This causes problems for the BatchPCB DRCBot on rotated parts with small pads (like LQFP64). I figured out how to fix this: I created a package with 0.23x0.23mm, 100% round smd pads right in the center of the actual pad, an 0.23mm wire segment where I wanted the pad, and a slightly larger solder mask polygon. This works great:

http://www.mersenne.com/images/LQFP64.png

I still have to fix errors on some 0402 parts (I’ll use the same technique), but rotated 0603 and larger are OK.

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spacewrench:
Some of you may know that Eagle emulates rotated rectangles (like SMD pads) by zig-zagging a fine wire over the desired area (more or less). This causes problems for the BatchPCB DRCBot on rotated parts with small pads (like LQFP64).

Thanks for the headsup on your fix.

What version of EAGLE are you using? I thought this

problem had been addressed in 5.x?

3

bigglez:
What version of EAGLE are you using? I thought this

problem had been addressed in 5.x?

5.0.0 for Linux. I see that they have 5.3 available, so I’ll try that now. (It would sorta suck if they fixed it – I just spent a half hour on this workaround!)

Edited to add:

Fixed in 5.3…note to self: always look for a new version first!

4

spacewrench:
Fixed in 5.3…note to self: always look for a new version first!

Look on the bright side, we can reference this thread

for the next EAGLE user to hit the rotation problem.

Can you post PIX of your PCB when it’s fabbed?

Would be kewl to see your solution.

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bigglez:
Can you post PIX of your PCB when it’s fabbed?

Will do. I’m having the first batch of boards made at APCircuits because I need them quickly. They’re only a little more expensive than BatchPCB if you don’t get the soldermask & silk, plus you get 2-day turns. If the boards work, I’ll probably order some nice masked, printed ones from BatchPCB.

6

spacewrench:
I’m having the first batch of boards made at APCircuits because I need them quickly. They’re only a little more expensive than BatchPCB if you don’t get the soldermask & silk, plus you get 2-day turns. If the boards work, I’ll probably order some nice masked, printed ones from BatchPCB.

I readily admit to being spoiled by BatchPCB,

the inclusion of solder mask and silkscreen to

each side is fantastic, and so far I’ve been okay

with the slowish turn around times.

Having said that, I can see how “two day turns”

is equally intoxicating!