I’m trying to create copper pours to carry large amounts of current from power transistors. However, when creating the pour, the layout has a “keepout” region where the copper does not connect. Is there any other way to create a copper pour that connects to a footprint pin?
Usually it is quite easy: the pour/zone needs to have the same net assigned as the pad to connect the two together. Without an example/your project it is hard to say what exactly went wrong here but my first assumption would be you assign the wrong net to the zone.
The other option would be that the footprint has an actual keepout area defined around the pin (for whatever reason). Then you should check if it serves any purpose and if not, change the footprint by removing this area to get what you want.
I’ve assigned a net here:
After filling:
I’ve assigned the same net. But I’m seeing copper not go into the plated through hole or connector of the transistor. Any ideas? Apologies for the multi-post, I can not send more than one image.
for starters: it is actually connected, but only just, on the right side of the pad where you have overlap between pad and the fill. The reason why it looks so weird and does not connect on the top of the pad are your zone settings, especially the pad connection settings. If you want to use thermal reliefs then try to play a bit with these parameters or, if you don’t need thermal reliefs, then simply switch to solid pad connections. In general are thermal reliefs with not 45° based zones always a little bit finicky.
It is indeed the Pad Connection: Thermal Relief setting in the zone properties.
Also: if you set the grid to some coarser value during drawing of the zone, it’s easier to make nice rectangular lines (although the electron’s don’t care).
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