How to get arc tracks

[Piotr]

In V5 to have arcs at copper layer I was making arcs at graphic layer and then changed their layer.
Is it possible in V7 to route arc track? If yes - how to get such track?
I have round ferryte and want to design laying at it round RFID antenna. I think of doing it as PCB design and not footprint design.
I remember that trying to do such things as footprint there were problems with vias and tracks at other then top layer.
I plan to have 3 coils each on separate layer of 4 layer PCB and EMI shield at bottom.

[bertrand_meneroud]

Hi, I don’t know the answer to your question.
But as far as I know, when doing a footprint, you cannot add copper to the inner layers. The inner layers are disabled in the footprint editor.
I could be possible to do it by editing the layer of specific part inside the footprint file (manually with a text editor), But I don’t think that it can be done via the footprint editor.

[mf_ibfeew]

Is it possible in V7 to route arc track? If yes - how to get such track?

In principle yes.

1. routing with corner-mode set to: “90 degree rounded”. This places an 90°-arc at every track-bending. To change the corner-mode:

• hotkey “track corner mode”
• or during routing: RMB-click–>context-menu–>cycle corner mode

2. all copper graphics can be converted to tracks and than subsequently can be assigned a netname:

• draw a arc/circle on the wanted layer
• this graphic element has the old problem of creating a DRC-error with all other standard tracks
• select the graphic–>RMB–>context menu–>Create from selection–>Create Tracks from selection
• the original graphics remain selected, delete them
• select the new created tracks–>doubleclick–>assign a netname in the track properties dialog

regarding footprint and copper on inner layers: still not possible

[Piotr]

@bertrand_meneroud

But as far as I know, when doing a footprint, you cannot add copper to the inner layers.

What I remember there were some problems even with track at bottom (part of coil) connected by vias. Because of this I decided to not try to do that antenna as a footprint. I supposed (but not checked it) that using inner layers in footprint is also problematic.

@mf_ibfeew

• select the graphic–>RMB–>context menu–>Create from selection–>Create Tracks from selection
• the original graphics remain selected, delete them
• select the new created tracks–>doubleclick–>assign a netname in the track properties dialog

Thanks.
This is probably the right way for me (I need something about 340 .. 350 degree arcs).

[BlackCoffee]

Filleted Lines or Circle works similarly but, not identically the same.
I use the Circle approach to get cleaner Arc segment from Circle’s.

Creating a Track from a Circle or Arc creates a ‘Hidden’ Duplicated item.

The example below shows that I set the Line-width (to be able to visually differentiate the two lines) then, I delete the Graphic and Double-Click the ‘Created Track’ and set it’s width and NET (and delete the graphic).

[Piotr]

@BlackCoffee

Creating a Track from a Circle or Arc creates a ‘Hidden’ Duplicated item.

I think it is about this:

@mf_ibfeew

the original graphics remain selected, delete them

I have changed plans and I am doing something else so didn’t checked myself how it works. I have only written in my KiCad cheat sheet the information I got to have it at hand.