Hi,
So I am trying to set keep out areas around several different diameter holes that were created using edge cuts.
For example the hole may be 4mm in diameter but the keep out is to be 12mm in diameter, with differing keepouts depending on each specific hole.
Thanks
Ok, so I have found a way that seems to work ok.
I created a circle of 12mm in Inkscape then saved it as a plain SVG file.
Then went to File-> Import-> Graphics
Imported it into the F.Cu layer, positioned it over the hole.
Double clicked it so all points were selected/highlighted, then right click->Create From Selection-> Create Rule Area from selection.
Then selected F.Cu and B.Cu (the layers I required), and selected Keep out tracks, vias, pads, zone fills and footprints.
I kept having issues as I was importing the image and right clicking, but only got the correct context options after double clicking then right clicking.
Also had to set the position relative to the grid origin prior to converting so that it would line up correctly with the centre.
Is there something that forces you to make holes with edge cuts and not hole footprint?
I only see a small section of the problem, but I guess that using footprints is a better way to go. KiCad does have footprints just for mounting holes (and also schematic symbols for them) With these footprints you can set special clearances inside the pads of the footprints.
Hi,
So this PCB is being made from a customers data pack.
I hadn’t even considered using footprints when I started doing the layout, and going back and creating footprints for several odd shaped/ sized holes seemed a bit time consuming.
They also have no pads, so I’m not sure how that would work with a footprint, do they need to have pads?
Regards,
Andrew
If they are odd shaped than it can be the reason (I was asking about) to just make them at edge cuts.
But in your first post you wrote only about “several different diameter” so readers could assume they are all round.
Not explaining it at the beginning certainly not helps to get help.
If holes you need are round then when you will have your library (search FAQ for creating it) than making many holes is fast:
Yes.
The right question is: Do the pad can have only hole without copper?
Just find holes in KiCad library and see how they are done. I use only my libraries I’ve created in 2017 and see only them so cant tell more.
Well, I didn’t have time to create a library of footprints this time round, and it was relatively painless creating the required shapes in Inkscape and converting them to keep-out areas.
Yes, the holes need to be without copper, does this change the footprint method?
You can do a footprint with no pad.
To make the hole you will put a pad in the footprint (but you don’t need to name, or connect it to anything)
In the pad you can select NTPH hole so it’s not plated.
And if you give the same dimension from the hole and the pad there will not be any copper around.
After that you can give it a custom clearance to do what you wanted in the first place.
You can also just put a hole footprint from the libray on the PCB, and edit the pad properties directly on the PCB editor
That’s great, thanks