so it mask layers work oposite of what i think? with the checkmark for mask the mask is removed from the pad… with the checkmark removed the mask is on the pad?
The words used are a bit confusing. It’s called “solder mask” but it has only little to do with soldering per se. It’s also called “solder resist”. The physical substance on a PCB board protects copper from solder paste or tin. By default it’s applied everywhere. The solder mask layer in the software tells where it’s not applied. Unlike the paste layer. So, when a pad has the mask layer on (in the software, it is), there will be no solder mask layer on the physical board and the copper is exposed.
Hey Bo.
Checking in.
I’m also a new KiCAD user, tried it a little in 2008 but the learning curve was a bit steep at the time so I got hooked on E******D, … I mean another CAD program instead.
The mask layer defines all openings in the solder mask, so it’s inverted compared to copper traces/drawings.
In the current example it’s not enough to just have a mask opening around the rectangular pad, the whole edge card connector is supposed to be free from solder mask reason for it is probably that it may wear off (or maybe they just needed to keep it away when electroplating the gold?).
Anyway it is as it is, if mimicking the original it should be solder mask free.
I think it’s easiest just to draw a filled rectangle on F.Mask and B.Mask over the area where there should be no mask (usually green). The “Add filled zones” tool (below “Add tracks and vias”-button) solves that rather easily.
In the title of this thread “Commodore” is mis-spelled.
Negative text is a whole own topic
See other threads on this.
Another idea, could be to use the ‘plot white’ feature in Gerber files, however that would need manual editing.
(use a unique width for the negative text, so it is separated inside the gerber
%LPC*% = Laser plot clear
… text lines…
%LPD*% = Laser plot dark (default)
)
You could also make an image file (bmp, png, jpeg) and import it on the copper layer as footprint using Bitmap2Component. While importing you can select if you want it straight or inverted.
the svg2shenzen is the best option as i run windows and have limited knowledge, but during the save i got this error:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File “export.py”, line 726, in
_main()
File “export.py”, line 722, in _main
e.affect()
File “C:\Program Files\Inkscape\share\extensions/inkex.py”, line 283, in affect
self.effect()
File “export.py”, line 301, in effect
self.processExportLayer()
File “export.py”, line 450, in processExportLayer
f.write(kicad_drill_string)
TypeError: expected a string or other character buffer object