I’m currently working on a 2 layer MCU Datalogger PCB and I’ve just noticed something I was wondering somebody could shed some light on. I have set the connectors up in the hierarchical sheet with labels that connect with the Vcc nets etc on the main sheet. For some reason on the PCBnew design the labels match up for the nets but there’s no thermal relief on the pads to connect them to the top layer ie Vcc. But does this mean that they aren’t actually connected to Vcc and would have no power running through them? The rats nests join them all up but this shouldn’t have to be the case right? They should just be connected to the Vcc layer through the thermal reliefs… I have attached some pics below.
I spend 5 minutes trying to see what net name is written at this pad and I simply can’t. This pad is connected by track with some others and at each of them I can’t read if it is really Vcc.
Yes. The whole thing is not very clear. Unless this project is confidential, I think that zipping and posting the entire project folder would probably be the best way for the OP to get good answers.
So basically the pads all with yellow marks next to them are the Vcc pads that are all connected to the Vcc net (I checked). They’re all connected via copper track that to me looks like they aren’t connected to any other part of the circuit. That is my issue. The +ve Vcc at the battery terminal on the left has thermal relief but I’m not sure how the Vcc pins on the other headers will be connected to this.
But the design satisfies the DRC…
I have attached a .zip file with the relevant docs if anyone would like to have a look.
Thanks
p.s it is called 4_layer but that is not relevant to the design, it is a 2 layer design
First: I’m writing from Win7 PC. To do anything I have to move via pendrive to other PC and to show any results then move back any screenshots the same way.
Second: You have written about using hierarchical sheets what I have never even tried. Till now all my schematics are enough small to fit at one page.
So: I left it for others
Note: I haven’t downloaded the project, but I can already see some things.
First of all: You added a VCC plane on the top copper layer, but not everything was connected. Especially all the VCC connectors on the bottom/right part are not connected. You can see (because they all link up) it only generates the shortest ratsnets, which you can see:
Label in the subsheet becoming /connectors/Vcc instead of Vcc, which is technically another net but you’ll only see Vcc in the PCB editor.
What I would recommend is using actual power symbols (VCC/5V/3.3V) or something similar to get a global symbol that you can use in all your sheets. The power symbols (Like the GND symbol in your top sheet) work globally over all sheets!
I put a few wires in here and there on the schematic to try and force the nets but in the end all I had to do was to delete the power flag next to the battery on the schematic and it solved the issue. Seems a bit backwards but there you go. At least it makes sense now.
??
