Re: kicad thermal/ ground stitching vias
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Regarding 2) a relevant post that outlines the problem and solution is at http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/kicad-users/message/10456. Here is the process I use based on the explanation above:
1. Route the board and define your zones as you always have.
2. Fill the zones as you always have.
3. Select "Add tracks and vias" from the toolbar on the right.
4. Click on an existing pad that¡¯s connected to the zone¡¯s net, drag the pointer a little bit to create a short track, then either (a) right-click and select "Place Via" or (b) type the 'V' shortcut.
5. To add more stitching vias, continue to drag the pointer and type 'V' where you want to drop vias (or right-click and select "Place Via").
6. When you are done placing vias, hit the 'End' key on your
keyboard (or right click and select "End Track").
You can repeat this as many times as you want to create different clusters of stitches. When you refill zones, the vias will retain the connectivity information and work as expected.
-Mithat
From: aurelcristescu
To: kicad-users@...
Sent: Wednesday, June 6, 2012 8:26 AM
Subject: [kicad-users] kicad thermal/ ground stitching vias
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Hello.
I am new to Kicad and I did not find a proper way to resolve these two things:
1) Place thermal vias under a component to transfer the heat to other plane layers (for example connect a QFN with GND pad underneath to an burrier GND plane)
2) Place ground stiching vias to connect TOP and BOTTOM GND layers (like in RF routing).
For issue 1 I have tried to place in footprint definition extra pads on the QFN thermal pad (to simulate vias) but they are connecting to GND plane using thermal contours.
For issue 2 I have tried to select "Add trace" an then "Place via" and is ok (a GND via will place wherever I like) until I do a UNDO which will remove from all vias GND net association (vias will not have anymore a net associated with them).
Do you have any better recommandation for these problems?
Thanks in advance.
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