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Step 17Fixing an OOPS!
Remember back in the schematic I mentioned that there were a couple of things that had been left out? You should be noticing them about now...
POWER connections; there's no way to connect a battery or power supply to this circuit board. Oh sure, you can just tack some wires onto the supply polygons, but how elegant is that!
We could go back to the schematic and add some actual power connectors or battery holders, but those are a bit rigid for a circuit that's probably going to be connected to a battery pack with some wires anyway. Instead, let's add some Vias to act as connection points for the power wires.
When adding Vias like this, it is convenient to use the text command entry area so we can name the signal at the same time we add the via. Type "via 'gnd'" (yes, you need the quotes here, unlike for polygons.) You can adjust the drill size and via shape, and plunk the via down in the appropriate supply polygon. I like to use two vias as a sort of strain relief (one is made larger so you can feed wire + insulation through it, the other is sized for just the wire.) A click on the RATSNEST icon will make sure the vias are connected to the polygon. Then do the same for the V+ signal (named N$1, you recall.)
POWER connections; there's no way to connect a battery or power supply to this circuit board. Oh sure, you can just tack some wires onto the supply polygons, but how elegant is that!
We could go back to the schematic and add some actual power connectors or battery holders, but those are a bit rigid for a circuit that's probably going to be connected to a battery pack with some wires anyway. Instead, let's add some Vias to act as connection points for the power wires.
When adding Vias like this, it is convenient to use the text command entry area so we can name the signal at the same time we add the via. Type "via 'gnd'" (yes, you need the quotes here, unlike for polygons.) You can adjust the drill size and via shape, and plunk the via down in the appropriate supply polygon. I like to use two vias as a sort of strain relief (one is made larger so you can feed wire + insulation through it, the other is sized for just the wire.) A click on the RATSNEST icon will make sure the vias are connected to the polygon. Then do the same for the V+ signal (named N$1, you recall.)
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Jan 23, 2010. 10:57 PMsimplicio
says:
What I do to get onboard power connections is to drop "test pads" onto the schematic from the testpad library (e.g. TPSQ/TPSQPAD1-13). That way you get thermals around the pads which makes them easier to solder.
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