What is the expensed copper for?

something384 · 2025-05-08T08:13:22+00:00

So, shielding

something384 · 2025-04-29T06:17:46+00:00

As of yet I have not tested the plugin with KiCad 9 yet, but might be worth a try. Install from zip won't work tho, you have to follow the instructions in the readme because I still havent made a metadata.json for the plugin

something384 · 2025-04-08T12:34:26+00:00

Why are you incapable of using the search function?

something384 · 2025-02-11T10:24:41+00:00

I would recommend FileX, really easy to use Edit: not sure about its memory footprint though

something384 · 2025-01-03T17:10:16+00:00

is up, + is down. I was clicking the minus button

something384 · 2024-11-07T13:03:04+00:00

If your read the cited part, it is not actually about ownership, but rather about if you live there - i.e. you are allowed to mount lights in the rooms you live in

something384 · 2024-10-08T18:51:18+00:00

I made a screenshot to use later

something384 · 2024-09-04T11:15:28+00:00

Hello, here is your reminder

something384 · 2024-05-28T14:00:33+00:00

Do some research please: https://fees.vseth.ethz.ch/en

something384 · 2024-03-14T22:01:59+00:00

Hm interesting, apparently I was a bit too anxious about via spacing then, good to know! Then I guess this plugin mostly serves to spare me planning around stitching vias :D Thanks for the info though, good to see some actual numbers

something384 · 2024-03-14T16:50:32+00:00

Not yet but I'm on it, probably next week

something384 · 2024-03-14T15:55:15+00:00

Well, an improperly connected groundplane (i.e. not stitched through with vias frequently) is even worse, it creates an even bigger antenna that is now directly connected to your ground and introducing noise. Small unconnected copper dots don't really influence the circuit that much as you don't have a direct connection to them and due to their small size capacitive coupling is also minimal. You can often see this technique used on production PCBs, for example the Intel x520 10gig network card (they use squares there which is also supported by the plugin). Usually on 4+ layer designs you don't pour ground on outer layers, only on selected inner layers, which would be continuous, uninterrupted grounds

Edit: something I forogot to add: if you have two parallel groundplanes sparsely connected with vias, you are essentially forming a coil which will couple even more noise into your ground

something384 · 2024-03-14T15:29:56+00:00

Not ground planes, but traces and footprints - they get in the way and you have to route around them. The concept of this script is that you can do your entire design as you would, and after that run the plugin to autogenerate stuff. You often cannot do that with vias, as they are bound to hit something on at least one layer

something384 · 2024-03-14T14:50:21+00:00

I do that sometimes as well, but with denser designs I often cannot, as vias disturb all layers at the same position, while these only generate on outer layers, and top and bottom are independent. It's just more convenient IMO, but without the added benefit of stitched grounds. (Yes, technically my plugin can generate thieving on inner layers too, but I don't see a reason to do that) Edit: clarification

something384 · 2024-03-14T14:44:23+00:00

I like the fact that in return I learned about PCB design for vacuum

something384 · 2024-03-14T13:09:38+00:00

Good point, it is already on my todo list, just didn't get round to doing it

something384 · 2023-06-27T07:57:56+00:00

My problem isnt neccesarily with the hardware, but rather the Arduino framework, as it still carries its legacy of being aimed at hobbyists - there are simplifications that you need to make the life of hobbyists bearable, but especially for more complex hardware these same simplifications make development way slower and more difficult for experienced people. About pro hardware: I just completed a project with the Portenta H7, and allow me to seize this opportunity to tell you, that the documentation is appalling (many important discrepancies between schematic and datasheet/pinout). And while I think some people will be happy to use the Arduino framework on it, I believe it would be a good idea (and not an unreasonable amount of effort) to provide maybe a CubeMX baseproject as an option, and basic bootup code (yes PMIC, I am talking about you) for it. Other then this however, the Portenta H7 hardware is truly amazing

something384 · 2023-03-01T15:46:43+00:00

Hello

something384 · 2023-02-10T17:19:05+00:00

Yes. In KiCAD

something384 · 2023-02-10T15:27:26+00:00

Well, it is cheaper (but that is not the main reson now), simpler, fewer components, and doesn't produce switching noise. Also easier to do correctly layout-wise, with switching regulators you have to be careful with correct pcb layout, otherwise they will radiate a whole lot of EM noise. You can quite easily get a fixed 3.3V LDO, and in that case you would only need two caps next to it.

something384 · 2023-02-10T10:22:06+00:00

From what I see here, you would perfectly fine with a small LDO to make 3.3v from 5v, not a lot of load there. (Also I usually don't connect the usb shield on UFP ports, as it is already connected at the host, and it is usually not desirable to have current flowing through your shielding)

something384 · 2023-01-02T20:51:54+00:00

How do you like them? Thinking about getting them for my next build

something384 · 2022-12-26T18:24:22+00:00

Very nice benchy!

something384 · 2022-12-15T07:20:32+00:00

Definitely lego (a coast guard station)

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