[sdiy] square pads

[Harry Bissell]

to me...

square pad means "PIN 1" although I will occasionally use
ALL square pads on a connector if extra 'beef' is required
mechanically. In that case I'll add a 'dot' or some other
pin 1 indicator...

H^) harry


----- Original Message -----
From: David G. Dixon <dixon at interchange.ubc.ca>
To: 'ASSI' <Stromeko at nexgo.de>, synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
Sent: Wed, 13 Oct 2010 15:09:29 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Re: [sdiy] square pads

> > Here's a dumb question:  What does a square pad on a PCB mean?
> 
> The Humpty-Dumpty answer:
> It means what I chose it to mean, nothing more or less.

Hmmm.  Not the answer I expected.  Isn't there even a hint of a standard?
The square +V connector pad is used by several prominent builders (Jurgen
Haible and Ken Stone, to name but two).

> As long as you are consistent and explain
> it in the build instructions it would certainly be helpful especially on
> home-made PCB (no silk screen).

Yes, my motivation exactly.

> I'd be leery of a "that pad shape means (+)" convention though, there
> should
> be enough room next to the power connector to just have the labels in
> copper
> and remove any doubt.  The same goes for pot connectors (if they can be
> oriented in reverse or you just provide wiring points for panel pots).  If
> you want to be really nice to your kit builders, try to orient everything
> of
> the same type in the same direction and leave enough space between the
> parts.

Well, for panel pots, I've decided that one really must provide decent
instructions, at least for my boards.

Concerning orienting ICs, I line them all up straddling the power rails, so
I always orient them with the +V pin on the same side.  This means that most
quad opamp chips are upside down relative to most other chips.  Hence, the
desire to use square pads for some clarity.

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-- 
Harry Bissell & Nora Abdullah 4eva