--- In
Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Piers Goodhew <piers@...> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> What is the term for the process where your traces are simply
> "outlined" by etching, and as a result, most of the copper is left on
> the board, and you presumably use a lot less etchant (and maybe get
> some 2D RF shielding as well).
>
> What I'm talking about is used by SparkFun a lot, as in: http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/images/products/00718-02-L.jpg
>
> I suppose I have two questions really:
>
> 1 - what do you call this?
> 2 - is there a handy one-click way to do it in major CAD packages?
>
> PG
>
For those who use Kicad, this is called "Zones." You can draw one or more zone outlines and use them to put the zone in, OR to exclude the zone. One thing that was not clear in the help files or tutorial is that the zone will connect to the currently highlighted net. If you do not have a net highlighted, it will be an "island." Once I figured that part out, the function works very nicely.
A followup question: For double-sided boards, is it recommended to put a ground flood/zone/fill/whatever on both sides, or just one side? If part of the goal is to save etchant, then it seems that a flood on both sides would be good; if not connected to ground on both sides, what should it be connected to? Would making one side ground and one side Vcc be good practice??