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Overlay clearance to include solder mask

Printed From: PCB Libraries Forum
Category: PCB Footprint Expert
Forum Name: Questions & Answers
Forum Description: issues and technical support
URL: https://www.PCBLibraries.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2267
Printed Date: 07 Oct 2024 at 5:34am


Topic: Overlay clearance to include solder mask
Posted By: NeilVPeers
Subject: Overlay clearance to include solder mask
Date Posted: 17 Dec 2017 at 5:30am
Having created a footprint and then used it in Altium I am getting a silkscreen to solder mask error. 
The rules in PCB LE are set to give overlay clearance to copper and the footprint was correctly created to this rule.
Is there a way to include overlay clearance to solder mask or should I simply increase the clearance to copper to allow for my standard solder mask clearance?

Many thanks

Neil
  


Replies:
Posted By: Tom H
Date Posted: 17 Dec 2017 at 11:18am
In Preferences, the default Legend Clearance is set to 0.12 mm (5 mil) gap between the Legend and Pad. 

The typical solder mask swell today is 0.075 mm (3 mil) and many component mfr.'s are calling out 0.05 mm (2 mil) solder mask swell on their recommended patterns. 

Most Altium Users swell the solder mask in Altium Rules and the library has 1:1 scale solder mask. 

What is the Drafting Legend Clearance set up for in your Library Expert Preferences? 

What is the default solder mask swell set up in Altium? 



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Posted By: NeilVPeers
Date Posted: 18 Dec 2017 at 2:18am
My default clearances are all set to 0.15 mm both in PCB LE and Altium - including the expansion rule.
This then means I need a nominal 0.6 mm silk (legend) to pad clearance to avoid the silk to solder mask error - which is fine by me. The question was more to do with what would be the correct method of setting this in PCB LE preferences.

Posted By: Tom H
Date Posted: 18 Dec 2017 at 8:31am
All Legend data is set up in "Preferences > Drafting > Legend" if you are using V2017.21 Enterprise



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