topic 4 layer library part for PCB inductor in EAGLE Forum

4 layer library part for PCB inductor

Anonymous — Mon, 07 May 2018 08:25:06 GMT

I trying to build a 4 layer library part, being a PCB printed inductor.

the library editor only allows a 2 layer part, even when I have a 4 layer license.

any suggestions ?

Re: 4 layer library part for PCB inductor

rachaelATWH4 — Mon, 07 May 2018 09:37:18 GMT

@Anonymouswrote:
I trying to build a 4 layer library part, being a PCB printed inductor.

the library editor only allows a 2 layer part, even when I have a 4 layer license.
any suggestions ?

The library editor allows you to create footprints for attaching physical components to your board. What you are trying to do here is create a component in your board, in this case an inductor.

In this case I would suggest you could try to design your inductor in the following way:

1) Create a library part which will give you an inductor symbol and small pads top/bottom where your inductor will start/finish. Turn off the stop/cream as you don't need these for this part.

2) Create an empty sch/brd and set up the board to be 4-layer.

3) Place a single instance of your above inductor part in the schematic.

4) Using the WIRE tool (not ROUTE) create the traces for the inductor on all 4 layers of your board.

5) Choose File->Save as design block.... and follow the instructions.

Now you can reuse that inductor as many times as you like using the design block. It's not a perfect solution, ideally you would just be able to place a part down from a library, and this will likely give DRC overlap errors which you'll need to approve as you've made a physical connection between two pins of a component which is it not expecting.

I've not actually tested the above method out, I think it should work but you may need to do things differently if you come across any issues with the above suggestions.

Best Regards,

Rachael

Re: 4 layer library part for PCB inductor

Anonymous — Sun, 13 May 2018 11:20:19 GMT

make sure you decide on whether or not you want vias covered before you save the design block. no more chance to do that later in the process.

Re: 4 layer library part for PCB inductor

rachaelATWH4 — Sun, 13 May 2018 11:47:11 GMT

@Anonymouswrote:
make sure you decide on whether or not you want vias covered before you save the design block. no more chance to do that later in the process.

This shouldn't be the case. The process of creating and using design blocks does not prevent you from making alterations once the design block has been imported. The design block is just a way for repeating something which has been previously created one or more times. Once imported they can be edited just like any other part of the design. The key think to note is the alterations are local and there is no link maintained between the design block itself and the design which it has been imported into.

Best Regards,

Rachael