How to create large exposed pad area connected by trace.

[Anonymous]

I need to create several large "SMD"-type pads on a PCB that are connected to trace nets, but isolated from the surrounding ground plane.  What is the best way to do this?  My thought is to create polygon regions that exclude the ground plane, somehow connect them to the appropriate trace nets, and somehow indicate the large pad region is to be copper filled and not covered by solder mask, but I'm not sure how to do this.  Thank you.

[rachaelATWH4]

Hello,

You can create a polygon and use the NAME command to give it the same name as the net you wish to connect it to and you'll then be able to connect it up. Then you will want to replicate the polygon on the tStop (if it's on the top layer) or bStop (if it's on the bottom layer). This latter step will ensure there is no solder mask covering the pad so it will be exposed.

Alternatively you could create a custom SMD pad component which you add to the schematic. You can set the SMD pad to any arbitrary size remembering to turn off the tStop and tCream so you don't get solder mask and solder paste for the area. You can create custom pad shapes too if you want something other than square/rectangle/round pads. This might be a better option if you have several of identical pads you wish to add and it also means you can move them around easily in the layout.

Best Regards,

Rachael