creating a custom pad

[BristolBrailleTechnology]

So I've been learning by doing and following tutorials for a day or so, but I'm reaching out for help now! I find PCB design so unintuitive, but I'm pushing forward learning useful bits here and there.

I'm trying to create an exposed area of copper. i thought creating the shape in both pad, top, and tstop layers would make this work but alas the solder mask is covering it still. 

design here: https://a360.co/4kcWrDn

anyone help a designer out? am i missing something simple?

red circled feature is the area i want to be exposed copper.

[chuck_toddN7PTC]

I would think that using the tSTOP/bSTOP layers would eliminate soldermask on TOP/BOTTOM, respectively.

Placing several circles with varying sizes on the TOP or BOTTOM layer doesn't seem to have an effect. See below for example.

I don't understand why this wouldn't work.

      

Are these layers (tSTOP/bSTOP) only relevant when used in library components?

BR -Chuck

[jorge_garcia · Accepted solution]

Hi @chuck_toddN7PTC and @BristolBrailleTechnology ,

Try making sure Stop Geometry is checked when you push to 3D PCB. If it doesn't work then it means the 3D PCB won't render them correctly. We have a few issues like that. Just to confirm it's not a circle issue draw a rectangle as well.

You are doing the right thing, you are just getting thrown off by the 3D PCB. If you look at your gerbers you'll see that everything is where it should be

Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you.

Best Regards,

[chuck_toddN7PTC]

@jorge_garcia That worked.

BR -Chuck

[BristolBrailleTechnology]

Yes! it worked! huzzah, I've been bashing my head against that for ages! thanks so much Jorge