Fusion 360 PCB how to make - Weird Pad Shapes - circle, triangles, custom?

[tattoome.eu]

Can you help me how to make a soldering pad in any shape? circle, triangles, custom?

[marcocipriani01 · Accepted solution]

Circular SMD pads are already supported in the footprint editor.

For other weird shapes, I would draw them in AutoCAD/LibreCAD, export in DXF, then import the DXF in the footprint editor on the Top layer (layer 1). The DXF will only contain the outline, but if you want the entire shape to be filled I would use AutoCAD to add a line hatching (Hatching or Filling Objects or Areas tutorial), then use the Explode command to turn the hatching into lines. Importing the DXF now will result in importing both the outline and a fill made of lots of lines. It's an ugly workaround, but I haven't found anything better. Note: the line hatching must be quite dense, otherwise you'll end up with holes in the fill when importing it.

I usually follow this procedure to import SVG or DXF logos on silkscreen layers.

[jorge_garcia]

Hi @tattoome.eu,

I hope you're doing well. Within the library editor you can build up an arbitrary pad shape using polygons. The procedure provided by @marcocipriani01 is sound. The only thing I would change is that you only import the outline of the padshape you want. Then you can use the convert outline to polygons functionality to make the polygons for you.

Best Regards,

[connor_d_brown3]

I have a question regarding using polygons to make a "corner" shape. I cannot get the polygon to adjoin to the Net5 on this pad. I cannot use another software package and must use Fusion 360.

How do I make this pad size joining these two rectangles?

[jorge_garcia]

Hi @connor_d_brown3 ,

This is not too difficult to do in Fusion. The trick is to draw the l-shape as polygon on the top copper layer. Copy it to the Soldermask and Stencil layers so that the pad will be exposed properly. Then within the boundary of the polygon place a small SMD, that becomes the anchor of the arbitrary pad shape.

For more info check out this article.

https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/blog/what-you-didnt-know-about-eagle-arbitrary-pad-shap...

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

Best Regards,

[connor_d_brown3]

Did this method get changed in the most recent update? This does not work anymore for me.

[connor_d_brown3]

I believe this functionality has been removed from the most recent update:

Example: Pad 1 here is surrounded by polygon, using the weird shape methodology described in this post:

When you go to the actual 3D model with the pads, the polygons do not carry through:

[jorge_garcia]

Hello @connor_d_brown3 ,

There are currently inconsistencies between the 3D PCB view and the 2D PCB. Your design truth is always in the 2D PCB. I'll add this to the existing ticket about 2D and 3D PCB inconsistencies.

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

Best Regards,

[ronbonne]

I did this, but for some reason I get a DRC rule violation for "smd-rectangle" overlap. Of course I can clear the warning but is there a better way to prevent this??

[ronbonne]

Guess I found my answer. Apparently a rectangle drawn with the "rectangle" tool is not the same as a rectangle drawn with the "polygon" tool in copper. Very confusing. Alas...