Teardrops - Feature Request

[mike.durian]

This is a feature request. It would be handy if teardrops (like those generated by teardrops.ulp) were an integral part of vias. Something that could be enabled with a checkbox, like turning on/off the stop mask. That way the teardrop would automatically follow the via when it is moved.

[jorge_garcia]

Hi @mike.durian,

That is an excellent suggestion and we have a ticket open specifically for this. While we get this sorted, I recommend leaving the teardrop ULP for last. Fusion has an optimized Undo where the actions of a ULP are lumped into a single action so undoing it is easier but I still out of habit recommend leaving it for last in case you have any issues with the teardrops.

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

Best Regards,

[mike.durian]

Hi @jorge_garcia . Thank you for the reply. I hope you had a nice vacation.

I did notice that Fusion can undo the teardrops quickly. Does it store the command history across sessions? Is it included with the .fbrd save file? I've been too scared to experiment.

Typical behavior for me is to create my CAM files and then save backups for the project, schematic, board, etc. and check those into my revision control system along with the Gerbers, ODB+ files, etc. That way they are in agreement. The CAM stuff can be recreated from the associated source material.

I the teardrops can be undone after restoring from the saved .fbrd file, then all is good. That will work just fine. I'll restore, undo the teardrops and then do whatever edits are required.

If the teardrops cannot be undone after restoring, then that's a bit of a problem. Either I save with the teardrops, knowing I'll not be able to edit the files again unless the change is very minor, or I save without the teardrops knowing the generated CAM files do not agree with the layout file. I'm not particularly fond of either of those options.

Hopefully, you'll tell me the teardrops can be undone after restoring the file, but if that isn't the case, is there a third option I'm not considering?

[jorge_garcia]

Hi @mike.durian,

Unfortunately, the teardrops cannot be undone after you close and re-open the file. That's why I always suggest to leave the teardrops as the last thing you do. That way you'll have a version before teardrops and after teardrops. You can always restore either one as the lastest. It's not ideal but it's the workaround for now.

Best Regards,

[sergey8R4XS]

How about this feature today (2 years later 🙂
In Autodesk and Diptrace this feature is present. I especially miss the automatic teardrop between the route line and pad when the route is wider.

[jorge_garcia]

Hi @sergey8R4XS,

I hope you're doing well. So currently the solution is still the teardrops ULP, with that said work has begun to make that a native feature inside of Fusion. I don't have an ETA on when it will be released but I've seen that UX and devs have begun design for this.

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

Best Regards,

[sergey8R4XS]

I am more concerned about the feature when teardown is applied automatically when I manually route the wider line and connect it to the pad. So it would be nice if Fusion could automatically teardown the line width to pad size.

[jorge_garcia]

Hi @sergey8R4XS,

I hope you're doing well. So maybe we are talking about two different things, teardrops improve the structural integrity of connections. What you described could be called neck down where you go from a thick trace to a thinner trace as you approach the pad.

If you have a picture of what you are looking for I think then I can make a proper feature request. In any case, both items are being worked on.

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

Best Regards,