how to make arched tracks?

[stressed_user]

Hi,

I'm building Led boards for power leds mounted on a circular board.

To go from one led's connection (series connection) to another one, I'd like to use circular (arched)  tracks...

using the normal 0° / 45° / 90° tracks looks quite messy, and makes me loose valuable cooling space..

Does anyone know a good ad simple trick to do so?

Best regards

Johan

[kittmaster]

In design, use corner mitering.  Set "place arcs" and then the maximum angle of 180 degrees.  It will take any corner/edge like a 45 or 90 and convert it to an arch.  You can make it do the whole design or just selected traces (assuming you have the trace filter active and you have selected particular trace segments that you want rounded and not the entire design, else the only option will be "entire design" ).......regards,

Message Edited by kittmaster on 04-15-2009 10:14 AM

[yyao]

Hi Johan,

Fortunately, I think there is!

1. Open your layout
2. Click  Options>>PCB Properties
3. Go to the Grids and Units tab
4. Change the Grid Type to Polar Grid

Now you can place, move and rotate your components and Ultiboard will automatically rotate and snap them to circular arcs. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that  you can place copper traces in circular arcs though, but its pretty easy to connect the dots between different components.

[stressed_user]

Hi,

I finally found a way to do it easily....

for component placement, using the polar grid is the right tool to use, simply great....

But for arched tracks, I used the 'Place -Graphic - Arc tool...

If you know where to start and end your track, and know the board's center point, then this is really easy...

Using the 'use corner mitering' tip didn't work out, it only works for corners, not for complete tracks....

And afterwards you can not move the track anymore, that's also a problem...

I wonder how to make a spiral conductor for an 'on board' HF coil ... any suggestions?

have a nice weekend

Johan 

[yyao]

Hi Johan,

I don't know of a way to make perfect spirals in Ultiboard, but you can use the arc tool. The arc tool continues drawing from the end point of the last arc if you don't leave arc drawing mode. This makes it easy to make spirals by attaching cirular arcs of increasing diameter. I suggest the following:

1. Figure out the width and pitch of the spiral you are drawing
2. Set the grid to cartesian with grid size of the pitch of your spiral
3. Activate the copper layer to place the spiral on
4. Select the arc tool
5. Change the copper width to the width of your spiral
6. Start placing copper, each end point of each arc should be directly opposite to the previous point

 I am afraid I may not be very clear. Here's an attachment that shows what I mean. It should work in Ultiboard 10.1.1.

Hope that helps.

[stressed_user]

Thanks for the tip, but unfortunately I'm still using the 10.0 version, and I can't open the file....

Johan

[yyao · Accepted solution]

Here's the file in 10.0. Its not very impressive or difficult to make, but is pretty close to a true spiral. You'll see what I mean.