Copper top position

[MCPorche]

I have a question regarding the position of the copper top (and bottom) layers.

I created a simple circuit with several through hole components. I created the board in Ultiboard and looked at the 3D view. On the 3D view, the copper is on the same side as the components.

Is this how it will be manufactured if I submit it to a board house? I would expect the copper for a through home device to be in the opposite side so the component leads could be soldered.

Thanks.

[Tien_P]

Hi,

Copper can be on the same side as components. There will be soldermask  which is the clear material between the components and the copper to prevent shorts.

[MCPorche]

Thanks. My issue wasn't so much the copper being on the same side as the components. It was more about the through hole leads. I am used to the copper for a through he device being on the side the leads stick out of. I guess when you have a board fabricated, the through holes are plated, which allows you to solder the leads in the bottom, but pass current thru to the top.

I'm used to doing simple boards at home and this is the first time I've designed a board to have fabricated.

[Buechsenschuetz]

In case you have the copper on the same side (layer) as the components, your board must be manufactured as "double sided board".  Oherwise, there will be no copper pads on the bottom side, and the through-holes will not be plated. 

To avoid extra costs for manufacturing a double sided board, you can 

- activate the bottom copper layer only when designing the board

- change the properties of each copper track you designed on the top (component) side so that they will appear on the bottom side. When selecting a copper track you can "select complete copper track" (re-translated from the german version), select "properties" - "position" and change the layer to "copper bottom". 

BTW we have designed some boards intentionally with copper tracks on the component side only and only solder pads on the copper bottom side. But this is not usual.