unable to edit solder mask

[Todc.18]

I would like to erase a .125" wide strip of the solder mask from the ground plane on the top of a circuit board to facilitate soldering a vertical metal shield to the plane, but Ultiboard doesn't seem to allow for this lind of editing of the solder mask. Is there a work around?

Thanks very much

[yyao · Accepted solution]

Hi there,

Just place a line on the soldermask layer. You can change the coordinates and line widths to suite your needs. The solder mask layer is a negative layer in Ultiboard. Shapes in the solder mask layer denote that solder mask should be voided (or erased) in that area. If there are no shapes in an area on the soldermask layer, it is implied that physical solder mask will be applied during assembly.

If your board house supports a seperate paste mask layer, you should double over the solder mask void with solder paste for ease of assembly.

Hope that helps.

Message Edited by yyao on 04-27-2010 09:43 AM

[sb12345]

Hi,

       I need to do opposite of what's being discussed here. When I design a pad, the soldermask is automatically the size of the pad. How do I increase the soldermask or add solder mask on top of the pad. I am able to add more shape to decrease the solder mask but can't seem to do the opposite. In the attached picture, I want to add solder mask to the region in red. How does one do this?

Thanks,

Sandip

[stressed_user]

Hi,

Just as said in the original solution by Yyao,

In the soldermask layer (top or bottom one, select the one you need)

There you just add a shape (rectangle or polygon or circle etc.)

as said it is a negative layer, so what you see is the opposite of what you get.

 succes!

Stressed user