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Working with Pads & Vias in Altium Designer

Created: June 10, 2022 | Updated: September 12, 2023 | Applies to version: 22
Now reading version 22. For the latest, read: Working with Pads & Vias in Altium Designer for version 25
 

Parent page: PCB Placement & Editing Techniques

Pad and Via Summary

Pads are used to provide both mechanical mounting and electrical connections to the component pins Pads are used to provide both mechanical mounting and electrical connections to the component pins

A pad is a primitive design object. Pads are used for fixing the component to the board and for creating the interconnection points from the component pins to the routing on the board. Pads can exist on a single layer, for example, as a Surface Mount Device pad, or they can be a three-dimensional through-hole pad, having a barrel-shaped body in the Z-plane (vertical) with a flat area on each (horizontal) copper layer. The barrel-shaped body of the pad is formed when the board is drilled and through-plated during fabrication. In the X and Y planes, pads can have a circular, rectangular, octagonal, or rounded rectangular shape. Pads can be used individually as free pads in a design, or more typically, they are used in the PCB Library editor, where they are incorporated with other primitives into component footprints.

A via that spans and connects from the top layer (red) to the bottom layer (blue), and also connects to one internal power plane (green). 
A via that spans and connects from the top layer (red) to the bottom layer (blue), and also connects to one internal power plane (green).

A via is a primitive design object. Vias are used to form a vertical electrical connection between two or more electrical layers of a PCB. Vias are three-dimensional objects and have a barrel-shaped body in the Z-plane (vertical) with a flat ring on each (horizontal) copper layer. The barrel-shaped body of the via is formed when the board is drilled and through-plated during fabrication. In the X and Y planes, vias are circular, like round pads. The key difference between a via and a pad is that as well as being able to span all layers of the board (top to bottom), a via can also span from a surface layer to an internal layer or between two internal layers.

Vias can be one of the following types:

  • Thru-Hole – this type of via passes from the Top layer to the Bottom layer and allows connections to all internal signal layers.
  • Blind – this type of via connects from the surface of the board to an internal signal layer.
  • Buried – this type of via connects from one internal signal layer to another internal signal layer.

Via types that can be used in the design are defined in the Layer Stack Manager. To learn more, refer to the Blind, Buried & Micro Via Definition page.

Pad and via definitions can also be stored in Pad and Via Template libraries, refer to the Working with Pad & Via Templates and Libraries page to learn more.

Direct Placement of Pads and Vias

Pads and vias are available for placement in both the PCB and the PCB Footprint editors. Vias are typically placed automatically during the interactive or automatic routing processes but can be placed manually if required. Manually placed vias are referred to as 'free' vias. After launching the pad or via placement command, the cursor will change to a crosshair, and you will enter placement mode.

  1. Position the cursor then click or press Enter to place a pad/via.
  2. Continue placing further pads/vias or right-click or press Esc to exit placement mode.
A pad/via will adopt a net name if it is placed over an object that is already connected to a net.

During placement, press the Alt key to constrain the direction of movement to the horizontal or vertical axis depending on the initial direction of movement.

Typically vias are not placed manually; they are placed automatically as part of the interactive routing process. Refer to the Via Placement during Interactive Routing section to learn more.

Free pads on the Multi-layer layer can be changed into vias. A free pad is one that is not part of a parent component object. Changing free pads to vias can be useful when manually converting imported Gerber files back into PCB format. Select all free pads that you wish to convert in the design space and choose the Tools » Convert » Convert Selected Free Pads to Vias command from the main menus. The free pads will be converted to vias with the same hole size. The highest value found across all available XY size pairs for the pad (corresponding to the pad size on different layers) will be used for the via's diameter.

Also, vias can be changed into free pads. Changing vias to free pads can be useful when importing PADS-PCB and PADS 2000 files, where vias are used to connect to power and ground layers. This allows proper connection to internal power planes, using editable pads. Select all vias that you wish to convert in the design space and choose the Tools » Convert » Convert Selected Vias to Free Pads command from the main menus. The vias will be converted to free pads of the same style (Simple, Top-Middle-Bottom, or Full Stack) and with the same hole size. The via's diameter size is used for the pad's XY sizing on the applicable layers. The shape of the pad will be set to Round.

Graphical Editing

Pads and vias cannot have their properties modified graphically other than their location.

  • To move a free pad and also move the connected tracks, click, hold and move the pad. The connected routing will remain attached to the pad as it is moved.
  • To move a free pad without moving the connected tracks in the PCB or PCB Library Editor, select the Edit » Move » Move command, then click, hold, and move the pad.
If you click and drag a selection rectangle around component pads, they will not select as they are actually child objects of the component. To sub-select just the pads, hold Ctrl as you click and drag the selection window.
If a via is being moved with the routing to create more routing or component space, it can be more efficient to re-route than move routing. The software includes a feature called Loop Removal. With this feature enabled, you route along a new path (starting and ending somewhere along the original routing), as soon as you right-click to exit the interactive routing mode the old routing (loop) is removed, including any redundant vias.

Non-Graphical Editing via the Properties Panel

This method of editing uses the associated mode of the Properties panel to modify the properties of a Pad/Via object.

Testpoints

Related Documentation: Assigning Testpoints on the Board

The software provides full support for testpoints, allowing pads (thru-hole or SMD) and vias to be specified for use as testpoint locations in fabrication and/or assembly testing. A pad/via is nominated for use as a testpoint by setting its relevant testpoint properties – should it be a fabrication or assembly testpoint, and on which side of the board should it be used as a testpoint. These properties can be found in the Testpoint region of the Properties panel.

To streamline the process and alleviate the need for setting the testpoint properties manually, the software provides a method to automatically assign testpoints based on defined design rules and using the Testpoint Manager (Tools » Testpoint Manager). This automated assignment sets the relevant testpoint properties for the pad/via in each case.

Solder and Paste Mask Expansions

Solder and paste masks are created automatically at each pad site on the Solder Mask and Paste Mask layers, respectively. The shape that is created on the mask layer is the pad shape, expanded or contracted by the amount specified by the Solder Mask and Paste Mask design rules set in the PCB editor or as specified in the Properties panel.

Pads with the solder mask displayed.
Pads with the solder mask displayed.

When you edit a pad, you see the settings for the solder mask and paste mask expansions. While these settings are included to give you localized control of the expansion requirements of a pad, you will not normally need them. Generally, it is easier to control the paste mask and solder mask requirements by defining the appropriate design rules in the PCB editor. Using design rules, one rule is designed to set the expansion for all components on the board, then, if required, you can add other rules that target any specific situations, such as all instances of a specific footprint type used on the board, or a specific pad on a specific component, etc.

 

To set the mask expansions in the design rules:

  1. Confirm that the Rule option is selected in the Paste Mask Expansion and/or Solder Mask Expansion regions of the Properties panel.
  2. In the PCB editor, select Design » Rules from the main menus and examine the Mask category design rules in the PCB Rules and Constraints Editor dialog. These rules will be obeyed when the footprint is placed in the PCB.

To override the expansion design rules and specify a mask expansion as a pad attribute, select Manual in the Paste Mask Expansion and/or Solder Mask Expansion sections of the Properties panel and type the required value(s).

Partial and complete tenting of vias can be achieved by defining an appropriate value for Solder Mask Expansion. This expansion constraint can either be defined on a via-by-via basis in the Properties panel or by defining appropriate Solder Mask Expansion design rules. By setting the expansion value to a suitable value, you can achieve the following:

  • To partially tent a via – covering the land area only, set the Expansion to a negative value that will close the mask right up to the via hole.
  • To completely tent a via – covering the land and hole, set the Expansion to a negative value equal to or greater than the via radius.
  • To tent all vias on a single layer, set the appropriate Expansion value and ensure that the scope (Full Query) of a Solder Mask Expansion rule targets all vias on the required layer.
  • To completely tent all vias in a design, in which varying via sizes are defined, set the Expansion to a negative value equal to or greater than the largest via radius. When tenting an individual via, options are available to follow the expansion defined in the applicable design rule or to override the rule and apply a specified expansion directly to the individual via in question.

Pad Specifics

Pad Designators

Pads can be labeled with a designator (usually representing a component pin number) of up to 20 alphanumeric characters in length. Pad designators will auto-increment by one during placement if the initial pad has a designator ending with a numeric character. Change the designator of the first pad, prior to placement, from the Properties panel.

To achieve alpha increments, e.g,. 1A, 1B, or numeric increments other than 1, use the Setup Paste Array dialog accessed by pressing the Paste Array button in the Paste Special dialog (Edit » Paste Special).

Paste Array Feature

By setting the designator of the pad prior to copying it to the clipboard, you can use the Setup Paste Array dialog to automatically apply a designation sequence during pad placement. By using the Text Increment field in the Setup Paste Array dialog, the following pad designator sequences can be placed:

  • Numeric (1, 3, 5)
  • Alphabetic (A, B, C)
  • Combination of alpha-numeric (A1 A2, 1A 1B, A1 B1, or 1A 2A, etc.)

To increment numerically, set the Text Increment field to the amount by which you want to increment. To increment alphabetically, set the Text Increment field to the letter in the alphabet that represents the number of letters you want to skip. For example, if the initial pad has a designator of 1A, set the field to A, (first letter of the alphabet) to increment designators by 1. If you set the field to C (third letter of the alphabet), the designators will become 1A, 1D (three letters after A), 1G, etc.

Jumper Connections

Jumper connections define electrical connections between component pads that are not physically routed with primitives on the PCB. These are especially useful on single-layer boards where a wire is used to jump over tracks on the one physical layer.

Pads within a component can be labeled with a Jumper value from within the Properties panel. Pads that share the same Jumper and electrical net tell the system that there is a legitimate, although physically unconnected, connection between them.

Jumper connections are shown as curved connection lines in the PCB Editor. The Design Rules Checker will not report jumper connections as unrouted nets.

Via Specifics

Defining the Via Properties

While the layer-spanning (Z-plane) requirements of each via type are defined on the Via Types tab of the Layer Stack Manager, the size properties of the via are defined by:

Configuring the Routing Via Style Design Rule

Main page: Defining, Scoping & Managing PCB Design Rules

Vias that are placed during interactive routing, ActiveRouting, or autorouting, have their size properties controlled by the applicable Routing Via Style design rule. To help target vias in the design rule, there is a set of via-related query keywords that you can use in the rule scope (Where the Object Matches), these are detailed below.

When you perform a layer change as you route, the software looks at the start and stop layers for this layer change, and chooses an allowed Via Type from the Layer Stack Manager. It then identifies the highest priority applicable Routing Via Style design rule and applies the via size settings from the Constraints section of that rule, to the via about to be placed.

For example, you might have a set of DRAM_DATA nets that require µVias for the TopLayer - to - S2 layer transition and the S2 - to - S3 layer transition and a drilled thru-hole via for all other layer transitions (which is also different to the via required by other nets). This can be handled by creating two Routing Via Style design rules to target these DRAM_DATA nets. An example of a suitable µVia design rule is shown below, hover the cursor over the image to show the thru-hole design rule.

Design rules can be scoped to apply to specific types of vias.
Design rules can be scoped to apply to specific types of vias.

When a via is placed in free space, it is not possible for the software to apply a routing style design rule during placement. In this situation, the default via will be placed.

Query Keywords

To simplify the process of scoping Routing Via Style design rules, the following via-related query keywords are available:

Via Type Query Returns
IsVia All via objects, regardless of the Via Type.
IsThruVia All vias that span from the top layer to the bottom layer.
IsBlindVia All vias that start on a surface layer and end on an internal layer that are not a µVia.
IsBuriedVia All vias that start on an internal layer and end on another internal layer that are not a µVia.
IsMicroVia All vias that have the µVia option enabled, and connect adjacent layers.
IsSkipVia All vias that have the µVia option enabled, and span 2 layers.

Use the Mask feature in the Query Helper to find available via-related keywords. Press F1 when a query keyword is selected in the list for help with that keyword.

Via Placement during Interactive Routing

When you change layers during interactive routing, the software will automatically insert a via. The via that is chosen depends on:

  • The available Via Type(s) for the layers being spanned in the layer change.
  • The applicable Routing Via Style design rule for the Via Type selected for that layer change.

To change layers during interactive routing:

  • Press the * key on the numeric keypad to step to the next signal layer.
  • Use the Ctrl+Shift+WheelRoll combination to step up or down through the layers.

Stacked µVias being placed during a layer change from L1 to L4. The Interactive Routing mode of the Properties panel displays the Via Type (s) that will be placed; press 6 to cycle through the possible via stacks; press 8 to display a list of possible via stacks.

Controlling the Via Placed during Interactive Routing

  • As you change routing layers the software automatically chooses the most suitable Via Type to suit that layer span.
  • If there are multiple Via Types/combinations (via stacks) that can be used - press the 6 shortcut key to interactively cycle through all via stacks available for that layer change, press the 8 shortcut to display a list. Via stacks are presented in the order: use µVia(s), use Skip µVia, use Blind via, use Thruhole via. Stacked vias can be placed if the layer change is more than one layer, and suitable Via Types are defined. The proposed Via Type(s) are detailed on the Status bar and in the Heads Up display, for example [µVia 1:2, µVia 2:3, µVia 3:4], as shown in the image above.
  • The last-used via stack is retained as the default for the next net you route. The default via stack is retained for the current editing session only.
  • The via size properties are specified by the applicable Routing Via Style design rule, strategies for defining a suitable Routing Via Style design rule are discussed above.
  • To interactively change the via's size as a layer-change is being performed, press the 4 shortcut. This will cycle through the Via Size modes: Rule Minimum; Rule Preferred; Rule Maximum; User Choice; with the current Via-Size mode being displayed on the Heads Up display and the Status bar (as shown in the image above). If User Choice is selected, press Shift+V to open the Choose Via Sizes dialog, and select a preferred via size. The list of available via sizes displayed in the dialog is taken from the list of vias already used in the design, inspect these in the Pad and Via Templates mode of the PCB panel.
  • A side view of the proposed Via Type(s) is shown in the Properties panel, as shown above.
  • To place a via and continue routing on the same layer, press the 2 shortcut.
  • To place a via and suspend routing of this connection, press the / shortcut on the numeric keypad.
  • If the net being routed is to connect to an internal power plane, press the / key (on the numeric keypad) to place a via connecting to the appropriate power plane. This will work in all track placement modes except Any Angle mode.
  • Press Shift+F1 as you route for a menu of all in-command shortcuts.

Working with Stacked Vias

  • Stacked vias that form a continuous connection can be worked with as if they are a single via, click and drag on the stack to move them all, with the attached routing.
  • Click once to select the uppermost Via in the stack. If the mouse is not moved, subsequent single-clicks will select each of the other Vias in the stack, in turn.
  • Ctrl+Click and drag to move only the selected Via with its attached routing.
  • To select all Vias in a stack, click once to select one, then press Tab to extend that selection to include all Vias in that stack.

Configuring the Display of Vias

There are a number of display features available to help you work with vias.

Via Colors

Via colors are configured in the View Configuration panel. The copper ring of the via is shown in the current Multi-Layer setting in the Layers section. The via hole color is shown in the Via Holes setting in the System Colors section. You can also disable the display of holes by toggling the  for the desired setting(s).

A thru-hole via is shown on the first image. The via on the second image is a blind via; the hole is shown in the start and end layer colors.
A thru-hole via is shown on the first image. The via on the second image is a blind via; the hole is shown in the start and end layer colors.

Vias and the Solder Mask

The default presentation of layers in the PCB editor is to always show the Multi-Layer as the topmost layer. That can make it difficult to accurately view the contents of the solder mask layers especially when a pad or via uses a negative mask expansion since the solder mask layer contents will disappear under the multi-layer object. You can change this by changing the layer drawing order on the PCB Editor – Display page of the Preferences dialog. Set the current layer to be drawn as the top-most layer.

By changing the layer drawing order to show the Current Layer on top, when you make the Top Solder the current layer, the mask openings are accurately presented as shown in the image below. The green arrows show the size of the solder mask opening for a via on the left, a pad where the mask opening is contracted in the center, and a pad where the opening is expanded on the right.

Configure the display settings to be able to examine the solder mask openings.
Configure the display settings to be able to examine the solder mask openings.

Display of Stacked Vias

If there are stacked vias, the displayed numbers are the start and end layers of all vias in the stack. Hover the cursor over the image below to show the vias in 3D, on the right of the image is a stack of three vias.

The spanned layers can be displayed in the vias. Hover the cursor to show the vias in 3D.The spanned layers can be displayed in the vias. Hover the cursor to show the vias in 3D.

Other Via Display Settings

To display the via net name and layer numbers in the via span, enable the Via Nets and Via Span options respectively in the Additional Options region on the View Options tab of the View Configuration panel.

Browsing Pad and Via Holes

In the PCB panel’s Hole Size Editor mode, its three main regions change to reflect (in order from the top):

  • The general filtering for hole types and their status, with a sub-section for the layer drill-pairs currently defined for the board.
  • Unique Holes arranged in groups as determined by size and shape.
  • Individual Pads/Vias that constitute each group of hole objects.

The panel sections show the cumulative filtering applied to hole types, styles and status.
The panel sections show the cumulative filtering applied to hole types, styles and status.

The groups of holes can be collectively edited in the Unique Holes region of the panel by entering values in the appropriate column cell. You can enter a numeric value to change the current hole size for pads and vias in the Hole Size column.

Editing the hole size for the selected group of six matching hole styles.
Editing the hole size for the selected group of six matching hole styles.

You can also change the corresponding Hole Length, Hole Type, and Plated entries for holes where applicable.

Changing the hole type for the selected group of six matching hole styles.
Changing the hole type for the selected group of six matching hole styles.

Individual pad/via objects belonging to the selected holes group are listed in the lower Pad/Via section of the PCB panel. Right-click on an object in the list then select Properties (or double-click on the entry directly) to open the associated mode of the Properties panel for that primitive where its properties can be viewed and edited.

Support for Back Drilling

The Hole Size Editor mode of the PCB panel can also be used to examine pads and vias that are targeted for back drilling. Back drill layer pairs are displayed in the Layer Pairs list denoted by the addition of the text [BD].

When a back drill hole size is selected, the objects have their Kind displayed as Backdrill. Use this ability to quickly locate and examine back drilled holes. Note that back drill settings cannot be edited in the panel.

Back Drill Report

To generate a report of all back drill events, right-click in the Unique Holes list then select Backdrill Report from the context menu.

The report details each back drill event, including the location, drill size and drill depth.

To learn more about back drilling, see Controlled Depth Drilling, or Back Drilling.

Support for Counterholes

The Hole Size Editor mode of the PCB panel can also be used to examine pads with counterhole features enabled. When the PCB design has pad objects with counterhole (counterbore/countersink) features enabled for one or both sides, the associated Counterholes Top and/or Counterholes Bottom groups are displayed in the Layer Pairs list. The Counterhole Depth and Counterhole Angle columns can be displayed in the Unique Holes region of the panel. Note that counterhole settings cannot be edited in the panel.

Information about counterholes in the design is displayed in the PCB panel’s Hole Size Editor mode.
Information about counterholes in the design is displayed in the PCB panel’s Hole Size Editor mode.

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참고

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