FEDEVEL
Platform forum

ale210 , 12-13-2019, 05:50 AM

Hello!

I'm trying to figure out how to make this in Altium, as you can see in the picture attached via filling it's a metho to fill the via with soldermask or epoxy. Our fab house (eurocircuits) need a gerber layer with these vias, I made an ticket to altium support, meanwhile, anyone knows how to make it? Thanks regards!

robertferanec , 12-17-2019, 12:13 AM

I am interested to know more info on this topic too. Please, @ale210 when you figure it out (or if everyone else has specified filled VIAs in altium), let us know.

PS: When I was in a PCB house, the filling process was like this - they fixed PCB into a machine and simply stir the filling over the PCB to fill out all the VIAs. But there are probably number of different technologies what can be used.

Roky , 12-17-2019, 10:55 AM

Hi
i hope it can help

Paul van Avesaath , 12-18-2019, 01:00 AM

I ussually indicate this in a mechanical layer. but I dont know how eurocircuit goes about this. but maybe you can add a note with your order that you need plugged and plated via's.

and its all or nothing with plugging. because selective plugging is not an option.

ale210 , 12-18-2019, 04:55 AM

I think that seletective plugged/filled VIA it's an option because, both processes are made with specific machine before soldermask process... anyway I'm thinking about create a mechanical layer indicating filled VIA, but I don't know how to say altium ... However, with back drilling VIA the process it's easy, just add it to stack layer, and when I exporting the gerbers i get one only with these vias

Paul van Avesaath , 12-18-2019, 05:04 AM

as far as I know i havent seen a function for this in altium.. but haven't had the possebility to check in newer versions for a while (changed to mentor for current job)

I think it is more work for the pcb manufacturer to do selective plugged via's than doing them al in one go.. it takes less time for machine setup and there is no real downside to having them all plugged anyway. but that may differ in your situation.

however when dealing with manufacturers directly i always added a print-specification file .. just an excel with material info and tolerences on bow & twist, via sizes track width and such.. but also references to mechanical layers and what they are used for and to what IPC spec they have to comply. including the plugged and plated, or slotted holes.

ale210 , 12-18-2019, 07:33 AM

I think is the better way to achieve it, but in Eurocircuits there is an option to upload yours gerbers, also you can add a specific file as VIA filling, i can understood that is the unique method to make it, I'm going to figure out.

On the other side, I guess can i add manually in mech layer...

ale210 , 01-07-2020, 02:56 AM

Hi all, happy new year!!

Finally i got answer from Altium ticket, Altium does not support this feature, yet, there is a new feature petition
https://bugcrunch.live.altium.com/#Idea/8186


Regards!

Frenky , 01-20-2020, 07:22 AM

Workaround,
You can create a PCB library/schematic via component and then use mechanical layer to represent filling.
It is pain in the ass having all the vias in the schematic part of the project. I have seen designs using this method.


br,
f.

ale210 , 01-28-2020, 08:01 AM

Hi friend,

good idea! Because these types of VIA is commonly used beneath the components (specially in those in GHz bandwith). Thanks!