Electronic – Why are there teardrops on PCB pads

pcb

What's the use of the teardrop shapes around some PCB pads?

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Best Answer

There are primarily two reasons to use teardrops:

  1. It avoids a pocket (where the trace meets the pad) that could collect acid from the PCB etching process which would later do bad things.
  2. It reduces mechanical & thermal stress resulting in less hairline cracks in the trace.

That being said, in professionally made PCB's teardrops are rarely needed. It's almost more of an aesthetic thing than a solution to a real problem. I've done many boards with and without teardrops and I have yet to notice a difference. In my opinion, they are more trouble than they are worth.