Electronic – Passing copper traces between two THT pins

pcb-designpinsthrough-holeultiboard

I've been working on a small project as an extra activity for a basic digital electronics course I was taking, in which I had to design a TTL-logic based PCB, and etch it. I've been using Ultiboard 11 as a tool in developing it.

Due to limitations of our class supplies I am required to fabricate this with only one copper side. The other side would contain This had caused one of the connections to not route as there had not been a path that Ultiboard had been able to autoroute.

However, using the "follow me" tool, I had noticed that Ultiboard would allow a trace between two IC pins as shown below to complete my currently un-routed net. This trace, which autorouting had apparently not yielded, had to pass between two THT pins on a 74LSXX IC, with the traces on the copper bottom layer (which will be soldered by hand).

enter image description here

The PCB would pass a design rules check with this trace, and would report in the connectivity check as successfully connected. However, due to Ultiboard not routing this automatically I fear that there is some sort of consideration that I must take here (other than careful solder practice).

I have roughly 16 mil clearance around the trace due to the pin spacing of the IC, with the trace itself also being 16 mil thick as it passes here. It is used for a TTL logic high/low signal. Switching speeds are not a consideration for this circuit.

The traces are 24 mil thick elsewhere.

Is this trace going to be something I need to take special considerations with?

Best Answer

When I was doing through-hole boards, I think I used 12 mil tracks for most signals, and 60 mil pads on most components, leaving 14 mil spacing between track and pad.

I you had set your default track width for autorouting to 24 mils the autorouter would have been unable to route that track, but a narrower track is fine.

There appears to be a thin red track running vertically there - if that's on the copper layer, you have a problem!!