Jim, Michael, Reflow also needs thermal spokes for good solderability. Especially thick, high layer count PCBs suck the heat into the center, cooling the solder joint. This means that you need a longer oven time, or more heat. Both means more stress for the components, and potentially more cost. With thermanls you avoid costly process changes while maintaining high yield. These "problem boards" can most often just be reliably soldered in vapor phase, where the solder process stops automatically when all parts have the same temperature. Still you potentially need a longer process time to maintain high yield, but the thermal stress is much lower than in a Reflow process. As I said, this is a problem for High layer count and especially many GND planes. For small boards (up to 6 or maybe 8 Layers), you may not run into issues deleting the thermals. I use thermals even on those PCBs, because I like to be able to Hand solder or rework my circuits. BR Gert -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Absender ist HARTING Electronics GmbH & Co. KG; Sitz der Gesellschaft: Espelkamp; Registergericht: Bad Oeynhausen; Register-Nr.: HRA 5596; persönlich haftende Gesellschafterin: HARTING Electronics Management GmbH; Sitz der Komplementär-GmbH: Espelkamp; Registergericht der Komplementär-GmbH: Bad Oeynhausen; Register-Nr. der Komplementär-GmbH: HRB 8808; Geschäftsführer: Torsten Ratzmann -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- Von: si-list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:si-list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] Im Auftrag von James F. Herrmann Gesendet: Freitag, 19. März 2010 16:08 An: 'Michael Greim' Cc: 'SI-LIST' Betreff: [SI-LIST] Re: Flooded Vias vs Thermal Relief Michael, Were on the same page - one follow-up question on your "hint 2": If we assume an oven reflow solder process (and not wave solder) then is there really a concern with vias attached to SMT land pads acting as a detrimental thermal sink? My intuition is that with an oven reflow process the entire board structure is brought up to the reflow temperature, thereby eliminating the internal plane thermal sink concern (which was an obvious and real issue with wave solder process). Hopefully, a solder process expert can weigh in... Thanks, Jim Herrmann -----Original Message----- From: si-list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:si-list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Michael Greim Sent: Friday, March 19, 2010 10:31 AM To: wjcsongr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Cc: Jack Olson; SI-LIST; si-list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [SI-LIST] Re: Flooded Vias vs Thermal Relief Hmmmmm, How to address this one while being cordial. Ok, for starters, sarcasm cannon set on stun........ OK, let's start with the low hanging fruit and move up. We certainly don't want things to be difficult for you while checking, so leave the thermals on for your check and then change them when you are done. The best of both worlds right? As you said, it's only a mouse click. I humbly suggest that you track down the origin of thermal attach vias and why they exist. I will give ya a hint. Through hole components. Hint two, a smt lead and fanout to via is also like a thermal attach. Have slicing and dicing simulation or tests been performed that show the impact of thermals on power distribution? Yes. If packed tightly and deeply enough you have a fraction of the conductor cross section that you thought you had. With high enough current, bad things can and will happen regarding conductor temp rise. Never back a methodology with the argument, "Well that's the way that I've always done it and its easier." Best Regards, Michael C. Greim And all this science they don't understand Is just my job six days a week..... We will either find a way or make one -Hannibal In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity -Al Einstein Jack Olson <pcbjack@xxxxxxxxx> > Sent by: si-list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > 03/19/2010 08:43 AM > > To > SI-LIST <si-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > cc > > Subject > [SI-LIST] Flooded Vias vs Thermal Relief > > > > > > > Greetings, > I am being instructed to flood all vias instead of using thermal > relief, to get a "better" connection to planes. I've typically used > thermal reliefs simply because they are easier to see in checking or > design reviews (but its only one mouse click for me to change them so > I'm not really complaining). > > but it got me thinking..... > > Have any test results ever showed that spokes have a significant > impedance or anything that can change circuit performance? > (and I'm referring to 12mil plated through-hole vias on boards 100MHz > max) > > I don't remember anyone ever talking about that. > > surfin' the learnin' curve, > Jack > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ > To unsubscribe from si-list: > si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field > > or to administer your membership from a web page, go to: > //www.freelists.org/webpage/si-list > > For help: > si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'help' in the Subject field > > > List technical documents are available at: > http://www.si-list.net > > List archives are viewable at: > > //www.freelists.org/archives/si-list > > Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at: > http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ > To unsubscribe from si-list: > si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field > > or to administer your membership from a web page, go to: > //www.freelists.org/webpage/si-list > > For help: > si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'help' in the Subject field > > > List technical documents are available at: > http://www.si-list.net > > List archives are viewable at: > //www.freelists.org/archives/si-list > > Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at: > http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu > > > -- ------------------------------------------------------------------ To unsubscribe from si-list: si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field or to administer your membership from a web page, go to: //www.freelists.org/webpage/si-list For help: si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'help' in the Subject field List technical documents are available at: http://www.si-list.net List archives are viewable at: //www.freelists.org/archives/si-list Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at: http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu ------------------------------------------------------------------ To unsubscribe from si-list: si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field or to administer your membership from a web page, go to: //www.freelists.org/webpage/si-list For help: si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'help' in the Subject field List technical documents are available at: http://www.si-list.net List archives are viewable at: //www.freelists.org/archives/si-list Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at: http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu ------------------------------------------------------------------ To unsubscribe from si-list: si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field or to administer your membership from a web page, go to: //www.freelists.org/webpage/si-list For help: si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'help' in the Subject field List technical documents are available at: http://www.si-list.net List archives are viewable at: //www.freelists.org/archives/si-list Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at: http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu