I just need to know if the 'Hole' command in Eagle automatically includes 'keepout' and 'restrict' circles or do I have to add those manually?

Thanks,
Mike

 

No, it includes the solder mask stop only.

 

Don't use Eagle but is "hole" for mounting (aka a non-plated through hole)?
I assume there is a "pad" command to which would include the solder mask as stated by Albert..

Of course.. start a board.. and press the hole command see what happens..

 

Don't use Eagle but is "hole" for mounting (aka a non-plated through hole)?
I assume there is a "pad" command to which would include the solder mask as stated by Albert..

Of course.. start a board.. and press the hole command see what happens..

The 'hole' would typically be a board or component mounting hole and might not be plated, though often board houses include the option to plate these as well and hence eagle includes a solder mask for holes as well as pads.

 

These holes will be mounting holes. In a future project I'm going to need to know how to plate the mounting holes for the purpose of heat sinking as for high power LED's. I currently use 'Osh Park' for all my PCB's and they don't seem to have an option for plating the mounting holes so it'll have to be done in Eagle. How do I do that?

Thanks,
Mike

 

If you have a ground plane on both sides, you can place a pad (via) which will be plated and will connect to top and bottom.

 

If you need a plated through hole you place a "pad"..
If you need an unplated through hole you place a "hole"

Note: Plated through holes used for mounting only may violate a standard (if you are designing to any)..
I design to a standard that does not allow plating in holes intended for mechanical mounting only..

 

In the software I use (Diptrace) there is a mounting hole command and a pad command
Mounting hole lets you specify a hole diameter plus a clearance distance (called the outer diameter in my program)..
Mounting on left.. Pad on right.. green is the copper pour.. tan is the solder mask

 

My reason for plated mounting holes is for heat dispersion. I plan to put individual high power LED's that have a heat pad in the middle on their own PCB. This heat pad will connect to a larger pad on the bottom and will be bare so the whole thing can be mounted to an aluminum strip via tapped holes. It just seems to make sense to use plated mounting holes. Only thing I'm concerned with is that having that much copper may make it harder to reflow solder in the oven.

 

High power LEDs should have "thermal vias" in the pad of the LED per the LED design guide/datasheet and then a heatsink could be mechanically attached with thermal compound to different unplated through holes.(mounting holes)

And yes.. The more copper/thermal mass the more heat/time to solder properly..
Not an issue on a professional reflow line really but can be with a DIY setup..

Depending on the design specifics I would suggest electrically isolating the heatsink so its not "live".. but still thermally connected..