polygon pours

Thread Starter

fran1942

Joined Jul 26, 2010
58
Hello, I am just starting out with creating PCB's using software.
I have come across the term 'polygon pour'. Is that just when you cover the whole PCB with copper which has gaps around each component and tracks ?

If someone could just give me a brief rundown on exactly what 'polygon pours' are and when you would or would not use them, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
 

SgtWookie

Joined Jul 17, 2007
22,230
Along with less copper to etch, one of the big benefits is power and ground planes.
Straight wires or straight traces of a fixed width have inductance, the smaller/narrower and longer the wire or trace is, the greater the inductance.

But, an infinite plane has virtually no inductance. A copper pour can act more or less like a partially infinite plane. Of course, it's best if you have complete layers dedicated to power and ground, but that's generally not possible for a hobbyist making boards at home.
 
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