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From: DJ Delorie <dj AT delorie DOT com>
To: geda-user AT delorie DOT com
Subject: Re: [geda-user] Thermals: size problem, SMD
In-Reply-To: <9f527cf8-d7c0-2b6a-641f-23efb3663ff2@linetec.nl> (geda-user@delorie.com)
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2018 16:36:25 -0400
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"Richard Rasker (rasker AT linetec DOT nl) [via geda-user AT delorie DOT com]"
<geda-user AT delorie DOT com> writes:
> 1: When I create small vias with a thermal, e.g. 0.3 mm drill width, 
> 0.15 mm annulus width and 0.15 mm clearing, the resulting four thermal 
> connections to the surrounding copper plane get so narrow (just below 
> 0.125 mm), that my PCB manufacturer flags a warning.

The Thermal[] entry in your *.pcb sets the thermal ratio; the default is
0.5.

http://pcb.geda-project.org/pcb-4.1.2/pcb.html#Thermal-syntax

> 2: SMD thermals, or the lack thereof. If I really need thermals, I 
> create tiny rectangles without clearance (S key) to connect pads to the 
> surrounding copper planes.

Lack thereof.  Technically possible, but difficult to guess what kinds
of thermals work for the wide range of SMD pad shapes and groupings.