Via stitching involves the use of multiple vias, or holes filled with copper, that connect larger copper areas across different layers of a PCB. This technique enhances return paths in the PCB, reducing heat dissipation, and maintaining balanced copper resistance.
Beyond its fundamental role, Via stitching also plays a pivotal role in high-frequency operations, offering protection from EMI interference. This makes it an invaluable tool in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other wide bands of high-frequency elements.
Constant ground via stitching: This common type maintains a healthy return path and low resistance in the ground plane, ensuring shorter return paths from load devices to the power source.
Thermal via stitching: Used to enhance heatsinking on the board, thermal via stitching uses many vias in a large plane near a high current power trace. The increased surface area absorbs heat more effectively, keeping the board cooler.
Shielding via stitching: For EMI-related reasons in high-frequency RF or mixed-signal circuits, shielding via stitching creates a PCB picket fence. This involves stitching single or multiple rows of vias across the perimeter of a large copper plane close to high-frequency tracks.
Note – Fusion currently does not support shielding via stitching.