<keepout />

Overview

Use <keepout /> to reserve a physical area on one or more PCB layers. Keepouts are useful anywhere the board needs clear space: antenna clearance regions, mounting hardware, connector sweeps, high-voltage spacing, mechanical brackets, test fixtures, or other areas where components and routing should stay away.

Keepouts do not have a schematic representation. They are PCB-only layout constraints.

Basic Usage

Add a keepout to any board by choosing a shape and placing it on the PCB. The example below shows a top-layer rectangular keepout reserving clearance near a chip, keeping routing, copper, pads, vias, and footprints out of that area.

export default () => (
  <board width="10mm" height="10mm">
  <resistor name="R1" footprint="0402" resistance="1k" pcbX={-4} />
  <keepout shape="rect" pcbX={0} pcbY={0} width="2.4mm" height="5mm" />
  <resistor name="R2" footprint="0402" resistance="1k" pcbX={4} />

  <trace from=".R1 > .pin1" to=".R2 > .pin1" />
</board>
)

Layer Selection

Use layers to choose where the keepout applies. If layers is omitted, tscircuit emits the keepout on the top layer.

<keepout
  shape="rect"
  pcbX={0}
  pcbY={0}
  width="5mm"
  height="3mm"
  layers={["top", "bottom"]}
/>

Layer names use the same layer refs as other PCB elements, such as "top", "bottom", and inner-layer names like "inner1" when the board has those layers.

Keepout Properties

Property	Description	Example
shape	Shape of the keepout area. Use "rect" for a rectangle or "circle" for a circle.	"rect"
width	Width of a rectangular keepout. Required when shape is "rect".	"6mm"
height	Height of a rectangular keepout. Required when shape is "rect".	"8mm"
radius	Radius of a circular keepout. Required when shape is "circle".	"4mm"
layers	PCB layers where the keepout applies. Defaults to ["top"].	["top", "bottom"]