PCB Via question

[henrywolfe]

Hey Tim, I am just curious why on your PCBs the contact between the vias and the traces is kind of in the shape of a pie cut in 4 quarters instead of the trace fully covering the via. Just curious what that's all about.

[tpryan]

You're looking at a pad that is connected to the ground plane through a thermal relief. If they were connected directly, you'd have a very difficult time getting the pad hot enough to solder.