Panelizing & Copper Pours

Making PCB Layouts, Manual routing, Auto-routing, Copper pouring, Updating from Schematic, Manufacturing Output
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jeremywilson
Posts: 4
Joined: 28 Dec 2016, 06:17

Panelizing & Copper Pours

#1 Post by jeremywilson » 20 Jan 2017, 17:53

When panelizing different pcbs on a panel, the copper pours disappear after converting the borders to shapes.
How do you keep the pours?

Also, how do you create the panel border?,

MDman
Posts: 43
Joined: 25 Oct 2011, 19:53

Re: Panelizing & Copper Pours

#2 Post by MDman » 21 Jan 2017, 23:42

Ok, your doing it all wrong! :D

First get rid of the board cutout shape, you need to make it the board outline.
Objects>place board outline

Then go Edit>panelizing
Then click "show panel border" and the rest is pretty self explanatory.

If you are using fiducials on the panel boarder you need to select them. Right click and select "do not panelize"

jeremywilson
Posts: 4
Joined: 28 Dec 2016, 06:17

Re: Panelizing & Copper Pours

#3 Post by jeremywilson » 22 Jan 2017, 12:21

That's for panelizing the same board (matrix). Panelizing different boards is a different method.
However, all documentation is vague or missing info for copper pours and individual borders vs. panel border.

According to "Diptrace tutorial" document (2016):

Panelize different projects
Check "Edit \ Keep RefDes while Pasting" item from the main menu. Then select all objects
("Ctrl+A") of your second layout and press "Ctrl+C" to copy it Then right click in the empty
area (this will be an upper-left corner of the second board) and select "Paste".
...
Notice that common board outline should be created, board cutout shapes may be required
for correct manufacturing.


According to the "Diptrace Trainings" document (2013):

2. Copy/Paste method. If you want different boards to be placed on single panel we need to use copy/
paste method but it has to be done in the following sequence:

Open first board project and change it's board outline to a regular shape. Right click on the outline and
select "Convert to Shape" from the submenu. Then select all components on the board ("Ctrl+A") and
copy them to clipboard ("Ctrl+C"). Now open second project and select "Edit / Keep RefDes while
Pasting" from main menu. This will prevent changing of RefDes. Now you can paste first project from the
buffer ("Ctrl+V") and move it wherever you want.

MDman
Posts: 43
Joined: 25 Oct 2011, 19:53

Re: Panelizing & Copper Pours

#4 Post by MDman » 22 Jan 2017, 14:45

Ahhh, I see, my apologies! :oops:
Can't help you there, never tried it with different designs.

Perhaps, when you are setting up layers, set all layers as signal layers and make your copper pours on the signal layers instead of the plane layer.

Alex
Technical Support
Posts: 3897
Joined: 13 Jun 2010, 23:43

Re: Panelizing & Copper Pours

#5 Post by Alex » 23 Jan 2017, 02:37

Open board cutouts properties and change their types to other layer (top silk for example). Update all copper pours. When you finish all changes open shape properties and change back top silk to board cutout.

jeremywilson
Posts: 4
Joined: 28 Dec 2016, 06:17

Re: Panelizing & Copper Pours

#6 Post by jeremywilson » 23 Jan 2017, 10:37

Alex wrote:Open board cutouts properties and change their types to other layer (top silk for example). Update all copper pours. When you finish all changes open shape properties and change back top silk to board cutout.
So now I have two different boards in one file, each with board cutouts and copper pours okay.
How do I draw the panel outline. If I Place Board Outline, then the copper pours all disappear.
Do I just draw a shape on a mechanical layer for the panel outline and add a note?

BTW, my copper pours are board size ("Depending on Board" and "Snap to Board Outline" checked).

-- 23 Jan 2017, 14:55 --

Success!
I placed a board outline and did the layer changes to it as with the individual board outlines. I now have two board outlines and a panel board outline.
Everything appears okay, as long as I don't update the copper pours.

Thanks!

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