SelectingConnected CopperUsing ViewMasterPLUS

Availableinversion10.6andup

2009PentaLogixLLCEZPCBQuoteisdevelopedandownedbyPentaLogixLLCAllRightsReserved

SelectingConnectedCopperUsingViewMasterPLUS Introduction
ApowerfulnewfeatureisnowavailabletoViewMasterPLUSusers.Introducedinversion10.6,thefeatureiscalled SelectElectricallyConnectedElements.Usingthisnewtoolyoucanquicklyseehowyourdataisconnected.For example,considertheimageshownbelow:

Figure1Usethenewtooltoquicklyhighlightallelectricallyconnectedelements. Afterthetoolisactivated,youcanclickonanyelectricalelement.Allothervisibleelectricalelementsthatare connectedtothesameelementyouclickedonwillbecomehighlighted.Thismakesitreallyeasytoseehowaparticular netisconnected.IfyouneedtoedityourGerber/Drilldata,thenthisisatoolyouwillusealot. Thisapplicationnotegivesyouabriefintroductiontothenewfeature.ThisfeatureisalsoavailableinCAMMaster.This applicationnotewilldemonstratethenewfeatureutilizingViewMasterPLUS. Tousethenewtool,youwillneedtoknowhowtosetupyourLayerTypesandyourSelectionCriteria.Welldiscuss layertypesfirstandthengiveabriefintroductiontosettingupyourselectioncriteria.Onceyouunderstandthesetwo concepts,youllbereadytousethenewfeature.

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SelectingConnectedCopperUsingViewMasterPLUS SettingupLayerTypes
Beforeyoucanusethenewtool,youmustassigntheLayerTypesofeachofyourlayersofinterest.ViewMasterPLUS mustknowwhichlayersyouwanttoincludewhenselectingtheelectricallyconnectedelements.Note,thatingeneral, thisisagoodpracticetofollowanyway.ViewMasterPLUScandomoreforyouifyousetthelayertypesappropriately. LayerTypes MostPCBdesignshavecertainlayersincommon.Foradoublesidedboard,youllalwayshavebothatopandabottom copperlayer.Formultilayerboardsyoullalsohaveanumberofinternallayers.Mostboardsusuallyalsocontaintop andbottomSolderMaskandtoplayerSilkScreen.SomeboardsalsocontainSilkScreenonthebottomlayer.Another layerthataffectselectricalconnectivityisthePlatedDrillslayer. Wewilluseaverysimpleexampletodemonstratelayertypes.Thedesignisshowninthefigurebelow:

Figure2SamplefileusedtodemonstrateLayerTypes Thisisatwolayerboardthatcontainsallofthelayertypesthatyouarelikelytoencounterwhenworkingwith traditionalboards.Ifyourdesigncontainsblindand/orburiedvias,thenyourlayersetupneedstobeprepared differently.Thisisbeyondthescopeofthisapplicationnote.Ifyouhavequestionsaboutsettingupajobwithblind and/orburiedvias,pleasecontactPentaLogixTechnicalSupportforfurtherinformation. Page3

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SelectingConnectedCopperUsingViewMasterPLUS TheLayersTable
PresstheF10keytodisplaytheLayersTableasshownbelow:

Figure3LayersTable Notethatthissimpledesignonlycontainstwocopperlayers.However,thereareatotalof11layersinthedesign.Note theTypecolumnthatishighlightedabove.ThiscolumndefinestheLayerTypeforeachoftheloadedlayers.Our designcontainsthefollowinglayertypes: BoardOutline(BOL) Theboardoutlineisshownonlayer1.Ideally,thisshouldbeasinglecontinuous(unbroken)outlinethatdescribesthe outlineofyourPCB.Theboardedgeisdescribedbythecenterlineoftheelementsonthislayer.

Figure4BoardOutlineLayerTypeisBOL PlatedDrills(PTH) ThePlatedDrillslayerisshownonlayernumber2.ThislayershouldcontainallofthePlateddrillinformationfor yourdesign.Theplateddrilllayercontainsholesthatareplatedthroughfromthetoplayertothebottomlayer.Any elementsonanyoftheelectricallayersthatconnecttotheseholeswillbeconnectedtogether.Ideally,theplateddrills layershouldbesettoPTH(PlatedThroughHole),althoughamorecommonsettingofDRI(Drill)willalsowork.

Figure5PlatedDrillsLayerTypeisPTHorDRI
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SelectingConnectedCopperUsingViewMasterPLUS
NonPlatedDrills(NTH) TheNonPlatedDrillslayerisshowninlayernumber3.Thislayershouldcontainalloftheholesthatarenotplated. Sincetheholesarenotplated,theycannotbeusedtoconnectelementsondifferentlayers.Infact,youshouldensure thatanyelementsonthecopperlayersmaintainaminimumdistanceawayfromthesenonplatedholes.

Figure6NonPlatedDrillsLayerTypeisNTH NotethatmanyCADsystemswillplaceboththePlatedDrillsandtheNonPlatedDrillsinthesamelayer(typically witha.driextension).However,weconsiderthistobeabadidea.Mostdrillformats(Excellonforexample)donot differentiatebetweenplatedandnonplatedtypes.Theplateddrillsandthenonplateddrillsaredrilledatdifferent timesduringthePCBfabricationcycle.TheplateddrillsaredrilledbeforethePCBisplatedandthenonplateddrillsare drilledafterplating.Itisnecessarytoseparatethesetwodrilltypes.Ifyoudontdoit,thenyourPCBfabricatorwill needtoperformthisextrastep.Itisourrecommendationthatyouseparatetheplatedandthenonplateddrillsinto separatelayersasshowninthisdesign.Ifyoudonotseparatetheplatedandnonplateddrillsintodifferentlayers,then youmustatleastensurethattheToolCodeTypeissetcorrectlyasshownbelow.

Figure7ToolCodesmenuYoucanaccessbypressingShift+F5 PlatedInternalRouts(RPI) ThePlatedInternalRoutslayerisshownonlayernumber4.Mostlikely,yourdesignwontcontainthislayertype. However,ifyouhaveplatedthroughcutoutsthatyouwanttoincludeinyourdesign,thenyoushouldplacethemona separatelayerandsetthelayertypetoRPI(Rout,Plated,Internal).Notethatanyelementsondifferentlayersthat contactRPIelementswillbeelectricallyconnected.However,atthepresenttime,ViewMasterPLUSdoesnottakethese layersintoaccount.

Figure8PlatedInternalRoutsLayerTypeisRPI
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SelectingConnectedCopperUsingViewMasterPLUS
NonPlatedInternalRouts(RNI) TheNonPlatedInternalRoutslayerisshownonlayernumber5.Again,thislayertypeisnotverycommon.However,if youhaveirregularshapedcutouts(orevenlargecircularcutouts),thenthePCBmanufacturerislikelygoingtocreate thesecutoutsusingarouterinsteadofadrillingmachine.Werecommendthatanyshapesdefiningthesecutoutsare placedonaseparatelayerandthatyouassignalayertypeofRNI(Rout,NonPlated,Internal).

Figure9NonPlatedInternalRoutsLayerTypeisRNI TopSilkScreen(SKU)andBottomSilkScreen(SKL) ThetopSilkScreenlayerisshownonlayernumber6andthebottomSilkScreenlayerisshownonlayernumber11. Mostoften,theselayersareusedtodefinewherelegendinkisplacedontheboardtoidentifycomponentoutlinesand componentidentifiers(R1,C2,U10,etc.).Thelegendinkisnotelectricallyconductive.Bysettingthelayertypeto SKUand/orSKL,youtellViewMasterPLUSthatthisisaSilkScreenlayerandtoignoreitwhendeterminingelectrical connectivity.

Figure10TopSilkScreen(SKU)andBottomSilkScreen(SKL)

TopSolderMask(MSU)andBottomSolderMask(MSL) ThetopSolderMasklayerisshownonlayernumber7andthebottomSolderMasklayerisshownonlayernumber10. TheselayersareusedtoidentifyareaswhereyoudontwantsoldertoadheretothePCB.TheSolderMaskmaterialthat isappliedisnotelectricallyconductive.BysettingthelayertypetoMSUand/orMSL,youtellViewMasterPLUSthat thisisaSolderMasklayerandtoignoreitwhendeterminingelectricalconnectivity.

Figure11TopSolderMask(MSU)andBottomSolderMask(MSL)

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SelectingConnectedCopperUsingViewMasterPLUS
TopCopper(CPU)andBottomCopper(CPL) Thetopcopperlayerisshownonlayernumber8andthebottomcopperlayerisshownonlayernumber9.Theselayers containtheouterlayerelectricalelementsthatwillremainascopperfeaturesafterthePCBisetched.Setthetop copperlayertypetoCPU(Copper,Upper)andthebottomcopperlayertypetoCPL(Copper,Lower).

Figure12TopCopper(CPU)andBottomCopper(CPL) InternalLayers(SIG) Ourexampledoesnotcontainanyinternallayers.Werecommendthatyousetthelayertypeofanyinternallayersto SIG.ViewMasterPLUSconsidersallelementsonSIGlayerstobeelectricallyconductiveandwilltaketheseelements intoaccountwhendeterminingelectricalconnectivity. Summary IttakesonlyafewmomentstosetyourLayerTypescorrectly.Bytakingthetimetosetupyourlayertypesyouwill saveyourselftimewhenusingotherfeatureswithinViewMasterPLUS.Settinguptheselayertypeswillalsomakeit easierforyoutousethedatainourEZPCBQuotesoftware. Thefollowinglayertypesareconsideredconductivetypes: SIG,CPU,CPL,DRI,PAD,PTH,VIA,VIDandallpowerandgroundplanelayertypes.Ifyouhaveanylayersthatarework layersandthatdonotfitintoanyofthepreviouslydiscussedlayertypes,thensetthemtoOTHorNFLsothatthey areignored.

SelectingElements
Therearemanyoccasionswhenyouwillwanttoselectoneormoreelements.Whenyouactivatetheselectiontool (shortcutkeyisS),youcanselectindividualelementsbyclickingnearthem.Youcanselectmultipleelementsby draggingawindowaroundtheelementswhiletheselectiontoolisactive.Youcanalsogloballyselectallvisible elementsthatmatchyourselectioncriteriabypressingtheVkeyorbyselectingSelect>Global>New.

Figure13GlobalSelection
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SelectingConnectedCopperUsingViewMasterPLUS SettingUpYourSelectionCriteria
ViewMasterPLUSmakesselectionsbaseduponhowyousetupyourselectioncriteria.Thisfeatureisalsousefulwhen usingthenewSelectElectricallyConnectedElementstool.Notethefourhighlightedsectionsinthefigurebelow:

Figure14NoticethefourSelectionCriteriacontrols OnlyCurrentLayer YoucaninstructViewMasterPLUStoselectonlyelementsonthecurrentlyselectedlayerbycheckingtheOnlyCurrent Layercheckbox.

Figure15OnlyCurrentLayer OnlyCurrentDCode Ifthischeckboxischecked,thenViewMasterPLUSwillselectonlyelementsthatmatchtheindicatedDCode.

Figure16OnlyCurrentDCode OnlyCurrentNet Ifthischeckboxischecked,thenViewMasterPLUSwillselectonlyelementsthatmatchthecurrentNetNumber.

Figure17OnlyCurrentNet

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SelectingConnectedCopperUsingViewMasterPLUS
SelectionCriteriaComboBox Youcanfurtherconditionyourselectioncriteriabymakingaselectionfromtheselectioncriteriacomboboxasshown below.Forexample,ifyouchoosethePadsitem,thenonlyelementsthataremappedtopadsinyourfilewillbe selected.ClickontheAnyitemifyoudontwanttohavetheSelectionCriteriaComboBoxaffectyourselections.

Figure18SelectionCriteriaComboBox

HowSelectionCriteriaWorks
Notethatyourfinalselectioncriterionisdeterminedbytakingeachofthefouritemsmentionedaboveintoaccount. Forexample,ifyousetyourselectioncriteriaasfollows:

Figure19SelectionCriterionExample Whenyouperformaselection,onlypadsontheTopCopperlayerwillbeselected.

Noticealso,thatinadditiontoyourselectioncriterion,onlyvisibleelementswillbeselected.Forexampleifyouwantto selectonlyelementsontheouterlayers,thenturnonlytheselayersonandunchecktheOnlyCurrentLayercheckbox. Page9

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SelectingConnectedCopperUsingViewMasterPLUS UsingtheSelectElectricallyConnectedElementsTool
Afteryouvesetupyourlayertypesandyourselectioncriterion,yourereadytousethenewfeature.Makethelayers thatyouwanttoreviewvisible.Then,selectTools>Netlist>SelectElectricallyConnectedElementsasshownbelow:

Figure20SelectElectricallyConnectedElements Inresponse,thecursorshapewillchangeasshownbelow:

Figure21SelectElectricallyConnectedElementscursor Moveclosetoadesiredelementandclicktheleftmousebutton.ViewMasterPLUSwillhighlightalloftheelementsthat connecttothiselement.

Figure22Clicktoshowallelectricallyconnectedelements

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SelectingConnectedCopperUsingViewMasterPLUS HandlingNegativeandMixedModeLayers
Notethatthenewfeatureworkscorrectlyevenifyouhavedatathatcontainsnegativelayersorlayerscomposedof multiplepaintandscratchelements.Forexample,considerthegroundplanelayershownbelow:

Figure23Negativeand/orPaintandScratchdataishandledautomatically ViewMasterPLUSwilltemporarilyconvertallofthedatatopolygonsinordertocalculatetheelectricallyconnected elements.Youwillnotloseyouroriginaldatastructurewhenusingthisnewfeature.ViewMasterPLUSwill automaticallyrestoreyouroriginaldatawhenyouarefinishedusingthetool.

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SelectingConnectedCopperUsingViewMasterPLUS EditingRestrictions
Pleasenotethatwhilethenewfeatureisactive,youwillreceiveawarningifyoutrytoeditthedatainanyway:

Figure24Youshouldnoteditdatawhilethenewfeatureisactive Asmentionedpreviously,allofthedataisconvertedtopolygonswhenthenewfeatureisactive.Youroriginaldatawill berestoredwhenyoudismisstheSelectElectricallyConnectedElementsfeature.Anyeditsthatyoumakewhilethe newfeatureisactivewillbediscarded.

Summary
Wehopethatyouenjoythispowerfulnewfeature.Asalways,wewelcomeyourfeedback.Pleasedirectany suggestionstosupport@pentalogix.com. ThePentaLogixTeam

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