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2009PentaLogixLLCEZPCBQuoteisdevelopedandownedbyPentaLogixLLCAllRightsReserved
Selecting Connected
Copper UsingViewMasterPLUS
Available in version 10.6 and up
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Selecting Connected Copper Using ViewMasterPLUS
IntroductionApowerfulnewfeatureisnowavailabletoViewMasterPLUSusers.
Introducedinversion10.6,thefeatureiscalled
SelectElectricallyConnectedElements.
Usingthisnewtoolyoucanquicklyseehowyourdataisconnected. For
example,
consider
the
image
shown
below:
Figure1Usethenewtooltoquicklyhighlightallelectricallyconnectedelements.Afterthetoolisactivated,youcanclickonanyelectricalelement.
Allothervisibleelectricalelementsthatare
connectedtothesameelementyouclickedonwillbecomehighlighted.
Thismakesitreallyeasytoseehowaparticular
netisconnected.
IfyouneedtoedityourGerber/Drilldata,thenthisisatoolyouwillusealot.
Thisapplication
note
gives
you
abrief
introduction
to
the
new
feature.
This
feature
is
also
available
in
CAMMaster.
This
applicationnotewilldemonstratethenewfeatureutilizingViewMasterPLUS.
Tousethenewtool,youwillneedtoknowhowtosetupyourLayerTypesandyourSelectionCriteria.Welldiscuss
layertypesfirstandthengiveabriefintroductiontosettingupyourselectioncriteria.
Onceyouunderstandthesetwo
concepts,youllbereadytousethenewfeature.
2009 PentaLogix LLC EZPCBQuote is developed and owned by
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Selecting Connected Copper Using ViewMasterPLUS
SettingupLayerTypesBeforeyoucanusethenewtool,youmustassigntheLayerTypesofeachofyourlayersofinterest.
ViewMasterPLUS
mustknowwhichlayersyouwanttoincludewhenselectingtheelectricallyconnectedelements.
Note,thatingeneral,
this
is
a
good
practice
to
follow
anyway.
ViewMasterPLUS
can
do
more
for
you
if
you
set
the
layer
types
appropriately.
LayerTypesMostPCBdesignshavecertainlayersincommon.
Foradoublesidedboard,youllalwayshavebothatopandabottom
copperlayer.
Formultilayerboardsyoullalsohaveanumberofinternallayers.Mostboardsusuallyalsocontaintop
andbottomSolderMaskandtoplayerSilkScreen.
SomeboardsalsocontainSilkScreenonthebottomlayer. Another
layerthataffectselectricalconnectivityisthePlatedDrillslayer.
Wewilluseaverysimpleexampletodemonstratelayertypes.
Thedesignisshowninthefigurebelow:
Figure2SamplefileusedtodemonstrateLayerTypesThisisatwolayerboardthatcontainsallofthelayertypesthatyouarelikelytoencounterwhenworkingwith
traditionalboards.
Ifyourdesigncontainsblindand/orburiedvias,thenyourlayersetupneedstobeprepared
differently. Thisisbeyondthescopeofthisapplicationnote.
Ifyouhavequestionsaboutsettingupajobwithblind
and/orburiedvias,pleasecontactPentaLogixTechnicalSupportforfurtherinformation.
2009 PentaLogix LLC EZPCBQuote is developed and owned by
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Selecting Connected Copper Using ViewMasterPLUS
TheLayersTablePresstheF10keytodisplaytheLayersTableasshownbelow:
Figure3LayersTableNotethatthissimpledesignonlycontainstwocopperlayers.
However,thereareatotalof11layersinthedesign. Note
theTypecolumnthatishighlightedabove.
ThiscolumndefinestheLayerTypeforeachoftheloadedlayers. Our
designcontainsthefollowinglayertypes:
BoardOutline(BOL)Theboardoutlineisshownonlayer1.
Ideally,thisshouldbeasinglecontinuous(unbroken)outlinethatdescribesthe
outlineofyourPCB.
Theboardedgeisdescribedbythecenterlineoftheelementsonthislayer.
Figure4BoardOutlineLayerTypeisBOLPlatedDrills(PTH)ThePlatedDrillslayerisshownonlayernumber2.
ThislayershouldcontainallofthePlateddrillinformationfor
yourdesign.
Theplateddrilllayercontainsholesthatareplatedthroughfromthetoplayertothebottomlayer.
Any
elementsonanyoftheelectricallayersthatconnecttotheseholeswillbeconnectedtogether.
Ideally,theplateddrills
layershould
be
set
to
PTH
(Plated
Through
Hole),
although
amore
common
setting
of
DRI
(Drill)
will
also
work.
2009 PentaLogix LLC EZPCBQuote is developed and owned by
PentaLogix LLC All Rights Reserved. Page 4
Figure5PlatedDrillsLayerTypeisPTHorDRI
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Selecting Connected Copper Using ViewMasterPLUS
NonPlatedDrills(NTH)TheNonPlatedDrillslayerisshowninlayernumber3.
Thislayershouldcontainalloftheholesthatarenotplated.
Sincetheholesarenotplated,theycannotbeusedtoconnectelementsondifferentlayers.
Infact,youshouldensure
thatanyelementsonthecopperlayersmaintainaminimumdistanceawayfromthesenonplatedholes.
Figure6NonPlatedDrillsLayerTypeisNTHNotethatmanyCADsystemswillplaceboththePlatedDrillsandtheNonPlatedDrillsinthesamelayer(typically
witha.driextension).
However,weconsiderthistobeabadidea.Mostdrillformats(Excellonforexample)donot
differentiatebetweenplatedandnonplatedtypes.
Theplateddrillsandthenonplateddrillsaredrilledatdifferent
timesduringthePCBfabricationcycle.
TheplateddrillsaredrilledbeforethePCBisplatedandthenonplateddrillsare
drilledafterplating. Itisnecessarytoseparatethesetwodrilltypes.
Ifyoudontdoit,thenyourPCBfabricatorwill
needtoperformthisextrastep.
Itisourrecommendationthatyouseparatetheplatedandthenonplateddrillsinto
separatelayersasshowninthisdesign.
Ifyoudonotseparatetheplatedandnonplateddrillsintodifferentlayers,then
youmustatleastensurethattheToolCodeTypeissetcorrectlyasshownbelow.
Figure7ToolCodesmenuYoucanaccessbypressingShift+F5PlatedInternalRouts(RPI)ThePlatedInternalRoutslayerisshownonlayernumber4.Mostlikely,yourdesignwontcontainthislayertype.
However,ifyouhaveplatedthroughcutoutsthatyouwanttoincludeinyourdesign,thenyoushouldplacethemona
separatelayerandsetthelayertypetoRPI(Rout,Plated,Internal).
Notethatanyelementsondifferentlayersthat
contactRPIelementswillbeelectricallyconnected.
However,atthepresenttime,ViewMasterPLUSdoesnottakethese
layersinto
account.
2009 PentaLogix LLC EZPCBQuote is developed and owned by
PentaLogix LLC All Rights Reserved. Page 5
Figure8PlatedInternalRoutsLayerTypeisRPI
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Selecting Connected Copper Using ViewMasterPLUS
NonPlatedInternalRouts(RNI)TheNonPlatedInternalRoutslayerisshownonlayernumber5.
Again,thislayertypeisnotverycommon. However,if
youhaveirregularshapedcutouts(orevenlargecircularcutouts),thenthePCBmanufacturerislikelygoingtocreate
thesecutoutsusingarouterinsteadofadrillingmachine.Werecommendthatanyshapesdefiningthesecutoutsare
placedonaseparatelayerandthatyouassignalayertypeofRNI(Rout,NonPlated,Internal).
Figure9NonPlatedInternalRoutsLayerTypeisRNITopSilkScreen(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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Selecting Connected Copper Using ViewMasterPLUS
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.
SummaryIttakesonlyafewmomentstosetyourLayerTypescorrectly.
Bytakingthetimetosetupyourlayertypesyouwill
saveyourselftimewhenusingotherfeatureswithinViewMasterPLUS.
Settinguptheselayertypeswillalsomakeit
easierforyoutousethedatainourEZPCBQuotesoftware.
Thefollowinglayertypesareconsideredconductivetypes:
SIG,CPU,CPL,DRI,PAD,PTH,VIA,VIDandallpowerandgroundplanelayertypes.
Ifyouhaveanylayersthatarework
layersandthatdonotfitintoanyofthepreviouslydiscussedlayertypes,thensetthemtoOTHorNFLsothatthey
areignored.
SelectingElementsTherearemanyoccasionswhenyouwillwanttoselectoneormoreelements.Whenyouactivatetheselectiontool
(shortcutkeyisS),youcanselectindividualelementsbyclickingnearthem.
Youcanselectmultipleelementsby
draggingawindowaroundtheelementswhiletheselectiontoolisactive.
Youcanalsogloballyselectallvisible
elementsthatmatchyourselectioncriteriabypressingtheVkeyorbyselectingSelect>Global>New.
2009 PentaLogix LLC EZPCBQuote is developed and owned by
PentaLogix LLC All Rights Reserved. Page 7
Figure13GlobalSelection
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Selecting Connected Copper Using ViewMasterPLUS
SettingUpYourSelectionCriteriaViewMasterPLUSmakesselectionsbaseduponhowyousetupyourselectioncriteria.
Thisfeatureisalsousefulwhen
usingthenewSelectElectricallyConnectedElementstool.
Notethefourhighlightedsectionsinthefigurebelow:
Figure14NoticethefourSelectionCriteriacontrolsOnlyCurrentLayerYoucaninstructViewMasterPLUStoselectonlyelementsonthecurrentlyselectedlayerbycheckingtheOnlyCurrent
Layercheckbox.
Figure15OnlyCurrentLayerOnlyCurrentDCodeIfthischeckboxischecked,thenViewMasterPLUSwillselectonlyelementsthatmatchtheindicatedDCode.
Figure16OnlyCurrentDCodeOnlyCurrentNetIfthischeckboxischecked,thenViewMasterPLUSwillselectonlyelementsthatmatchthecurrentNetNumber.
Figure17OnlyCurrentNet
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Selecting Connected Copper Using ViewMasterPLUS
SelectionCriteriaComboBoxYoucanfurtherconditionyourselectioncriteriabymakingaselectionfromtheselectioncriteriacomboboxasshown
below.
Forexample,ifyouchoosethePadsitem,thenonlyelementsthataremappedtopadsinyourfilewillbe
selected.
ClickontheAnyitemifyoudontwanttohavetheSelectionCriteriaComboBoxaffectyourselections.
Figure18SelectionCriteriaComboBox
HowSelectionCriteriaWorksNotethatyourfinalselectioncriterionisdeterminedbytakingeachofthefouritemsmentionedaboveintoaccount.
Forexample,ifyousetyourselectioncriteriaasfollows:
Figure19SelectionCriterionExampleWhenyouperformaselection,onlypadsontheTopCopperlayerwillbeselected.
Noticealso,thatinadditiontoyourselectioncriterion,onlyvisibleelementswillbeselected.
Forexampleifyouwantto
selectonlyelementsontheouterlayers,thenturnonlytheselayersonandunchecktheOnlyCurrentLayercheckbox
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Selecting Connected Copper Using ViewMasterPLUS
UsingtheSelectElectricallyConnectedElementsToolAfteryouvesetupyourlayertypesandyourselectioncriterion,yourereadytousethenewfeature.Makethelayers
thatyouwanttoreviewvisible.
Then,selectTools>Netlist>SelectElectricallyConnectedElementsasshownbelow:
Figure20SelectElectricallyConnectedElementsInresponse,thecursorshapewillchangeasshownbelow:
Figure21SelectElectricallyConnectedElementscursorMoveclosetoadesiredelementandclicktheleftmousebutton.
ViewMasterPLUSwillhighlightalloftheelementsthat
connecttothiselement.
Figure22Clicktoshowallelectricallyconnectedelements
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Selecting Connected Copper Using ViewMasterPLUS
HandlingNegativeandMixedModeLayersNotethatthenewfeatureworkscorrectlyevenifyouhavedatathatcontainsnegativelayersorlayerscomposedof
multiplepaintandscratchelements.
Forexample,considerthegroundplanelayershownbelow:
Figure23Negativeand/orPaintandScratchdataishandledautomaticallyViewMasterPLUSwilltemporarilyconvertallofthedatatopolygonsinordertocalculatetheelectricallyconnected
elements.
Youwillnotloseyouroriginaldatastructurewhenusingthisnewfeature.
ViewMasterPLUSwill
automaticallyrestoreyouroriginaldatawhenyouarefinishedusingthetool.
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Selecting Connected Copper Using ViewMasterPLUS
EditingRestrictionsPleasenotethatwhilethenewfeatureisactive,youwillreceiveawarningifyoutrytoeditthedatainanyway:
Figure24YoushouldnoteditdatawhilethenewfeatureisactiveAs
mentioned
previously,
all
of
the
data
is
converted
to
polygons
when
the
new
feature
is
active.
Your
original
data
will
berestoredwhenyoudismisstheSelectElectricallyConnectedElementsfeature.
Anyeditsthatyoumakewhilethe
newfeatureisactivewillbediscarded.
SummaryWehopethatyouenjoythispowerfulnewfeature.
Asalways,wewelcomeyourfeedback. Pleasedirectany
[email protected].
ThePentaLogixTeam
2009 PentaLogix LLC EZPCBQuote is developed and owned by
PentaLogix LLC All Rights Reserved. Page 12
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]
