Make Board Paneling Tutorial

Make Board Paneling is a function to modify the data designed with a single sub board into an array type to use manufacturing related features such as Metal Mask Manager, Mounting Emulator, Block JIG Generator, Router-Machine JIG Generator, and so on.

Make Board Paneling using PDBB

Launch PollEx PCB.
From the menu bar, click File > Open and open the PollEx_PCB_Sample_r<revision number>.pdbb file from C:\ProgramData\altair\PollEx\<version>\Examples.
From the menu bar, click Manufacture > Make Board Paneling to open the Make Board Paneling dialog.
Create array.
1. In the Make Board Paneling dialog, enable the Route checkbox.
2. Enable the Board Figure checkbox.
3. Enable the Board Outline checkbox.
4. Click Add Board four times to register a total of four lists in Placement.
Note: A total of four lists, from No.1 to No.4, are created in Placement.
Set Array Placement No2.
1. Select Y Mirror.
2. Under Placement, enter 137.2 for dX and 0 for dY.
Set Array Placement No3.
1. Select X Mirror.
2. Under Placement, enter 0 for dX and 140.8 for dY.
Set Array Placement No4.
1. For Rotation Angle, enter 180.
2. Under Placement, enter 137.2 for dX and 140.8 for dY.
3. Click Apply.
Note: The original data is copied and arranged as registered in the Array list.
Create Array.
1. Select Column Spacing and Row Spacing under Array, then enter 10.
2. Enter 2 for Count.
3. Click Apply.
Create Panel Outline.
1. Enter 5 for Left, Right, Top, and Bottom Margin.
2. Create Rounded Corner.
3. Set the Top Left and Bottom Left to Round and enter 5.
4. Set the Top Right and Bottom Right to Chamfer and enter 5.
5. For Line Width, enter 0.1.
6. Click Apply.
  
  Note: The panel board outline is drawn.
7. Click OK to close the Make Board Paneling dialog.
  
  Figure 1. Make Board Paneling dialog

Make Board Paneling using Gerber Data

Launch PollEx PCB.
From the menu bar, click File > Open and open the PollEx_PCB_Sample_r<revision number>.pdbb file from C:\ProgramData\altair\PollEx\<version>\Examples.
Import Gerber data.
When the Metal Mask Gerber of the panel board is prepared, the sub-boards can be automatically calculated by selecting the component pad of the design data and the pad object of the Gerber data.
1. From the menu bar, click File > Import > Gerber (RS-274D/RS-274X). to open the Import from Gerber (RS-274D/RS-274X) dialog.
2. In the Import from Gerber (RS-274D/RS-274X) dialog, click .
3. Select all Top-Metal files from C:\ProgramData\altair\PollEx\<version>\Examples\MFG\Data\MetalMaskGerber.
4. From the tool bar, click to disable routing data.
From the menu bar, click Manufacture > Make Board Paneling to open the Make Board Paneling dialog.
Create Array List by selecting CAD and Gerber data.
1. In the Object Definition section of the Make Board Paneling dialog, enable the following checkboxes: Route, Board Figure, and Board Outline.
2. In the Object Select checkbox and select CAD Object.
3. Select the Pad to be used as the reference from the CAD data.
Figure 2.
Select pad based on Gerber data.
1. In the Placement section, select Gerber Object.
2. Select the Pad to be used as the reference from the Gerber data.
  
  Note: dX and dY distance between two selected objects from CAD and Gerber data is automatically calculated.
3. Click Add Board.
  
  Figure 3.
4. Click Apply.
  
  Note: The original data is copied and arranged as registered in the Placement list.
  
  Figure 4.
Create Panel outline.
Use the Get Panel Outline from Gerber option to define the Panel Outline.
1. Click Get Panel Outline from Gerber to open the Extract Board Outline dialog.
2. In the Extract Board Outline dialog, select Replace.
3. Click and drag to select a line to be defined as the Board Outline.
4. Enable the Certain Width checkbox and enter 0.2.
  
  Figure 5.
5. Click ALL.
  All lines with the same width as the previously selected line are automatically selected and displayed in purple in the Gerber data.
  Figure 6.
6. Click Apply in the Extract Board Outline dialog.
  Selected lines from the Gerber data are changed to the Panel Outline.
7. Click Close in the Make Board Paneling dialog.
  
  Figure 7.

Make Board Paneling - Export PDF

Launch PollEx PCB.
From the menu bar, click File > Open and open the PollEx_PCB_Sample_r<revision number>.pdbb file from C:\ProgramData\altair\PollEx\<version>\Examples.
From the menu bar, click Manufacture > Make Board Paneling.
Create Array.
1. In the Make Board Paneling dialog, enable the Board Outline checkbox.
2. Select the Array, then select the Column Spacing and Row Spacing.
3. Enter 10 for both Column Spacing and Row Spacing.
4. Enter 2 for both Count
5. Click Add Board. Array is registered in the array list.
6. Click Apply.
  
  Figure 8.
Create Panel Outline.
In the Define Panel Outline section, you can define the Panel Board outline.
1. Enter 10 for Left, Right, Top, and Bottom Margin.
2. Create Rounded Corner.
  - Set the Top Left and Right to Round and enter 5.
  - Set the Bottom Left and Right to Chamfer and enter 5.
  - Click Apply.
  Figure 9.
  
  Figure 10.
Export PDF.
1. Click Export PDF at the bottom.
2. The design file is saved as a *.pdbb file.The Export PDF window opens.
3. Click Add Page to create a new page. A list of pages created is displayed in the top left.
  
  Figure 11.
4. In the bottom page tab, click the Load to load sheet form file.
5. Select the file SheetForm.dxf from C:\ProgramData\altair\PollEx\<version>\Examples\MFG\MakeBoardPaneling.
  
  Note: The sheet form is displayed on the screen.
  
  Figure 12.
Add Paneling Board View.
1. In the Page tab, click the Add View.
2. Click and drag in the right screen to create a view area.
  
  Figure 13.
3. Click the created View in the Page Manager list. The PCB layout will be displayed on the screen.
  
  Figure 14.
  
  Note: If you check the Mirror option at the bottom, it displays the PCB layout in a mirrored state.
Add Drill.
1. In the Drill tab, click the Add Drill.
2. Select the file Drill.dxf from C:\ProgramData\altair\PollEx\<version>\Examples\MFG\MakeBoardPaneling.
  The drill will appear on the screen.
3. Right-click to adjust the size and set the rotation, then left-click at the desired location to add the drill.
  
  Figure 15.
  
  Figure 16.
4. Press the ESC key to close the Add Drill function.
Add Symbol.
1. In the Symbol tab, click the Add Symbol.
2. Select the file Symbol.dxf from C:\ProgramData\altair\PollEx\<version>\Examples\MFG\MakeBoardPaneling.
  The symbol shape will appear on the screen.
3. Right-click to adjust the size and set the rotation, then left-click at the desired location to add the symbol.
  
  Figure 17.
  
  Figure 18.
4. Press the ESC key to close the Add Drill function.
Add Detail.
1. In the Detail tab, click the Add Detail.
2. In the Page tab, click the Add View.
3. In the View2, select Page 1 > View 1 > Detail_1 in list.
Add Dimension.
1. In the Dimension tab, click the Add Dimension.
2. In the Dimension dialog, select the Height and Width of the Object.
3. Click on the object you want to measure on the screen to display the measurement value.
4. Left-click to apply the measurement value to the screen.
  
  Figure 19.
5. Select Object to Object for the measurement between the two objects
6. Select Edge from the First Type and Delta Y.
7. Click on the two objects on the screen to display the measurement value.
8. Left-click to apply the measurement value.
  
  Figure 20.
9. Press the OK button to close the Dimension function.
Layer Settings.
1. In the Layer tab, select the MECHANICAL14-TOP in the View area (Multiple selections are allowed).
  
  The layer is displayed on the screen.
  
  Figure 21.
Save and Export PDF.
1. Save the created data as a *.ppd file.
  
  Figure 22.
2. Click File > Export > PDF to output the PDF file.
  
  Figure 23.
Save and Export DXF
1. Save the created data as a *.dxf file.
  Figure 24.
2. Drag .dxf file on OpenCAD
  Figure 25.