I have a schematic, which will result in several PCBs with different layer stacks. What is the recommended way to do this ? Put all PCB in one file or have one file for every PCB ? Both ways do have their drawbacks ??
A lot of my projects have multiple PCB's with different layer stacks in one layout file. This way I can keep track at the interconnection of the whole design.
There are rougly 2 way's of doing this:
* You can buy the advanced technology option so you can define different Layer stacks in every area (I dont own this extension myself) But also without this option Pulsonix offers good support for multiple PCB's in one layout file:
1. Make a layer stack with enough layers for the PCB with the most layers. 2. place area's on the layers you dont use around your other pcb's and set them to keep out traces and copper (to avoid accedently routing tracks on this layers). 3. Place named array's around each PCB so you can make separate camplot outputs for each PCB, make sure you also use "Crop output to:" (in the camplot wizzard). for each plot. so only the desired PCB is outputed.
It also helps to create a block on your schematic design for each PCB. This also helps to manage the interconnection between the different PCB's. The interconnection between the PCB's can then be fullfilled with (insulated) wire links so you dont get connection design rules.
I know this topic is "dead" for more than half a year, but I have a very similar question. I also would like to be able to have one PCB design window with 3 separate PCB's in it. I followed the steps AdBemt had posted and could make different CAM files depending on the area selected in the CAM setting for the particular layer. If I do not want to manually change these settings each time for the separate PCB's I would have 3 times the "Layer Top", "Layer Bottom", "Layer Silkscreen Top", etc. This will work fine I guess, but only for this particular design. Is there maybe an option that it will make CAM plots of each board in the PCB design? I tried the different "Area" options, but none resulted in the thing I would like to see happening. Any help is appreciated.
The reason why I want to try this is because the PCB's are interconnected to each other with cables and I want to easily verify if the connections are correct without much documentation hassle. If it is not possible, than I will just go back and make different design of it (is also maybe more logical in a sense).
I have added this as an enhancement for the developers to look into. I will let you know as soon as it has been reviewed and we have a solution/ fix for you. Ref. 47625
Posted - 22 Nov 2018 : 09:56:42
