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How to generate board outline?

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[quote][i]Originally posted by rbuck[/i]
[br]I am running Easy-PC v20.0.3.

I have a couple of problems trying to generate Gerber files to send to the board house. In previous versions, when I generated files from the Plotting and Printing dialog, there was an option to generate the board outline for each layer. Apparently that no longer exists. How do I generate a board outline for the board house?

I see a checkbox on the Settings tab in the Plotting & Printing dialog "Unplated Board Outlines". I checked that but when I look at the plot in a Gerber viewer, I do not see the board outline.

Also, I am seeing an error message I have never seen before. I have been using Easy-PC since 2008 and this is a new one.

The 'Thermal Isolation' values in the following plot(s) is smaller than the copper to pad design rule spacing.
	'Gnd(Powerplane)'
	'Vcc(Powerplane)'

In the Design Technology file, Spacings tab, I have Shapes to Pads and Shapes to Vias set to 20. This is because I have copper pour areas on the top layer and want to maintain .020 spacing to the pads and vias.

If I look at the Rules tab, I see Powerplanes and it says <Default>. I set "Isolation Gap:" to 20.00 and "Spoke Width" to 10.00. I would like to have .020 isolation between the pads/vias and the powerplane copper. I have always done this in the past and have never seen the error message before. There must be a setting somewhere that I can change to get rid of the message???

[/quote]

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T O P I C R E V I E W
rbuck	Posted - 01 Mar 2017 : 00:30:04 I am running Easy-PC v20.0.3. I have a couple of problems trying to generate Gerber files to send to the board house. In previous versions, when I generated files from the Plotting and Printing dialog, there was an option to generate the board outline for each layer. Apparently that no longer exists. How do I generate a board outline for the board house? I see a checkbox on the Settings tab in the Plotting & Printing dialog "Unplated Board Outlines". I checked that but when I look at the plot in a Gerber viewer, I do not see the board outline. Also, I am seeing an error message I have never seen before. I have been using Easy-PC since 2008 and this is a new one. The 'Thermal Isolation' values in the following plot(s) is smaller than the copper to pad design rule spacing. 'Gnd(Powerplane)' 'Vcc(Powerplane)' In the Design Technology file, Spacings tab, I have Shapes to Pads and Shapes to Vias set to 20. This is because I have copper pour areas on the top layer and want to maintain .020 spacing to the pads and vias. If I look at the Rules tab, I see Powerplanes and it says <Default>. I set "Isolation Gap:" to 20.00 and "Spoke Width" to 10.00. I would like to have .020 isolation between the pads/vias and the powerplane copper. I have always done this in the past and have never seen the error message before. There must be a setting somewhere that I can change to get rid of the message???
7 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
rbuck	Posted - 02 Mar 2017 : 19:37:09 Ed, I removed the power planes and replaced them with poured layers. The errors disappeared when I ran the DRC with the same settings that were giving errors with the Powerplanes. Looking at the layers, I think I see where the errors come from with Powerplanes. There are four spokes for every pad/via when Powerplanes are used. With copper pours, in some places there were only two or three spokes. I had settings of orthogonal spokes, 4 desired spokes, 2 minimum spokes. So I think the errors are caused by the extra spokes violating the thermal isolation rules. Apparently Powerplanes are not smart enough to understand isolation rules. Ray
edrees	Posted - 02 Mar 2017 : 17:14:02 Ray, it would be interesting to learn if your "thermal isolation" errors disappear when you pour/flood the two Vcc/Gnd layers (instead of Powerplanes) and redo the DRC.
rbuck	Posted - 02 Mar 2017 : 16:22:46 Ed and Iain, Thanks for the suggestion. I very seldom use power planes as I have seen previous postings indicating there were issues with them. For this design I decided to give it a go. Since I am still seeing the warning, it may be safer to eliminate the power planes and replace them with copper pours. I have never had an issue with pours in the past. I didn't submit the files for manufacturing yet as I wanted to wait and see if anyone else replied to this topic. I guess the rule with Easy-PC is "never use power planes" in your designs. Ray
Iain Wilkie	Posted - 02 Mar 2017 : 15:42:01 Fully agree with Ed. Do not use the power plane utility ! Always use poured copper for your power planes, much better and definitely safer !!! Iain
edrees	Posted - 02 Mar 2017 : 09:28:48 Hi Ray, I think that your "Thermal Isolation error" message may be due to Gnd & Vcc Powerplanes useage. In the past, there was an issue with Powerplanes as there could be an isolated area of Powerplane (due to density of pads/vias) which the DRC would not detect. Since then I believe it is safer to use ordinary "tracked" layers rather than Powerplanes and then subsequently add your own Gnd & Vcc pour areas.
rbuck	Posted - 01 Mar 2017 : 17:10:07 Ed, After I shut the computer down last night and restarted it this morning, I now see the Board Outline checkbox. I generated Gerbers and now see the outline in the Gerber viewer. I don't know what the Thermal Isolation error message is. I'm just going to ignore it and send the files to the board house.
edrees	Posted - 01 Mar 2017 : 09:35:23 I presume you have a board outline on your design? The option to include Board Outline on each layer is still under "Layers" (and Settings) on the Plotting option.