You may be able to increase the number of columns and/or rows on your panel by fitting the boards closer together, or allowing for a smaller border around the panel edges. If the Calculate option is enabled, you will be shown the maximum number of columns and rows that will fit whatever panel size and spacing values you enter. Then you are shown values for the Panel Size, Spacing, and Parts Count. This sequence will bring up the Panelization dialog.Īt the top, the horizontal and vertical extents of the objects you selected are reported in the Image Size fields. Panelization follows the CAM Editor general editing pattern: first issue the command ( Tools » Panelize PCB ), then select the objects you want to include in the panel ( E, S, L to select everything), and then execute the command by right-clicking or pressing SHIFT + F9.

The image and drill information will only be defined once in the panel, followed by a set of step instructions, that is, locations where the original data will be repeated. We highly recommend that you use one of the available offset codes, because they keep your files small and manageable. You may also indicate how the data will be stored. PanelizationĪ panel is created through an automated process, in which you determine the size of the panel and how the multiple copies of the board data will be arranged within the panel space. It will also show how design panels may be optimized for the benefit of everybody involved - those working in the fabrication house, in the assembly house, and in the most important house of all: yours. This article describes the CAM Editor tools for panelization and NC routing commands. You may, for example, want panels that best suit not just the fabrication house, but the assembly house, too. Some of you will be happy to review your designs and let the fab house worry about maximizing the real-estate on their boards, so long as you get back what you ordered. Our answer is that it's hard for us to pinpoint where your job as a designer ends. Many board designers will wonder why these tools are included.

This includes tools for panelizing the board and defining routing edges. This work entails precise and open communication with the fabrication and assembly units.Īltium Designer's CAM Editor empowers designers with everything they need to foster this communication, including not just reliable verification tools, but the full CAM toolset available to board fabricators and assembly houses. Experienced designers will, however, acknowledge the importance of the post-design work that must be done for working boards to come back in a reliable manner. Traditionally, design engineers have used CAM tools for verification only, visually reviewing their Gerber and Drill outputs before forwarding these files to the fabrication house. This article describes the CAM Editor (CAMtastic®) tools for panelization and NC routing commands.

Cam350 gerber viewer