Recomendations on panelization software for user array and multiproject?

Question

After experimenting with the PCB fab house doing the panelizing and the back and forth that entailed, and not getting quite consistent results, I want to take a stab at doing the creation of a user array. I'm using that term to not confuse with the panelizing the fabricator does to put N user boards on a typical raw material blank.

For now I'm just interested in making either 2 up (1x2) or 4 up (2x2) array of the same board design - 10mm rails with tooling/fids, routed edges with tabs type thing.

Down the road I may want to make a multi-project (i.e. 2 different designs) user array as some of the boards always end up in pairs. In that case though I also need to provide the assembly house with a merged pick and place file with all the offsets correct. I can offset the ref-des' easily enough.

I want some tool to generate the panels and DRC the whole thing, etc., hopefully one tool that handles both the N copy user array as well as the N project user array.

There are a number of tools out there but they seemed to be more aimed at fabricators and/or have a lot of high end features that aren't needed for 2 or 4 layer boards with >= 6/6 rules. In other words I don't want to spend more on the tool than I spent on CircuitStudio.

Hoping someone here might have figured this out and could share what they do.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Brewster

mars01 · Accepted Answer

Hi Brewster,

As a first step you could look on this video on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXM_3_9vTBI&ab_channel=harvie256 where @harvie256 explain how to use a PCB file with an embedded array inside (it can only be generated by Altium Designer but once you have a copy you can use it in as many projects as you want; a sort of template).

I personally don't use the columns and rows feature but I copy the array multiple times, load the board references so they are correctly sized, set a nice Grid value and then arrange the boards on PCB as I see fit. You can copy/paste one of the 'loaded' arrays in case you want multiple copies of the same PCB or just copy the array container and then load the PCB reference for a different PCB. Therefore your requirement of having duplicates of same PCB and/or different designs is covered.

FIducials you can make them yourself and place them in 3 corners of the board (a 1mm diameter pad with 2mm soldermask opening could do the trick). Tooling lines are also rather easy to draw on a Mechanical layer.

If you need an Altium Designer blank PCB file with the embedded array just ask.

Best regards,

Marius

mars01 · Answer

Hi Nick, Here is a MEGA link for the file that I've posted above but it is no longer available on that location. https://mega.nz/#!Iop1QAwI!jYsFDiK2PGWofVL3pVxiM3JYQuvzYAhElIuqrtwvfU4 Best, Marius

mars01 · Answer

Hi Brewster, For the past two years I took over the development for the open-source software FlatCAM (www.flatcam.org). My focus was in adding everything that is needed to make PCB prototyping at home (or work) easy but I've added there a tool (sort of plugin) named Panelization Tool. You can panelize Gerber/Excellon files very easy and then save the resulting object(s) as Gerber(s)/Excellon(s). Sometime in the near feature I will add a tool that will add tear drops too.My efforts result is what is called now FlatCAM beta, currently at version 8.98. As for Circuit Studio development ... it's a long time now since I understood the situation. It was like a river slowly drying to a trickle. Until there is nothing anymore. At least I have an Altium Designer license available from work . They've just renewed subscription so I am waiting to see AD v 20.

Recomendations on panelization software for user array and multiproject?

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