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Polygon Pour on a power layer.

lainscough_dfc over 5 years ago

I have four layer board and on the power layer, I want to create an area for +3V3 and +5V

But I cannot select the Power layer?

I must have done something wrong.

BUT it not allowing me to select the POWER_VCC layer

Not sure what I have setup wrong.

Any pointer would be appreciated. Thanks Lee

Top Replies

jeff_electron over 5 years ago in reply to lainscough_dfc +1

long time Altium user here, I have never used actual power plane layers (aka internal planes). a signal layer with a polygon pour on it does everything you need, and has the benefit that its treated like…

0 lainscough_dfc over 5 years ago

Oh, If I define it as an internal Signal layer it seem to let me do it. I assume Internal planes are treated as negative whole copper plane. OK I might be onto somwthing here. Will investigate once I get back onto it next.
Comments welcome?
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0 tyro01 over 5 years ago in reply to lainscough_dfc

Does this article help you?
Split Plane | Online Documentation for Altium Products
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0 lainscough_dfc over 5 years ago in reply to lainscough_dfc

Thank, My problem is Ive come from useing a few different tool over the years and the terminology is slightly different on each tool, and its a case of re-training my brain in a way that works with this tool.
This forum is really great.

I like CS and for the cost its a great 3D tool. I have tried Kicad but it was too buggy for me to use and Altium products give me a migration path forward which is important.

Plus lots of part are in Altium format.
Thanks for your comment.
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0 tyro01 over 5 years ago in reply to lainscough_dfc

Yes, I think so too. What you can't do with this product, in many cases, you just don't know how to operate it.
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0 jeff_electron over 5 years ago in reply to lainscough_dfc

long time Altium user here, I have never used actual power plane layers (aka internal planes). a signal layer with a polygon pour on it does everything you need, and has the benefit that its treated like every other layer so there's less user-interface to learn, and in cases where you really need that layer to run a trace on, you can.
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0 tarribred61 over 5 years ago in reply to jeff_electron

I completely agree. Planes seem to be relics of the long ago past of hand tape and mylar.
Edit..
Maybe of interest. https://www.altium.com/solution/polygon-or-plane-which-is-better

Without strongly saying it, they provide the benefits of signal layers over planes and mention the historical reason to use a plane. They were simpler to define for hand drawn PCBs and early CAD systems and generated smaller Gerber files since you only drew feature where you didn't want copper.. Not much of a benefit now-a-days, in my opinion.
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0 lainscough_dfc over 5 years ago in reply to jeff_electron

Thanks, That's gives me confidence Im going the right direction.
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