Unaligned layers are a problem for many CAM350 processes. It makes the data difficult to view properly. Unaligned data will not produce a good netlist extract and many DRC checks will have problems because of it.
The source of alignment problems is always the Cad Source. CAM350 imports the data as is. So, one option is fixing an alignment problem in the Cad system that produced the file.
In PADS you can use the “offset” method for registration to prevent alignment problems. See “PADS Prep Editing” for more information.
Fixing Alignment Issues in CAM350
To align data in CAM350 the command is EDIT | LAYERS | ALIGN. The align function works by selecting an “Alignment Point” and then one or more “Objects to align” to the Alignment object. Usable objects are Flashed PADS, vertexes of lines, endpoints of lines and drills. Polygons are not usable for align.
Before starting the alignment process, look at the data and find the easiest data to use. Use INFO | QUERY | ALL (or the Q hotkey) to determine artwork type if there is any doubt. Different types of artwork have different numbers of “points” that can be used for alignment. Here are some examples:
Type Flash. A Flash has one point which is in the center of the Flash.
Type is Polygon. Polygons have no points. Polygons are not usable for Align.
Type is Line. A Line has 2 or more points. There is a point at each end of the line and a point at each vertex.
Type is Drill Hole. Just like a Flash, a Drill Hole has one point in the center.
In the example from the start of the article the best item to use for alignment is the line used for the border.
To start the alignment process, select EDIT | LAYERS | ALIGN. Make sure that Object snap is on and that grid snap is off.
This is wrong. (above) Object snap is off and grid snap is on.
This is correct. (above) Object snap is on, grid snap is off.
Also, in the lower left corner of CAM350 is information on what step you are in. Refer to these hints to see what CAM350 suggests you to do next.
“Select alignment point, Right Button to commit” means that you are at the step of selecting the Alignment point. The Alignment point is a the point that is already in the correct location. Left click on it to select it. If you happen to click on the wrong thing, you can just keep on left clicking until you get what you wanted to select. The item selected as Alignment point will have an X over it. The X looks just line the one used for the origin, which can lead to confusion.
Here we have selected an Alignment Point on the red line’s vertex.
Once you have the Alignment Point you wanted, right click. The right click is just a confirmation; you are not selecting anything on screen. So the right click can be done anywhere. Text at bottom left will change.
Now we need to select the object to Align. Selection process is the same as it was for the Alignment point. Left click to select the Object to align. You can left click multiple times until you get what you wanted to select. When selected it will be highlighted and there will be an X over the point selected.
Right click to commit. If this is your first time doing an alignment process, it is recommended you stop here and right click (anywhere) twice to complete the process. But you could go to another layer and select another “object to align” to the “alignment point”.
At this point a text box appears.
The process cannot be undone using EDIT | UNDO. Click OK and the process is complete.