BluePrint-PCB Tech Tips

Problem: 

No intelligent outlines are present after importing odb++ or ipc-2581 from Zuken CR8000 

Description: 

A Zuken odb++ (or ipc-2581) file is imported into BluePrint PCB, when a top or bottom side view is placed, there are no intelligent component outlines. Users are forced to use unintelligent artwork layers. 

Solution: 

A parameters file must be in place and pathed in the IPC-2581 export options in Zuken. 

 File contents: parameters.txt 
outline_A_Layer : Assembly_Front 
outline_B_Layer : Assembly_Back 
AssemblyDrawing { 
Assembly_Front |
Assembly_Back 
} 

Scenario One: Creating your Drill Table to sort out the Via Counts

The Set Up Question

I have a 14-layer design with blind vias that go down to layer 13. The via stackup detail shows the thru vias and the blind via detail perfectly. What I would like to do is sort the particular via counts in the drill table according to thru and blind. Is there a way to do that? It is currently ‘clumping’ both the thru hole and layer 13 drill counts together for the .010″ holes.

The Solution

Absolutely you can create your drill table to sort out the via counts. This is done in BluePrint by sorting the drills by START LAYER and END LAYER.

Below is an example. I have a Blind & Buried (B&B) via design where the layer stackup shows the thru-holes and the B&B vias fine, just as yours. But note that the drill chart lumps all the thru holes and B&Bs together as .037″ holes:

So, what I need to do is go to FABRICATION DRAWING MANAGER in the Fabrication tool Pallet, Open (“click”), and select the “Tool Type” icon on left side:

You need to now check the box for START LAYER and the box for END LAYER. This is telling BluePrint that you want the drills defined (ie, sorted) by not only the defaults of diameter, plating and slot length, but also by start and end layer:

Click OK, and then YES to the dialogue that appears, and you will see your drill chart get updated to separate out the drills by start and end layer. See my updated drill chart below – note the splitting out of the .037 drills:

Note that BluePrint auto-assigned new drill symbols to each drill layer pair. If you wanted to keep the symbol for hole size .037″‘ the remain the same for all vias – B&B and Thru Hole – then you would instruct BluePrint to do so also using the fabrication manager (go to DRILL TABLE icon on left of Fabrication Drawing Manager dialogue) as shown here:

 

Scenario Two: Displaying the Start Layer and End Layer in your Drill Chart for each Via Type

Customizing Your BluePrint Drill Chart Template

The Set Up Question

I have a blind and buried via design, and I want to be able to show the start layer and the end layer for each via type in my drill chart? Is this possible with BluePrint?

The Solution

You can display the start layer and end layer in your drill chart for each via type in your design. This requires that you customize your BluePrint drill chart template.

To demonstrate this, I will continue with the previous example.

Here again is the drill chart from my previous example:

The first thing I need to do is to change my drill chart back to its base template so I can modify it and re-execute it. I do this by selecting the drill chart on my drawing sheet, using my right mouse button to display the context sensitive menu, and selected “Edit Template”, as shown here:

This results in the underlying Drill Chart template being displayed:

Now I will modify my template to include a column for START LAYER and a column for END LAYER. First I delete the top row which I will add back again at the end – this is the single cell containing the text “Drill Chart” in my example – to allow me to insert cells between existing cells. If I do not delete the top row, then inserting cells will only append the new cells on the left side or the right side of the template, exactly the same function as with MS Word tables.

So I select the row I want to delete (to do this, just click in cell, right mouse button, and select “Select Cell”), and use the TABLE Toolbar to “Delete Rows”:

The results should look as follows:

Now I select the cells where I want to insert a new column (to do this, click in cell, hold left mouse button, slide mouse across cells in column, and release mouse button), and use the TABLE Toolbar once again to “Insert Column” either left or right:

The results should look as follows:

I repeat this step again so I have two empty columns in my template:

Next I add the headers I want for each column. I will add “Start Layer” and “End Layer”. All I do is select the cell I want (simply click inside), and enter the text. Then I can format the text (i.e., size, location in cell, etc.) as I wish:

Next I select each empty cell, use my right mouse button for the context sensitive menu, and I select “Format Cells”:

Select the DATA FIELDS tab in the FORMAT DRILL CHART template that appears, and using the pull down menu for the FIELD select “Drills.StartLayer” and click OK.

Repeat for the remaining empty cell, this time selecting “Driils.EndLayer”, and my new template should look as follows:

Now I want to add back my header. To do this I select the row where I want to add my new row above or below (to do this, click inside cell, hold left mouse button, drag mouse across all cells in row, and then release mouse button), and using the TABLE toolbar I select “Insert Rows Above”:

The results will look as follows:

Next I select all the cells in the top row, and using the TABLE toolbar I select “Merge Cells”:

Now I type in the desired text (“Drill Chart”) using the same procedure described above, and the result will be as follows:

With the template selected, right mouse button to select “Execute Template” from the context sensitive menu:

And my new drill chart will look as follows:

As an alternative format showing the start and end layers, I could have created the drill chart shown below. The key point is that BluePrint allows the user great flexibility to create the tables, charts, and graphical details that best suits your company goals and needs.

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