[PCB_FORUM] What is the most convenient way to Flip a piece of circuitry for re-use to opposite side of PCB?
- From: "Baumstark Michael-EMB043" <M.Baumstark@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <icu-pcb-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2007 15:45:44 -0500
Hi All:
I am putting this question up on the pcb forum because I am absolutely
sure that somebody has had this need before: to flip a section of
circuitry and remap the metal features, keepouts, rooms, (ie. anything
that maps), etc. to the opposite side of a PCB. (In this case, the need
is for a multi-layer symmetrical layout consisting of multi-layer HDI
vias. )
Please advise if you are aware of any super convenient methods to
accomplish this task.
It almost seems to be so ridiculously fundamental that the Allegro tool
should provide this functionality "out of the Box": like create temp
group <RMB> Mirror geometry. Or at least that is how I wish it would
function, along with a mapping file that would be user definable. But to
my knowledge I have not discovered it as of yet.
I can accomplish this now, by brute force through a series of steps that
requires the usage of Edit--> Mirror (Origin - user-pick) for components
and stand alone text, Edit -->Move (temp group) --> mirror geometry for
shapes, clines, lines, and Edit--> Copy (temp group) mirror geometry
for the via structures. From there I need to remap the metal and shape
features: either by manual processes using a "third hand technique"
and/or manipulating an ASCII sub-drawing file. And finally to remap the
via structures, as needed. There are a few more details that are not
explicitly stated here but you get the idea of the procedure to "getter
done" by my primitive methods.
I have not yet attempted to construct a Macro to repeat this series of
steps; although, I am presently suspicious that the macro may
malfunction if it encounters any deficiency of features that could
potentially need to be re-mapped, as a robust solution, when potential
features may not be encountered in the series of steps. Not to mention,
you would need a separate macro for differing layer name conventions and
stack-up differentiations. I have not done any Skill programming so I
do not readily have a solution by those means.
I will test the physical re-use method (.mdd) momentarily to see if
there are any new enhancements available to flip the module. (But
without the specific definition of a mapping file, it would not know
what to do. And I have not seen any mapping utilities in the Allegro
tool set to date. ) So I suspect it is still not supported, but I will
still investigate.
Is there a better way? Somebody hid the "EASY button" from me on this
one.
Sincerely yours,
Michael Baumstark
Sr. Electrical Engineer / PCB Design, CID+
Motorola - Advanced Product Technology Center
8000 West Sunrise Blvd. Mail Stop: 8E8
Plantation, FL USA 33322-9947
Intra: http://rprc.mot.com <http://rprc.mot.com/> ;
http://pcbadvisor.mot.com <http://pcbadvisor.mot.com/>
web: http://www.motorola.com <http://www.motorola.com/>
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