Pcbnew: Create panelization tool (lp:#1782927)
Original report created by Gabriel Staples (ercaguy)
Application: pcbnew
Version: 5.0.0-rc3-unknown-101b68b~65~ubuntu14.04.1, release build
Libraries:
wxWidgets 3.0.2
libcurl/7.35.0 OpenSSL/1.0.1f zlib/1.2.8 libidn/1.28 librtmp/2.3
Platform: Linux 4.4.0-112-generic x86_64, 64 bit, Little endian, wxGTK
Build Info:
wxWidgets: 3.0.2 (wchar_t,wx containers,compatible with 2.8) GTK+ 2.24
Boost: 1.54.0
OpenCASCADE Community Edition: 6.8.0
Curl: 7.35.0
Compiler: GCC 4.8.4 with C++ ABI 1002
Build settings:
USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT=OFF
USE_WX_OVERLAY=OFF
KICAD_SCRIPTING=ON
KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES=ON
KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON=OFF
KICAD_SCRIPTING_ACTION_MENU=ON
BUILD_GITHUB_PLUGIN=ON
KICAD_USE_OCE=ON
KICAD_USE_OCC=OFF
KICAD_SPICE=ON
---------------------------------------
I have a small board that I wanted to panelize for manufacturing, so after
it was all complete, I copied and pasted it 3 times to duplicate it into a
2x2 panel with 4 total pieces. Upon generating the Gerber files it asked if
I wanted to re-fill all zones. I clicked yes.
It turns out refilling zones on a panelized PCB, even if you have the fill
zones individually copied to each copy, botches the fills.
See the attached screenshot of the gerber showing the F.Cu layer. Only the
top-left board is OK, while the other 3 have unconnected fills. This is a
bug and would be really nice if it worked properly.
Even better: make a panelization tool where you specify the # rows, #
columns, and rotation angle of each individual board (so that you can
rotate each board as required--ex: to keep edge connectors on one side all
towards the outside of the panel or something), then generate gerbers from
there. That would simplify this process.
Meanwhile, the work-around is to simply do your fills on one board, then
copy and paste to manually panelize, but do NOT re-do fills again at all
prior to or during the generation of Gerbers, or else the fills will be
botched.
Original tags: pcbnew