Contact Us
Contact our corporate or local offices directly.
Parent page: PCB Objects
The Board Region for a traditional rigid board, with two Board Cutouts.
A Board Region is a user-defined area of a PCB that can have a unique layer stack assigned to it. A PCB can have a single Board Region (for a traditional rigid PCB), or be made up of multiple Board Regions (for a rigid-flex PCB). The overall outer edge of the Board Region(s) defines the Board Shape.
Board Regions are implemented in the PCB Editor with the View mode set to Board Planning Mode (View » Board Planning Mode, or press the 1 shortcut).
An example of a PCB with three Board Regions. In this example, each region is created from a closed shape made up of primitives on a mechanical layer.
Board Regions are placed and modified in Board Planning Mode:
Board Layer Stack
. Assign the required Layer stack in the Board Region mode of the Properties panel. Layer stacks are defined and named in the Layer Stack Manager.When redefining the board shape there are five available corner modes, four of which also have corner direction sub-modes. During redefinition:
Press Shift+Spacebar to cycle through the five available corner modes, press the 1 shortcut to toggle placement between two edges or one edge.
To create an internal cutout in the board, place a Board Cutout Region (Place » Define Board Cutout, or click the button on the Active Bar). A Board Cutout is also a polygonal object, so has the same placement process as the Board Region itself. The images below show a Board Region with two Board Cutouts, these become holes in the board when it is fabricated.
A Board Cutout placed on a Board Region becomes a hole in the finished board.
An existing Board Region can be sliced into two separate Board Regions. To slice a region (in Board Planning Mode):
A common approach to defining the Board Shape, and the Board Regions needed in that shape, is to import a drawing from a mechanical CAD package. For example, you might import mechanical detail in a DWG file, giving you a set of lines (tracks) on a mechanical layer that define: the board shape, the regions within the shape, and for a rigid-flex design, lines that define the location of bend lines in the flexible regions.
The software includes a number of commands to help create board definition objects (Region, Cutout, Bend Line) from 2D drawing primitives, and also partner commands to convert board definition objects back to drawing primitives.
Object | From selected 2D Drawing Primitives | From Board Design Objects |
---|---|---|
Board Region | Create Board Region from Selected Objects ( Design » Board Shape submenu) |
Explode Region to Free Primitives |
Board Cutout | Create Board Cutout from Selected Primitives | Explode Board Cutout to Free Primitives |
Bend Line | Convert Selected Line to Bend Line | Explode Bend Line |
Notes:
Related article: Editing Polygonal Objects
Board Regions (and Board Cutouts) are polygonal objects, their shape can be modified in the same way as all other polygonal objects. Points to remember about editing a polygonal object:
The following methods of non-graphical editing are available:
Editing Via the Properties Panel
Properties page: Board Region Properties
This method of editing uses the associated Board Region dialog and Properties panel to modify the properties of a Board Region object.
The Board Region dialog on the left and the Board Region mode of the Properties panel on the right.
During placement, the Board Region mode of the Properties panel can be accessed by pressing the Tab key. Once the Board Region has been placed, all options appear.
After placement, the Board Region dialog can be accessed by:
After placement, the Board Region mode of the Properties panel can be accessed in one of the following ways:
Contact our corporate or local offices directly.
If would like to speak with a representative, please contact your local Altium office.
Copyright © 2019 Altium Limited
If would like to speak with a representative, please contact your local Altium office.
Copyright © 2019 Altium Limited
Got it. You actually don’t need an evaluation license for that.
Click the button below to download the latest Altium Designer installer.
If would like to speak with a representative, please contact your local Altium office.
Copyright © 2019 Altium Limited
Please fill out the form below to get a quote for a new seat of Altium Designer.
By clicking “Get Your Free Trial”, you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
You may receive communications from Altium and can change your notification preferences at any time.
If you are on Altium Subscription, you don’t need an evaluation license.
If you are not an active Altium Subscription member, please fill out the form below to get your free trial.
By clicking “Get Your Free Trial”, you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
You may receive communications from Altium and can change your notification preferences at any time.
If would like to speak with a representative, please contact your local Altium office.
Copyright © 2019 Altium Limited
You came to the right place! Please fill out the form below to get your free trial started.
By clicking “Get Your Free Trial”, you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
You may receive communications from Altium and can change your notification preferences at any time.
Great News!
Valid students can get their very own 6-month Altium Designer Student License for FREE! Just fill out the form below to request your Student License today.
By clicking “Get Your Free Trial”, you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
You may receive communications from Altium and can change your notification preferences at any time.
Got it. You can download a free Altium Designer Viewer license which is valid for a 6 months.
Please fill out the form below to request one.
By clicking “Get Your Free Trial”, you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
You may receive communications from Altium and can change your notification preferences at any time.
That’s great! Making things is awesome. We have the perfect program for you.
Upverter is a free community-driven platform designed specifically to meet the needs of makers like you.
Click here to give it a try!
If would like to speak with a representative, please contact your local Altium office.
Copyright © 2019 Altium Limited
Got it. You can download a free Altium Designer Viewer license which is valid for a 6 months.
Please fill out the form below to request one.
By clicking “Get Your Free Trial”, you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
You may receive communications from Altium and can change your notification preferences at any time.