Once the multi-board assembly is complete (learn more), a manufacturing drawing can be created and annotated as required. A manufacturing drawing for a multi-board design is being created in the Draftsman editor.
Setting Up a Manufacturing Drawing Document
To create a manufacturing drawing for the multi-board design, a new Draftsman document (*.MbDwf) should be added to the multi-board project. To do this, right-click the project entry in the Projects panel and then select Add New to Project » Draftsman Document from the context menu (or use the File » New » Draftsman Document command from the main menus). In the New Document dialog that opens, select an available manufacturing drawing template as required and ensure that a correct Project and multi-board assembly Document is selected.
Add a new Draftsman document to a multi-board project using the Projects panel and the New Document dialog.
Creating a Manufacturing Drawing Template
A manufacturing drawing template defines a manufacturing drawing document's content and (optionally) its style properties.
To create a new manufacturing drawing document template:
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When a multi-board design project is the active project, create a new manufacturing drawing document by selecting the File » New » Draftsman Document command from the main menus.
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Define the content of the template. The template supports multi-page documents, data for the main document attributes (tables and lists, drawing types, etc.), page settings and elements that do not depend on the multi-board design content. A sheet template can be used to define the graphic format of a new or existing drawing document and is also saved as part of a manufacturing drawing document template.
A multi-page manufacturing drawing document might typically contain multi-board views and BOM tables. When saved as a Draftsman multi-board document template, the data from the current multi-board design is retained to define a drawing content 'shell.'
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Select the File » Save Copy As or File » Save As command from the main menus. In the Save dialog that appears, browse to the local templates folder for your installation of Altium Designer (defined in the Local Templates folder field at the bottom of the Data Management – Templates page of the Preferences dialog; C:\Users\Public\Documents\Altium\AD<Solution/Version>\Templates for the default installation), enter the desired name of the template and select Altium Draftsman MultiBoard Document Templates (*.MbDot) from the Save as type drop-down.
After clicking Save, an existing drawing document's content and attributes, except those related to data extracted from the multi-board design, will be saved as a manufacturing drawing document template. If the source drawing document has a specific page style (as might be applied by a Sheet Template), these graphical elements and attributes will be saved with the new manufacturing drawing document template.
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As with other Altium Designer documents, the Save As command will replace the existing source file in the project structure (in this case, a Draftsman drawing document) with the newly saved file (a Draftsman template document). The source document (*.MbDwf) is not deleted from the project folder on disk. A better approach is to use the Save Copy As option, which will save the new template to the nominated directory while keeping the source document (and project contents) intact.
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Any elements that are incompatible with the manufacturing drawing document template format will be removed.
When subsequently used as a template for a new manufacturing drawing document, the project data is loaded into the shell in place of the template data, therefore, recreating the document format and its type of content.
Options of a manufacturing drawing document can be configured in the Properties panel in its Document Options mode, which is active when no object is selected in the document's design space. Refer to the Setting Up a Draftsman Document page to learn more.
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Once the manufacturing drawing document has been created, any changes made in the multi-board assembly can be imported into the manufacturing drawing using the Tools » Import Changes From <MultiBoardAssemblyDocumentName.MbaDoc> command from the main menus or the right-click menu of the design space.
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Default properties of manufacturing drawing objects can be configured on the Draftsman – Defaults page of the Preferences dialog. These properties will be applied when placing subsequent objects.
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The Bookmarks panel offers a convenient way to navigate and manage a multi-sheet manufacturing drawing. The panel presents an expandable tree view of the complete document structure and includes all document sheets and the primary view objects within those sheets.
Working with Views
In a manufacturing drawing document, you can place views of the multi-board assembly included in this project.
Multi-board View
A multi-board view (Place » Multiboard View) is an automated graphic composite of the outlines of parts constituting the multi-board assembly (*.MbaDoc).
Two placed multi-board views showing the multi-board assembly from the top and front sides
The properties of a placed multi-board view can be configured in the Properties panel when the view is selected in the design space (
).
Scale
|
Scale,
Use Custom Scale |
Use these options to configure the view's scale. For more information, refer to the Working with Views page. |
Title
|
Title,
Location,
Font |
Use these options to configure the view's title. For more information, refer to the Working with Views page.
The Title field can include static text and any desired parameters in the form of special strings. Use the =<ParameterName> syntax to include a parameter to the title. Values of included parameters will be shown in the title on the drawing sheet.
|
Style
|
| Line Style |
Use the drop-downs to select the line thickness and pattern used to render the view's border/outline. Available options are defined in the Line Styles region of the Properties panel when no object is selected in the design space. For more information, refer to the Setting Up a Draftsman Document page. Use the associated color button to specify the color of the line. |
Properties
|
| View Side |
The direction of view used to render the board drawing. Use the drop-down menu to select from a range of preset view directions. |
 |
Click the button to open the Parts dialog, from where you can manage the visibility of parts constituting the assembly on the selected view ( ). |
Section View
A section view provides a profile slice, or sectional drawing taken from a nominated 'cut' point through a placed multi-board view. The section view generator takes the available 3D data from the current multi-board assembly to create a standalone section drawing aligned to the nominated cut point. Any number of section views can be created from a multi-board view.
Two placed section views created from the same multi-board view
Any number of section views can be created from a multi-board view. If you create multiple section views in your manufacturing drawing, it is a good idea to give a unique label to each of them.
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The section view placement command is available only when at least one multi-board view is placed in the document.
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Note that section views can only be created from a multi-board view whose View Side property is set to Top or Bottom.
A section view is placed in a manufacturing drawing document as follows:
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Select the section view placement command (Place » Additional Views » Section View).
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Position the cursor on the multi-board view, where a vertical cut line (initially A-A) will follow the cursor movement – use the Spacebar to toggle between vertical and horizontal cut lines.
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Click to set the position of the cut line.
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Move the cursor on either side of the line to set the view direction (as indicated by the cut line arrows) and click to confirm.
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Drag and place the new section view in the desired location.
The position, size, and target point of a placed section view may be graphically modified when it has been selected in the design space. The view allows for different modes of graphic editing:
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Click, Hold&Drag the section view graphic to change its location.
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Click, Hold&Drag the section view's scaling handle (node), located at the top right of its outline, to modify the view's rendered size.
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Click, Hold&Drag the section view's cutting line (away from its nodes) to change the position of the cut through the assembly.
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Click, Hold&Drag one of the section view's cutting line nodes to change the extents of the cut through the assembly.
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When dragging the cutting line or its node, use the Spacebar to change the Positioning Mode (Horizontal or Vertical).
The properties of a placed section view, including its drawing representation style, view direction and labeling, can be configured in the Properties panel when the view is selected in the design space (
).
Scale
|
Scale,
Use Custom Scale |
Use these options to configure the view's scale. For more information, refer to the Working with Views page. |
Title
|
Title,
Location,
Font |
Use these options to configure the view's title. For more information, refer to the Working with Views page.
The Title field can include static text and any desired parameters in the form of special strings. Use the =<ParameterName> syntax to include a parameter to the title. Values of included parameters will be shown in the title on the drawing sheet.
|
Style
|
| Cutting Line |
Use the drop-downs to select the line thickness and pattern used to render the view's arrowed indicator lines. Available options are defined in the Line Styles region of the Properties panel when no object is selected in the design space. For more information, refer to the Setting Up a Draftsman Document page. Use the associated color button to specify the color of the line.
|
| Connector Line |
Use the drop-downs to select the line thickness and pattern used to render the view's cutting line, which lies between the arrowed section indicators (and passes through the board assembly view). Available options are defined in the Line Styles region of the Properties panel when no object is selected in the design space. For more information, refer to the Setting Up a Draftsman Document page. Use the associated color button to specify the color of the line.
|
| Arrow Style |
Use the provided options to configure the section indicator.
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Head Style – use the drop-down menu to choose from a range of preset section indicator styles (headers). When set as arrows, they indicate the direction of view for the section.
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Width – the width of the indicator head, such as an arrow. This setting also defines the diameter of a round head style.
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Length – the length of the indicator head, such as an arrow.
|
| Board Cut Fill Style |
Use these options to configure the display of the graphic fill pattern and color of the sectioned (cut) board. The pattern swatch shows the preview of the pattern according to the configured settings. Use the associated color buttons to specify colors for the fill and hatch pattern. Select the associated  button to access the following options:
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Pattern – the graphic pattern for the sectioned board. Select Solid fill or an ANSI pattern (ANSI 31 or ANSI 37) from the drop-down menu.
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Scale – the relative line spacing of the applied ANSI hatch pattern.
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Rotation – the angle of the ANSI hatching lines, where a value of 0 is equivalent to 45°.
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Hatch Thickness – the line weight of the ANSI pattern lines.
|
Properties
|
| Label |
The text string/character used for the view label name displayed as the section cut label.
It can also be included in the view title using the ViewLabel parameter.
|
| Rotation |
The angle of rotation, relative to the source multi-board view at which the section view is rendered. Use the drop-down menu to choose from the sequence of 90° presets.
|
| Positioning Mode |
The X/Y orientation of the section cut, either Horizontal or Vertical. |
| Flip View Direction |
When enabled, the section view orientation (the direction from which it is 'viewed') is inverted. The cut line direction arrows will change accordingly. |
| Slice Section |
When enabled, the visibility of objects behind the cut line is disabled. It removes the background objects from the view, creating a literal cut view through the board. |
| Display Mode |
The display style of the cut indicator arrows, so they are positioned either after (Standard) or before (Alternative) the cut line. |
| Show Connector Line |
When enabled, the visibility of the cut line is enabled. |
Board Detail View
A board detail view is a floating, magnified view of a multi-board view's defined area. A board detail view can be created with either a circle or rectangular shape.
Two placed board detail views (with circle and rectangular areas) created from the same multi-board view
If you create multiple board detail views in your document, it is a good idea to give a unique label to each of them.
The steps to create a board detail view are:
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Select a board detail view placement command (Place » Additional Views » Board Detail View » Circle area detail view or Place » Additional Views » Board Detail View » Rectangle area detail view, depending on which shape of the view is required).
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Click at a point on a multi-board view to specify the center of the target board detail view area.
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Move the mouse then click to specify the radius (for a circle shape view) / corner (for a rectangular shape view) of the view area (the board detail view source). The view will appear floating on the cursor.
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Click again to set the position of the board detail view expansion.
Both the board detail view and its source area/size may be graphically modified. To enable its graphic editing mode, click on any part of the graphic representation, including the board detail view expansion, the perimeter of the source area, the label, or the connection/leader line.
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Click, Hold&Drag the board detail view itself (the magnified view of the source area) to change its location.
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Hover the cursor over the label or connection/leader line (the cursor will change to a 'move' crosshair – 
), then Click, Hold&Drag to move the view's source area position.
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Hover the cursor over the source area outline (the cursor will change to a 'resize' crosshair – 
), then Click, Hold&Drag to change the view's source area size.
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If the board detail view object uses a label leader (Display Mode set to With Leader in the Properties panel), it will show an editing handle that may be dragged to reposition the leader and its label.
The properties of a placed board detail view, including its magnification factor (scale), labeling and line attributes, can be configured in the Properties panel when the view is selected in the design space (
).
Scale
|
Scale,
Use Custom Scale |
Use these options to configure the view's scale. For more information, refer to the Working with Views page. |
Title
|
Title,
Location,
Font |
Use these options to configure the view's title. For more information, refer to the Working with Views page.
The Title field can include static text and any desired parameters in the form of special strings. Use the =<ParameterName> syntax to include a parameter to the title. Values of included parameters will be shown in the title on the drawing sheet.
|
Style
|
| Connection Line |
Use the drop-downs to select the line thickness and pattern used to render the leader label line (when the Display Line option is set to With Leader) or the line that connects the source outline and the view itself (when the Display Line option is set to Connected). Available options are defined in the Line Styles region of the Properties panel when no object is selected in the design space. For more information, refer to the Setting Up a Draftsman Document page. Use the associated color button to specify the color of the line.
|
| Source Border Line |
Use the drop-downs to select the line thickness and pattern used to render the view's source area outline. Available options are defined in the Line Styles region of the Properties panel when no object is selected in the design space. For more information, refer to the Setting Up a Draftsman Document page. Use the associated color button to specify the color of the lines.
|
| Detail Border Line |
Use the drop-downs to select the line thickness and pattern used to render the view's magnified area outline. Available options are defined in the Line Styles region of the Properties panel when no object is selected in the design space. For more information, refer to the Setting Up a Draftsman Document page. Use the associated color button to specify the color of the line.
|
Properties
|
| Label |
The text string/character used for the view label name. It is displayed as the view label when the Display Line option is set to With Leader or No Leader.
It can also be included in the view title using the ViewLabel parameter.
|
| Rotation |
The angle at which the magnified area is shown, where 0° relates to the area's inherent view angle in the source (target) drawing view. Choose from a sequence of 90° view options in the drop-down menu.
|
| Display Mode |
The style of connection line for the view source. Use the drop-down to select the Connected, With Leader, or No Leader style. |
Board Realistic View
A board realistic view (Place » Additional Views » Board Realistic View) is a scalable 3D rendering of the current multi-board assembly. When placed, the view will initially adopt the Multi-board Assembly editor’s current 3D view.
A placed board realistic view
The properties of a placed board realistic view can be configured in the Properties panel when the view is selected in the design space (
).
Size
|
| Width |
The width of the view. |
| Height |
The height of the view. |
| Maintain Aspect Ratio |
When this option is enabled, the image dimensions will remain in proportion when the object is scaled by entering a new Width or Height or by dragging the object's selection nodes in the design space. |
Title
|
Title,
Location,
Font |
Use these options to configure the view's title. For more information, refer to the Working with Views page.
The Title field can include static text and any desired parameters in the form of special strings. Use the =<ParameterName> syntax to include a parameter to the title. Values of included parameters will be shown in the title on the drawing sheet.
|
Properties
|
| Rotation |
The angle of rotation used to render the view, as applied by the drop-down menu. |
| View Configuration |
Click the  button to cause the rendered view to adopt the view configuration settings currently applied in the Multi-board Assembly editor as defined in its View Configuration panel.
|
Drawing Annotation and Dimensioning
A range of additional annotation, dimensioning and drawing tools are provided to add important information to a manufacturing drawing. These include automated note and highlighting systems, as well as tools to indicate the lengths, sizes, and angles of the object outlines, or the distance between nominated objects. BOM and generic tables are also available.
A BOM table added to a multi-board manufacturing document will draw its data from and reflect a multi-board ActiveBOM document. The table content will include all part items from the overall multi-board design. The additional module reference parameter columns are available (ModuleAssembly, ModuleDesignator, ModuleSource, and ModuleTitle) – 
.
Refer to the following pages to learn more:
