Exporting for etching.

[McPete]

Hi all,

Quick question regarding AD10; How do I produce a 1:1 scale artwork printout that I can use to etch a board?

I decided to jump to Altium from DesignSpark(!!) for this project, but I'm still learning about how to drive it all...

Thanks!

P.

[Psi]

you mean for home etching?

i've not used AD10, but with the version i'm on you just have to click file - export - final drawings

That gives you ~10 pages of stuff.
Somewhere in there is options were you can customise what is displayed on each page, eg copper only for etching.
You can also enable showing the holes or not and if you want the image mirrored.
Be sure to check what mirror/non-mirror option you need, since the iron on process inverts the image. Also note that the bottom layer is being viewed from the top in altium so is already inverted.

There is also some other option page in in there somewhere which gives you printing options. one of them is scale and you can set it to 1:1

I think one of the option screens you get from a button and the other you get from rightclicking.
But as i say, i use an earily version and i dont have altium infront of me at present.

[JuKu]

Often, printer / printer driver does some scaling, too. When I want true 1:1 printout, I need to scale to 97%. In other words, measure your output before using it.

[Psi]

ok, i've had a look at altium 9.4 at home now.

In that version you go

File - Fabrication outputs - Final

Then rightclick on the page and select 'Configuration'
That gives you options for what it shows on each page
You can also click preferences and enable different layers.

Back on the page view if you rightclick again and select 'Page setup' you can change the color to mono and the scale to "scaled mode" with a scale of 1
But you should print it on standard paper first and check the pins line up with components, just in case.

Be sure to check that you don't have any mechanical lines displayed on the image around ICs and stuff. as they will short out tracks if you miss them and etch the image.

When you print you can enter the page range you want. (only page 1 etc)

[McPete]

Thanks Psi- That's got it!

As it turns out, my printer's 1:1 scaling is just fine.

Thanks!