Electronics > Altium Designer

IMS PCB

<< < (3/3)

tszaboo:

--- Quote from: Pseudobyte on September 13, 2023, 10:04:36 pm ---They said "core" which to me implies double sided. But yeah absolutely if you want to save on cost you keep all your parts SMT and keep your layer count to 1 or 2. In that arrangement they build a traditional albeit very thin 2 layer board and then laminate it to the Aluminum or Copper before they do the routing operation.

--- End quote ---
I really just want a one sided panel.

--- Quote from: Kean on September 13, 2023, 04:00:12 pm ---I am using AD19, so maybe you have more options under Tools -> Material Library in a newer version.  You can add custom core and prepreg definitions, but they assume standard materials.  Or maybe newer versions have something under Tools -> Features where I have options for Printed Electronics and Rigid/Flex, but no IMS.


--- End quote ---
I think this is the answer. I've never seen this menu. Although for some reason the Add menu is completely broken, not showing the names of the fields, I've added ALU 5052 in the "constructions" menu and 0% in the "resin". And then add a layer of prepreg as dielectric layer on top of this.
I still cannot force Altium to do single sided. I remember I already opened a support ticket about that a year ago, I don't think single sided is actually possible in the current version.


--- Quote from: Pseudobyte on September 13, 2023, 10:04:36 pm ---They said "core" which to me implies double sided. But yeah absolutely if you want to save on cost you keep all your parts SMT and keep your layer count to 1 or 2. In that arrangement they build a traditional albeit very thin 2 layer board and then laminate it to the Aluminum or Copper before they do the routing operation.


--- End quote ---
This is a brochure is showing a different construction method, but I've seen the one you are mentioning.
https://www.eurocircuits.com/wp-content/uploads/Poly_A3_4pager_ENG_3_2011.pdf

Kean:
Another option, though I am not quite sure it is wise...

Define a custom Foil material for "ALU 5052" at 59mil thick, 42oz (or whatever) and set the bottom layer material to that.
As before, turn off layer symmetry to be able to delete bottom solder mask & overlay.
If you need 2 layers, you can add the extra copper and thermal prepreg in between.
Then set up any special design rules you want for clearance, etc.

Of course when I tried that I got the dreaded & never ending "Catatrophic failure" exception and had to terminal the process.

tszaboo:
Haha, I've speak too soon. The Material library window is completely broken. After adding the Alu core, or anything really, the "OK" in the dialog window stays greyed out. You close the window, all your additions are gone.

--- Quote from: Kean on September 14, 2023, 08:19:35 am ---Of course when I tried that I got the dreaded & never ending "Catatrophic failure" exception and had to terminal the process.

--- End quote ---
Please wait a moment ... "Catatrophic failure"
I think it was Altium running out of the 3GB memory if you had many things open, or it was open for a long time, or you worked on a big project.
That is something they fixed in the meantime, it occurs much less.

tszaboo:
If I try to edit an existing definition, the OK is not greyed out anymore, but it gives me an error message while trying to save, saying I don't have rights to save. What an actual shitshow this is. My question is still sitting at Altium support, they escalated it after asking for screenshots, that was 2 days ago, no reply.
By the looks of it, at some point they had the idea to have an online database of stackups. Then the structure of their server was changed, so when you try to search a stackup online, it forwards you the "Manufacturer part search" window.

Kean:

--- Quote from: tszaboo on September 14, 2023, 08:50:59 am ---Please wait a moment ... "Catatrophic failure"
I think it was Altium running out of the 3GB memory if you had many things open, or it was open for a long time, or you worked on a big project.
That is something they fixed in the meantime, it occurs much less.

--- End quote ---

Nope, a newly opened Altium session and a single empty PCB to play with.
As you say, Material library window is completely broken!

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[*] Previous page