IDA-STEP

Using Macros and PCB Layer Stack Library

This tutorial continues the Creating basic data with the PCB Layer Stack Editor tutorial and will explain how to use macros and the PCB Layer Stack Library. A macro is a collection of stratum or passage properties, which can be applied to multiple stratums/passages. This prevents extensive entering of the same data, also when a value is changed for one stratum/passage, the change is done for other stratums/passages with the same macro.

A PCB Layer Stack Library provides controls to manage the shared macros.

In this tutorial we will create macros for all stratums and passages in the simple layer stack design, which was created in previous tutorial. Then we will recreate the same design using created macros.

This tutorial assumes that you have already downloaded and installed IDA-STEP v4 with the PCB Layer Stack Editor component. It is recommended to have read the Creating basic data with the PCB Layer Stack Editor tutorial, as the same data example will be used and basic ideas will not be repeated.

Tutorial contents

Opening the PCB Layer Library perspective
Creating datasets for PCB technologies
Creating stratum technologies
Creating passage technologies
Creating a design stack model
Creating stratums
Applying stratum technologies
Creating stratum technology in-place
Creating passages using passage technologies
Further tutorials

Opening the PCB Layer Library perspective

Choosing PCB Layer Library perspective The PCB Layer Stack Library is used to edit stratum and passage macros. A PCB Layer Library perspective provides controls to perform these actions. This perspective can be easily customized according to personal needs.

Choose the PCB Layer Library perspective in the perspective chooser control in the upper right part of IDA-STEP v4.

This opens Stratum Technologies and Passage Technologies views, which are used to edit stratum and passage macros, respectively.

Creating datasets for PCB technologies

If new data is being created, first create a repository for physical data storage (File » New). Then create datasets for each stratum and passage macros (technologies).

Create a dataset for stratum technologies: PCB Layer Stack Library datasets

In the Datasets view right-click on the Repository repository and choose New Dataset;
In the opened dataset creation wizard, enter the name of new dataset, e.g. stratum technologies;
Choose the type of the new dataset - Stratum Technology;
Click Finish - the new dataset is created and displayed in the Datasets view.

Repeat these steps to create passage technologies dataset to store passage technologies (type Passage Technology).

These datasets will be used to store the created macros and the related data.

Creating stratum technologies

Stratum technologies (macros) define common properties for stratums. In this example we will create macros for core and signal layers, which will be used when creating the simple 4-layer design.

Note: It is also possible to create macros in-place, when creating stratums - this will be examined later in this tutorial, when a prepreg macro will be created.

Create a stratum technology:

In Stratum Technologies view click on empty stratum technology row (the one with asterisk (*));
Enter the Name for the new stratum technology, e.g. core 0.75 for a core stratum with 0.75 mm thickness;
Choose the Purpose for the stratum technology, e.g. Core material for a core stratum;
Enter applicable stratum properties - thickness, material, etc - create properties for the sample core stratum;

If necessary, add additional fields (see Creating basic data with the PCB Layer Stack Editor tutorial) for properties, which are not available by default.

Repeat these steps to create circuit 0.3 stratum macro for signal layer (purpose Signal).

Stratum technologies

The setting of stratum technology properties is the same as when the stratums are created (see previous tutorial).

Creating passage technologies

Passage technologies (macros) define common properties for passages. In this example we will create macros for two passages - a via and a micro-via.

Note: It is also possible to create macros in-place, when creating passages, just as with stratum macros.

Create a passage technology:

In Passage Technologies view click on empty passage technology row (the one with asterisk (*));
Enter the Name for the new passage technology, e.g. via 0.2 for a via with 0.2 mm min size;
Choose the Type for the passage technology, e.g. Via for a via;
Enter applicable passage properties - sizes, materials, etc - create properties for the sample via;

If necessary, add additional fields for properties, which are not available by default.

Repeat these steps to create micro-via passage macro for a micro-via (type Via).

Passage technologies

Note: the image above contains two parts of the same table overlayed due to screenshot size.

Creating a design stack model

A design stack model contains stratums, passages and other related data. Before defining stratums and passages, first create a design stack model to which they belong:

Switch to the PCB Layer Stack perspective;
Create a Design Stack Model dataset to store design stack models;
Create a design stack model, e.g. S4L for a simple 4-layer design;
Assign design stack model properties, e.g. the Id Owner and Creator;
Select the created design stack model to activate Stratums, Passages and other required views.

Created design stack model

This is a quick walkthrough on creating a design stack model. For detailed explanation, see Creating basic data with the PCB Layer Stack Editor tutorial.

Creating stratums

Create a stratum outline according to example in the previous tutorial. Do not set any properties yet - they will be set using stratum technologies (macros) in the next chapter.

Basic stratums

We have created a stratum structure and assigned some basic properties, such as Based on or Gerber - they are not handled using macros, therefore we need to set them manually.

Applying stratum technologies

A stratum technology (macro) is a collection of common properties to a stratum. Apply a macro to a stratum to set all properties immediately:

In the Stratums view choose a specific macro in the Macro field for a target stratum, e.g. choose circuit 0.3 macro for s1 stratum.

When a macro is chosen, the managed properties of a stratum are filled with values.

Do the same action to assign the same circuit 0.3 macro to s4 stratum (to keep the symmetry) - all properties are filled. When a macro is edited (a property is changed), the same change is done for all stratums with the same macro. This means that it is enough to edit a property at one place and the change will be performed everywhere applicable.

Perform the same steps to assign core 0.75 macro to core1 and core2 stratums.

Stratum properties with applied macro

In just several clicks we have filled the properties of the majority of stratums. For the remaining stratums we will demonstrate how to create a macro in-place and reuse it for other stratums.

Creating stratum technology in-place

It is possible to create stratum technologies (macros) in Stratums view, when creating stratums. The created macros can then be applied to other stratums in the same way as previously.

Create a macro in-place:

In Stratums view enter a new name of a macro in Macros field, e.g. macro inner-circuit for stratum s2;
Enter the properties of the stratum with macro:
- Choose stratum Purpose, e.g. Signal for inner-circuit macro;
- Enter size, material properties.

When a macro is created, it can be used for other stratums:

Choose the macro in the Macro field for other stratum, e.g. choose inner-circuit for stratum s3.

The previously entered values are filled for the new stratum as well. When some values are edited, the change is done for all stratums with the same macro.

Repeat the same steps to create an in-place macro prepreg for stratums prepreg1 and prepreg2.

Stratum properties with created macros

Note: When a macro is created in Stratums/Passages views, they are stored in the same dataset as the stratums/passages and may not be available in the PCB Layer Stack Library. Open this dataset in PCB Layer Stack Library explicitly.

Creating passages using passage technologies

A passage technology (macro) is a collection of common passage properties. Applying a macro to a passage is done in the same way as with the stratums:

Create a passage, e.g. microvia1;
Indicate passage start and end stratums, e.g. s1 and s2, respectively;
Enter connected/unconnected ring information and other passage-specific data;
Choose a macro in Macro field, e.g. micro-via for a micro-via.

When a macro is applied, its properties are applied to the passage. The same rules apply to passage macros as to stratum macros - when a macro property is edited, the change is applied to all passages with the same macro.

By default, some of the properties, e.g. materials, are not visible so you would need to add additional fields if you need to view them.

Repeat the same steps to create another passage via2, which goes through stratums s1 to s4 and apply the via 0.2 to it.

Passage properties with applied macros