dealing with daughterboard footprints

[none111]

Ultiboard 10.1

I have made a footprint for an LCD display which is a PCB in its own right.

It has 16 pins on the underside to mate with the main board.

I now want to use the footprint in the main board; it will "float" horizontally above the main board.

The main board will have components underneath this floating daughterboard.

I had hoped I would be able to specify some mechanical offset for the footprint to get it to float so I could juggle components around underneath it.

I now feel that this is impossible with the way Ultiboard works. 

Any thoughts for dealing with daughterboards please?

Regards,

Bob

[supsup]

Right click on LCD display footprint and select Lock.

[_user32]

Locking the footprint will allow you to manage part placement and separate from other parts.  You may also want to set Design -> Part Shoving to unselected so that parts aren't being nudged out of the way...

A) If you would also like to adjust the 3D mechanical view - you can adjust the mechanical 3D offset of the footprint.  Double click on the part and go to the '3D data' tab and adjust the offset.

B) For a permanent change, if you edit the component (right click for in-place component edit for UB PowerPro) and select the 3D mechanical layer (select and view this layer) - you can adjust the 'offset' in the '3d data' tab for a permant change.

Just to note for 3D view in general -> In some components the entire component can be adjusted (first A) section) and then save - or you can create multiple polygons on the 3D info layer and adjust the 3d properties separately for parts with multiple "facets" or various heights for different regions of the part.  In this way you can create complicated 3D geometries relatively easily.  Side comment: I also recommend importing 2D DXF when possible for creating parts.

Regards,

Pat Noonan

National Instruments

[none111]

Thanks very much indeed for the suggestions.  I have got a long way forward now.

Notes:

A) If you would also like to adjust the 3D mechanical view - you can adjust the mechanical 3D offset of the footprint.  Double click on the part and go to the '3D data' tab and adjust the offset.

This didn't work - I could adjust the offset but it made no difference to the 3D preview. (There's something fishy regarding 3D previews of grouped and ungrouped objects inside footprints.)

B) ...adjust the 3d properties separately for parts with multiple "facets"...

This worked very well. It's a bit of a faff having to adjust every offset but worth it for my current project.

C)...I also recommend importing 2D DXF ...

I gave this idea a shot as it's quicker using Autocad to set out "mil" pin spacings on an otherwise metric board.  I got some way importing into UB but ran into brain failure working between two packages with such different UIs. Looks promising though.

[_user32]

none111,

Yes the 3D part abilities are sometimes challenging for any sophisticated 3D part models.   The Part Wizard in Ultiboard is the best tool to get a quick solid rectangular model into Ultiboard, otherwise modifying the 3D_info layer in pieces is the best way, just not optimal unless you are intending to do very complicated 3D views (which may be better left for MCAD tools).

Good luck with your project.  Love to see a screenshot on what you've after completion if you able to share.

Regards,

Pat Noonan

National Instruments

[dbur]

I have done this many times with good results.  Just lock the part after placing it.

It would be VERY nice if there was an attribute that would exclude the part from selection though.  It is very frustrating working on parts under the daughter board.  If you don't click right on the object you want to select, it will select the daughter part instead.  And forget doing box selections.  The only way I know to deal with this is to select the daughter part and then 'group' it.  Then you can uncheck the 'other' objects button so it doesn't select.  Of course that only helps when you are trying to select other than 'other' objects, which at least allows part, trace, via, etc. box selections.  I'm only making this up at the moment, but now that I have this idea I will start using it.  Hope it actually works.

I could post a sample part on Monday if you like.

[none111]

Thanks for the support chaps.

Pat.:

I've attached a jpg of the daughterboard sitting on some Harwins (spacers). Note the long daughterboard pins at the back.  They were "mil" spaced pins accurately placed on a metric grid (and are the subject of another post).  It was essential to get them and the spacer holes accurately aligned with the motherboard.  The motherboard hasn't been fabbed yet but I can't see any problems.

dbur:

Thanks for your thoughts. You're right, grouping the daughterboard helps a lot.  Hopefully I'm out of the woods now but would love to see a sample part!

Also, I often have trouble selecting things even without daughterboards (eg: Text). What I need is some more sheets like "Other" and "Text" in the spreadsheet view.

Regards,

Bob

[dbur]

Here is a design with a daughter board part, though it looks like you've got it figured out.

Grouping the part and unchecking select other objects helps a lot.  I grouped it with the connector part, which must stay aligned with it.  And then locked the group.

[none111]

Thanks for the file dbur, much appreciated.  I tried (eagerly) to open it but unfortunately I only have EW 10.1 so I didn't get very far.

Regards,

Bob