This automation tool for Expedition has a number of uses. It started out as a tool to copy plane shapes from one layer to other layers in the design. Then it evolved and I added a lot more functionality to it.
- Copy any drawn object from one PCB layer to others. Plane shapes, obstructs, conductive shapes, etc.
- Create plane clearances using a set of pads as a shape template.
- Create a plane shape using a set of pads, traces, and vias. The plane shape will encompass all selected source shapes.
- Create a solder mask clearance from a set of pads, vias, and traces. This is for the case where there are large areas with no solder mask, and you want to add a solder mask area around some parts so that they can be installed with an SMT pick and place machine then reflowed, without having the solder flow away from the component pads.
- Add plane clearances under component pads. This is for cases where the capacitance of a nearby plane layer will affect an RF or high-speed digital signal. The plane on any adjacent or other internal layer will be cleared so that there is a blank space on any selected layers under that pad.
- For all applicable functions, multiple target layers can be selected.
- You can control the size of the resulting shape and select corner type: square, rounded, or chamfered.
- Bonus feature is that if you end up with some zero-width traces in your design, it will find and delete them. I’m not sure how the zero-width traces even happen, but they did once on a design I was doing so I added this to get rid of them without having to go searching all through the design to find them.
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