InsertBoardAssemblyView

Applied Parameters: None

Summary

This command is used to place a Board Assembly View object into the active Draftsman document (*.PCBDwf). This is one of Draftsman's automated drawing views, and shows the board outline with cutouts, holes, and component graphics with additional notation.

Access

This command can be accessed from the PcbDrawing Editor by:

• Choosing the Place » Board Assembly View command from the main menus.
• Clicking the  button on the Drawing Views toolbar.
• Right-clicking in the workspace and choosing the Place » Board Assembly View command from the context menu.

Use

If your PCB design project has more than one PCB, ensure that the board from which you wish to generate the assembly view is selected in the PCB Document field, on the General tab of the Draftsman Document Properties dialog.

After launching the command, data will be acquired from the source PCB document, and a Board Assembly View will appear floating on the cursor. Position the view as desired and click to effect placement. If your Draftsman document has multiple sheets, you can simply zoom out and move the view to the intended sheet, while it is still floating on the cursor.

The component graphics are automatically generated and take data on a priority basis from several sources:

1. The projection of a board component's three-dimensional model (3D model) - used by default.
2. A component's silk screen graphic taken from Top/Bottom Overlay layer - used when a 3D model is not available.
3. A graphic of the component's dimensions derived from its contact pads (its Bounding Box) - used when both a 3D models and screen overlay are not available.

Tips

1. A Board Assembly View can be graphically modified after placement. Click and drag the view to move it to a different location within the current sheet. Click on it to select it - an editing handle will appear at its top-right corner. Click and drag this handle to resize the view.
2. Most aspects of a placed Board Assembly View are available for editing through the Properties panel. If the panel is already open, simply select a placed Board Assembly View to populate the panel with its associated properties. If the panel is not open, double-click on the Board Assembly View to access it.
3. By default, the view is from the top side of the board. This can be changed after placement as required, through the Properties panel. Alternatively, copy and paste the initial view as many times as you need, with each copy changed to show a different perpective of the assembled board. Supported views are: Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Front, and Back.
4. A component's visibility, designator attributes and the geometry source used for forming its graphics, can be changed in the Component Display Properties dialog. Access to this dialog is made by clicking the Components button, at the bottom of the Properties panel, when browsing/modifying the properties of the selected Board Assembly View.
5. For even greater detail, consider creating a Board Section View, or a Board Detail View from your Board Assembly View.
6. If changes have been made to the PCB document, using the Tools » Update Board command will ensure that a placed Board Assembly View is kept in-sync.
7. Defaults for this primitive type can be defined on the Draftsman - Primitive Defaults page of the Preferences dialog.