Currently, most programming process of PCB panelization requires input of measured data, such as outline data, matrix offset, etc., and this method tends to cause deviation of coordinates of component mounting location, thus causing incompliance during boards mounting.

While for Vayo’s SMT Expert software, panelization is quite easy as the feature selection approach is used to enable automatic panelization. What we need to do is to input panel CAD data and gerber data of panel outline, which generally comes from stencil data. As shown in Fig.1, firstly to align the single board with panel outline by feature selection approach: select characteristic value and click right mouse button to select ‘Align’, then gets the result as shown in Fig.2.

Fig.1

Fig.2

As shown in Fig.2, the mentioned job is a complicated top/bottom panelization, then we will take this job as an example. As shown in Fig.3, firstly to select the characteristic value (both line segment and arc are available) of first board (the characteristic value is to distinguish the specific board, and the eight boards in same outline should have the same characteristic value. The number of boards for panelization can only be eight and the deviations such as directional, front-back, mirror, etc. are not likely to happen). Then click right mouse button to select Auto create panel board, getting the result as Fig.4. The eight panelized boards are displayed in side column.

Fig.3

Fig.4

Similarly, as shown in Fig.5, firstly to select characteristic value, then click right mouse button to select ‘Set panel outline’, and select frame size, getting the result as shown in Fig.6. This approach has freed hands and greatly promoted efficiency.

Fig.5

Fig.6