Creating a board outline

PCB Layout requires one singular board outline, placed on the global layer.

1 From the Tool menu, choose Dimension, then choose Datum. Click on the lower left corner of the board outline to place the datum (to provide a starting grid for component placement). Press h to redraw the screen.

Note Placing the datum in the lower-left corner of the board outline gives you positive X, Y coordinates, while placing it in other corners gives you negative coordinates (in your reports and post processing results). Because the board datum is used for all grids, if you move the datum after component placement, your place, routing, and via grids will all be affected. And, you may have difficulty replacing the datum at the precise location you moved it from.

2 Choose the obstacle toolbar button.

3 From the pop-up menu, choose New, then from the pop-up menu, choose Properties. The Edit Obstacle dialog box appears.

4 From the Obstacle Type drop-down list, select Board outline.

5 In the Width text box, enter a value for the outline’s width.

6 From the Obstacle Layer drop-down list, select Global Layer, then choose the OK button. The Edit Obstacle dialog box closes.

7 Move to the point on the board at which you want to start drawing the outline, then click the left mouse button to insert the first corner. Because a board outline must be a closed polygon, Layout automatically begins forming a closed area after you insert the first corner of the board outline, and automatically closes the polygon for you if you don’t close it yourself.

8 Continue clicking the left mouse button to insert corners.

9 After you click to insert the last corner, choose Finish from the pop-up menu. Layout automatically completes the board outline.