Spilt/mixed plane

[eo1668]

Hi,
I have this .pcb file that I need to modify the plane area to include new gnd area. Currently there is 4 specific gnd and I need to add additonal one new gnd area in the same gnd plane.
How do I modify this spilt/mixed plane, please advise.
For the old design, I just use copper pour.
Also there difference when flooding the plane and generate gerber for this spilt/mixed plane?

Thanks a lot and have a nice day.

Best regards,
EO

[randychase]

This is exactly what Split/Mixed is for. Go into the layer menu at the top of the screen and turn the layer to Split/Mixed and assign the nets to it.

Then use the drafting toolbox. You can filter to select the board outline, the shift click and use the right mouse button to create a split/moxed plane area automatically. Make sure you are working on the proper layer. This will create a plane the same outline as the board but stepped in per your settings.

There is also an icon on the drafting toolbox that shows a solid copper split diagonally with a jagged split. Use that to create primary split/mixed outlines, or internal split/mixed areas. You can create adjacent split/mixed using this, or an island in the middle of another split/mixed. They will auto-separate based on your settings. Try it and see.

Note, always create the larger split/mixed area first. Do not create a smaller area and then surround it with a larger area.

[eo1668]

Hi Randy,
Thanks for your reply. What you have mentioned is for creating new spilt/mixed plane. But my problem is that there is this current 8 layers pcb file with 3 mixed/split plane done by somebody. I need to add in new circuit with additional ground area in the gnd plane. How do I get about to modify the current spilt/mixed plane, can I just edit on the outline and made the area smaller and add in a new plane area.

Best regards,

[randychase]

Using the add plane icon for split/mixed, just add another plane area. It will autoseparate and ask for the new net (you should have already added the net to the database). You can tweak the plane areas by selecting the outlines and moving them.

[tester]

Appreciate for Randy's reply. It also solved the same trouble which confused me for a long time. But I found there is a bug in PowerPCB: the "Auto Separate Gap" setting doesn't work in this mode !!!

No matter which value I set, only the button with "Auto Plane Separate" icon will follow the rules. Using the "Plane Area" button to add another plane in an existing plane area will only separate with a smallest gap -- which is totally unacceptable :<

Hopefully there will be a service pack for Ver 4.x or it will be solved in Ver 5.x.

Originally posted by randychase
Using the add plane icon for split/mixed, just add another plane area. It will autoseparate and ask for the new net (you should have already added the net to the database). You can tweak the plane areas by selecting the outlines and moving them.