Zone properties configuration in PCB Design - Dashboard Guide

Dashboard Mode - Zone properties configuration

Goal

Understand how configuring zone properties affects PCB design and manufacturing quality.

Sample Data: Zone Properties Settings

Zone Name	Net	Clearance (mm)	Min Thickness (mil)	Thermal Relief	Pour Order	Fill Mode
Power	VCC	0.2	1.5	Yes	1	Solid
Ground	GND	0.15	1.0	No	2	Hatched
Signal1	DATA	0.1	1.0	Yes	3	Solid
Signal2	CLK	0.1	1.0	Yes	4	Solid
Shield	GND	0.25	2.0	No	5	Hatched

Dashboard Components

• KPI Card: Total Zones
  Formula: Count of Zone Name
  Result: 5
• KPI Card: Average Clearance (mm)
  Formula: Average of Clearance column
  Result: 0.16 mm
• Bar Chart: Zones by Pour Order
  X-axis: Pour Order (1 to 5)
  Y-axis: Zone Name
  Shows the sequence of zone pours
• Pie Chart: Fill Mode Distribution
  Slices: Count of zones by Fill Mode (Solid, Hatched)
  Shows proportion of fill styles
• Table: Zone Properties Detail
  Shows all columns from sample data for detailed review

Dashboard Layout

+-------------------+-----------------------+
| Total Zones (KPI) | Average Clearance (KPI)|
+-------------------+-----------------------+
|       Bar Chart: Zones by Pour Order       |
|                                           |
+-------------------------------------------+
| Pie Chart: Fill Mode Distribution | Table: Zone Properties Detail |
+-------------------------------------------+
    

Interactivity

Filter by Net (e.g., VCC, GND, DATA, CLK) updates all components to show only zones for that net.

Clicking a Fill Mode slice filters the table and bar chart to zones with that fill style.

Hovering over a bar in the Pour Order chart highlights the corresponding zone in the table.

Self Check

If you add a filter for Net = "GND", which components update and what changes occur?

• Total Zones KPI updates to 2 (Ground and Shield zones)
• Average Clearance KPI updates to average of 0.15 and 0.25 = 0.20 mm
• Bar Chart shows only Pour Orders 2 and 5
• Pie Chart updates to show fill mode distribution for these two zones
• Table shows only Ground and Shield rows

Key Result

Dashboard showing PCB zone properties with KPIs, charts, and detailed table to analyze configuration impact.

Practice

1. Which property in a PCB zone configuration determines which electrical net the copper area connects to?

easy

A. Thermal relief

B. Layer selection

C. Clearance

D. Net assignment

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand zone properties

   Zone properties include settings like net assignment, layer, clearance, fill mode, and thermal relief.

2. Step 2: Identify net assignment role

   Net assignment links the copper zone to a specific electrical net, ensuring connectivity.

3. Final Answer:

   Net assignment -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Net assignment = Electrical connection [OK]

Hint: Net assignment connects copper to the right electrical net [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing layer with net assignment
• Thinking clearance sets electrical connection
• Mixing thermal relief with net assignment

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to set the clearance value to 0.2mm in a zone properties configuration script?

easy

A. Clearance = 0.2mm

B. Clearance = 0.2

C. Clearance = '0.2mm'

D. Clearance: 0.2

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand clearance value format

   Clearance is usually set as a numeric value without units in scripts, assuming default units.

2. Step 2: Identify correct syntax

   Assigning clearance as a number without quotes or units is correct: Clearance = 0.2

3. Final Answer:

   Clearance = 0.2 -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Numeric value without units or quotes = Correct [OK]

Hint: Use numeric values without units or quotes for clearance [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Including units like 'mm' in the value
• Using quotes around numeric values
• Using colon instead of equals sign

3. Given a zone configured with FillMode = "Solid" and ThermalRelief = true, what is the expected behavior of the copper fill?

medium

A. Copper fills solidly with thermal relief connections to pads

B. Copper fills with hatched pattern and no thermal relief

C. Copper fills solidly with no thermal relief

D. Copper fills with hatched pattern and thermal relief

Solution

1. Step 1: Interpret FillMode setting

   FillMode = "Solid" means the copper zone is filled completely without gaps.

2. Step 2: Interpret ThermalRelief setting

   ThermalRelief = true means pads connect to the zone with thermal relief patterns to ease soldering.

3. Final Answer:

   Copper fills solidly with thermal relief connections to pads -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Solid fill + thermal relief = Copper fills solidly with thermal relief connections to pads [OK]

Hint: Solid fill + thermal relief = solid copper with thermal pads [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing hatched fill with solid fill
• Ignoring thermal relief effect
• Assuming thermal relief disables solid fill

4. You wrote the following zone configuration snippet:

Zone {
  Net = "GND"
  Layer = "Top"
  Clearance = 0.15
  FillMode = "Solid"
  ThermalRelief = yes
}

Which line contains an error that will cause the configuration to fail?

medium

A. ThermalRelief = yes

B. Clearance = 0.15

C. FillMode = "Solid"

D. Net = "GND"

Solution

1. Step 1: Check boolean value syntax

   Boolean values like ThermalRelief must be true or false, not yes/no.

2. Step 2: Identify error line

   ThermalRelief = yes is invalid syntax; it should be ThermalRelief = true.

3. Final Answer:

   ThermalRelief = yes -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Boolean must be true/false, not yes/no [OK]

Hint: Use true/false for booleans, not yes/no [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using quotes around numeric values
• Writing boolean as yes/no instead of true/false
• Missing quotes around string values

5. You need to configure a PCB zone on the bottom layer connected to the power net with a clearance of 0.25mm, hatched fill mode, and thermal relief disabled. Which configuration snippet correctly applies all these settings?

hard

A. Zone {
Net = "Power"
Layer = "Bottom"
Clearance = 0.25mm
FillMode = "Solid"
ThermalRelief = false
}

B. Zone {
Net = Power
Layer = Bottom
Clearance = '0.25mm'
FillMode = Hatched
ThermalRelief = no
}

C. Zone {
Net = "Power"
Layer = "Bottom"
Clearance = 0.25
FillMode = "Hatched"
ThermalRelief = false
}

D. Zone {
Net = "Power"
Layer = "Top"
Clearance = 0.25
FillMode = "Hatched"
ThermalRelief = true
}

Solution

1. Step 1: Check net and layer settings

   Net must be "Power" and Layer must be "Bottom" with quotes as strings.

2. Step 2: Verify clearance and fill mode

   Clearance is numeric 0.25 without units; FillMode is "Hatched" as string.

3. Step 3: Confirm thermal relief setting

   ThermalRelief must be false to disable it.

4. Final Answer:

   Zone { Net = "Power" Layer = "Bottom" Clearance = 0.25 FillMode = "Hatched" ThermalRelief = false } -> Option C

5. Quick Check:

   All settings match requirements exactly [OK]

Hint: Match strings with quotes, booleans true/false, numeric clearance [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Omitting quotes around strings
• Using units in clearance value
• Setting thermal relief to true when disabled