topic Re: Fusion Electronics Autorouter in Fusion Electronics Forum

Fusion Electronics Autorouter

cole — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 16:04:09 GMT

Auto router will not touch this component. Could have something to do with the multiple pads connected together inside the component. The Auto router used to work and just leave very short unrouted airwires inside the component that I could easily see that the route was complete. I also noticed that a manual route does not want to touch the component. Any ideas would be helpful..

Re: Fusion Electronics Autorouter

jorge_garcia — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 19:03:54 GMT

Hi @cole,

I hope you're doing well. The issue here is that the component has a ton of errors, the automated tools will not route if it would create errors or if there are already errors.

The first thing I would recommend to check out is the Design Rules and Preferences. Make sure they are set to match what you're board house can do. The specific component in question looks like one of the small specialized programming cables so it makes sense that those settings would need to be adjusted.

Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you.

Best Regards,

Re: Fusion Electronics Autorouter

AJ_Smoothie — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 19:31:33 GMT

@cole,

The USB-C connector and a few other components that I routinely use always violate my design rules. As Jorge suggested, you can update your design rules, but remember they are global rules. Let me suggest and alternate route:

Typically I have a set of rules that I want my project as a whole to adhere to, save for the exception here or there...here's how I deal with that.

Make sure you understand the reason a part is violating the design rules and if making an exception for it is acceptable. Also check with your manufacturing company to make sure you aren't violating of their rules (e.g. vias are too small) .
Manually route wires from the troublesome component to just outside the component area creating "stubs".
Make sure you LOCK these traces, because when the autorouter inevitably bungles the job, you'll need to rip them all up. If you lock these manually routed wires, the ripup tool won't rip them up.
Manually review and approve each design rule violation in the DRC.
Run the autorouter. The autorouter will now be able to route to the "stubs" that you created earlier.

Good luck!

Re: Fusion Electronics Autorouter

cole — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 21:09:21 GMT

Hi Jorge,

Thank you for your input. Could you please help me understand "ton of errors". I agree that the auto will not route to my programming socket but I can't figure out why. Last month the auto router worked just fine with my programming socket. It seems something changed. I can't figure out what in the DRU might be causing the problem.

Thank you!

Re: Fusion Electronics Autorouter

jorge_garcia — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 17:40:25 GMT

Hello Cole,

If you look at the image you sent you have a lot of DRC errors on the part, these are indicated by the hatched polygons. You can especially see them near the cutouts. You also seem to have some restricts near the middle where the pads are. Depending on what layer they are on they could be interfering with the routing as well.

The first thing to do is set your Design Rules and preferences to match what your board manufacturer can do. If any errors remain especially around the cutouts that means your board manufacturing process can't maintain the tolerance you need and you'll have to use a more expensive process. If updating the rules removes the errors then you can proceed with the routing and it should work.

Let me know if you continue to run into issues.

Best Regards,