Workflow for pouring signal/ground plane

[infinite.machinery]

I can't figure out the process for creating a ground plane polygon in Fusion 360. I create a polygon by selecting the board outline then Convert to Polygon -> Copy on the top layer. Then I select Pour Polygons using what looks like the Eagle Rats Nest icon. This fills the polygon. But how to I name the polygon as GND? Also, where is the Ripup All visible polygon command?

[jorge_garcia · Accepted solution]

Hi @infinite.machinery,

I hope you're doing well. Use the NAME command and click one of the polygon edges, that will allow you to rename it. You'll find the icon for RIPUP all visible polygon icon near the ripup command. It look like a pentagon with a red X in the top left corner.

Let me know if you continue to run into problems.

Best Regards,

[infinite.machinery]

I'm still not finding the the RIPUP all visible polygons icon that you described. This is what I'm seeing in the set of Ripup commands. One of the commands has a hint of "Trace, Via or polygon" but it does nothing when I click it.

[jorge_garcia]

Hi @infinite.machinery,

I hope you're doing well. The ripup all visible polygons icon is actually in the pour section immediately to the left of the Ratsnest icon.

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

Best Regards,

[infinite.machinery]

So, Ratsnest is now Pour Polygons and Rip Up All Visible Polygons is not Unpour Polygons? Is there documentation that covers these command renames?

[jorge_garcia]

Hi @infinite.machinery,

We are working on the documentation. There are some other changes to polygons forthcoming so stay tuned. We are are working on improving these.

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

Best Regards,

[martinyoung1]

Morning

i am having trouble pouring a polygon for the ground plane, i have a round pcb with several predetermined cut outs as specified by my 3D design, 

so, following the instruction i right click on the outline of the board but i dont get the polygon option, has this changed in the last year? 

[jorge_garcia]

Hello @martinyoung1 ,

In order for the command to work, the outline must be a perfectly closed contour, no overlaps or segments that need to be trimmed. Double check your outline and make sure it's a closed contour.

The command is still available.

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

Best Regards,

[DavidVoxon]

For what it's worth, I find it much easier to make a simple rectangle polygon any time you want a layer that spans the whole board. Just make it much larger than the board and it's easy to select later (via the edge), plus you can offset the edges of other full-span pours so they're all easy to select. Fusion will only fill the polygon within the board boundary anyway, so it fills nicely to the edges (gap to the edges is specified by 'Isolate').

Example: dotted teal line is ground plane polygon edge, solid teal line is edge of the pour (note how it follows the radius of the corner).

[p_zarzycki]

I had similar issue, but managed to figure out solution (it wasn't obvious thou!). My outline is a simple circle (dependent PCB created from very simple 2D sketch). No option to create polygon or pour the outline.

I tried following the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axMYd0YTIPU

I found that you can draw an arbitrary poligon around your board (shape doesn't matter, it can be much bigger than the board itself) and then it makes a shape that fits the board and the holes in it!

I spent good 45 minutes clicking and trying everything....

[jorge_garcia]

Hi @p_zarzycki,

I hope you're doing well. Circles don't work with the convert to polygon command. The workaround it to make circle with 2 arcs.

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

Best Regards,

[chuck_toddN7PTC]

I am looking to transition over to Fusion from Eagle 9.6.2. I am using a board that I just finished in Eagle to evaluate Fusion's commands/workflow. I am working my way through the migration guide, but haven't finished yet.

When using Shift+P to pour my polygons I get the following message.

I have looked in the Eagle rc settings files but I don't have the secret decoder ring.

Can you tell me why this is happening?

Which setting in the Eagle rc is preventing the poly pour? 

What value does it need to be to alleviate this error?

Thanks,

Chuck

[jorge_garcia]

Hi @chuck_toddN7PTC,

I hope you're doing well. The way polygons are handled in Fusion is completely different from how they are handled in EAGLE. In Fusion, you can fill and unfill polygons by using the appropriate command in the Polygon menu. It looks like you are trying to run a variation of the Ratsnest command. 

You can technically adjust the settings in the Preferences > Electronics > Misc. tab but I do not recommend it. You can always make shortcuts for the polygon fill and unfill commands.

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

Best Regards,