A number of commonly used symbols may be added to the board. To add a symbol to the board, click on the Add symbols button and then do the following:
- Select the desired symbol.
- Select the radio button for the desired layer.
- Click and draw a rectangle for the bounding box of the symbol. (Doesn't apply to bar codes.)
- Right-click to cancel the operation, if desired.
- For a panel of boards, a symbol should be placed on each board.
Use the Clear symbols button or the Delete key to remove all of the current type of symbols.
The following symbols may be placed on soldermask or legend layers:
- UL mark. A bounding box is drawn where the manufacturer should place their UL mark. UL marks are specific to the factory, so only the boundary is displayed. By default, bounding boxes are restricted to one of several standard sizes. To create a smaller boundinig box, press Ctrl when clicking. Note: not all factories support smaller boxes.
- Lead-free symbol
- CE mark
- WEEE symbol
- Recycle symbol
- ESD-susceptibility symbol
- RoHS mark
- Annotation field. An annotation field is simply a solid rectangle, which may be used for laser etching or manual markings, such as serial numbers.
An annotation field may either be drawn as a rectangle or placed with a size suitable for a specific marking. To define the marking size, click on the Define button. This opens a dialog box for calculating the appropriate size for a text or bar code. You should enter a text similar (and with the same number of characters) as will be actually used.
Note: Two-dimensional bar codes use different encodings for a text with numbers-only, English alphanumeric text, or containing other-language characters. The actual bar code may differ in size from the sample displayed in the dialog if the sample text differs in number of character types.Note: For laser engraved 2-dimensional bar codes, we recommend a module size of 0.5 mm or larger.
Note: You should avoid placing an annotation field over copper traces if the annotation text will be laser engraved (due to the possibility of etching through the solder mask).
The following text formats may only be placed on legend layers:
- Bar code in Code 128-B format.
- 2D bar code in Data Matrix ECC 200 format.
Enter the bar code text in the edit box. The size of the bar code depends on the length of the text. Two floating rectangles display the size of the bar code and the surrounding quiet zone. Click to place the bar code. A bar code on the bottom layer is automatically mirrored.
The bar code will be in the soldermask color, with the legend color as the background color. For a dark legend on a light soldermask, this will result in an inverse image. Note: Many bar code reader apps do not support inverse images. We recommend the “ScanLife” app by Scanbuy, Inc., available at www.getscanlife.com. - A text string.
Enter the text in the edit box. A floating rectangle displays the size of the text. Click to place the text string. Text on the bottom layer is automatically mirrored.
A text string that complies with IPC/JEDEC standard J-STD-609A (for marking lead-free printed circuit boards) may be generated by clicking on the J-STD-609 button. This opens a dialog box where you may choose the material codes to include in the text string.
Note: Only ASCII characters from 32-127 are supported. This includes all digits, all letters in the English alphabet, and many symbols. Non-english characters or characters with accents or other diacritical marks are not supported.
Note: If the edit box is not visible, maximize the Import module window and/or use the Configure| Hide left sidebar and/or Configure|Hide right sidebar menu commands to increase the width of the graphic display.
