Use the Insert Board Origin command to mark a ‘reference point’ to be used for positioning boards relative to each other in the 3D viewer when using the Fold Board command.
Shortcuts
Default Keys: None
Default Menu: None
Command: Insert Board Origin
Locating this option
Available from: context menu in Select Mode when you have a board outline selected in a PCB design.
How Board Origins Are Used
Board origins are used to define reference points for orienting/aligning one board relative to another in a PCB design with two or more board outlines. One board is designated as type ‘Fixed’, and another as ‘Moving’. An origin is placed on both of these boards; on the Fixed board all the origin needs is a name. On the Moving board, the origin is given the same name, and placed on the location which will be aligned with the same-named origin on the first board. You would also specify the angle of rotation of that second board about one or more axes, and how far it needs to be shifted along any of those axes.
For example, if we want to turn our second board over on its back and have it ‘lifted’ above our first (fixed) board, we might specify a rotation around the Y axis of 180 degrees, and an offset in the Z axis of 15mm. The end result would be for our second board to ‘float’ 15mm above the first one with the two origins aligned on their X,Y position.
If you have multiple ‘secondary’ boards to position, you would add further pairs of origins; one on the fixed board and one on the moving one, with the same name so they can be matched up when the boards are ‘folded’ in the 3D preview.
These parameters are used when the Fold Board commands is used in the 3D Viewer.
How To Insert A Board Origin
- Select an existing board outline shape. This needs to be a Board that is marked as a ‘Fixed’ or ‘Moving’ type board.
- Right-click and choose Insert Board Origin from the context menu.
- Your new origin will now appear on your cursor. Click on the location for your new origin, or use the Type Coordinate and/or Type Offset commands to position it. You can also click on an existing item to ‘snap’ the origin to that location.
- The Board Origin Properties dialog will now be displayed from where you can set the additional information for naming and positioning your board relative to the location when the pair of origins are aligned.