Creating a Flexible Board

You can transform a Sheet Metal representation into a flexible PCB board.

Before you begin:
  • Create a product with an associated 3D shape representation in the Sheet Metal Design app. For more information, see Sheet Metal Design User's Guide.
  • Switch to the Flexible Circuit Board Design app.
  • You must create and activate an axis system. For more information, see Generative Shape Design User's Guide: Defining an Axis System.
  1. Double-click the board representation.
  2. From the Edition section of the action bar, click Flexible Board .
    • If the axis system is not compliant with the following rule: the axis system must be on top of the Sheet Metal feature with Z-direction opposite to the material direction, a warning appears:
      Current axis system defined on Board is not compatible with Flexible Circuit Board.
Please define a compatible axis system as current or create a new axis system adhering to following rules:
- Axis system should be direct
- Axis system origin should be on top or bottom surface of the Sheetmetal feature.
- Z-direction of the axis system should be same as direction of vector from Board Bottom to top surface.

      Delete the invalid axis system and create a new one by clicking Axis System from the Edition section of the action bar.

    • If no axis system has been defined, a warning is displayed:
      No axis system has been defined.
Select YES to create axis system automatically.
Select NO to EXIT the command.
Yes / No

      If you click Yes, a valid axis system will be created on the first Sheet Metal feature found automatically and it will be set Current (which is compatible for Export As IDF File). And you obtain:



    You can observe:

    • The axis system is created on the first Sheet Metal feature found.
    • All the Sheet Metal features turn green.
    • In the tree, the product icon changes into: .

    Notes:
    • The Flexible Board command can be launched at any time to check the axis system.
    • If the board is already a CBD board (not a flexible board), an error message is displayed.
    • If all the parameters are correct, especially for axis system, a dialog box confirms the flexible board creation has been successful.