Double Board Projects

[falco_femoralis]

How do you make a project across two boards? Like the Byzantium Flanger for example.

I have a feeling on how to do it:

Make schem, then convert to layout. Experiment with layout and figure out the best place to separate the layout and set up headers. Then go back into schematic drawing, insert headers w/patterns into the schematic, and re export into layout.

I'd like to keep everything on one file so I can run the verification checks. I am thinking the way to go is to make a board outline that will produce both boards in one assembly, and then have the two boards punch out of the outline, like how the byz flanger etc does. Do I use board cutout to set up the free space between the actual outline?

The inner boards and the outline will be attached together with mousebites, but I need to figure out how to define the inner boards first

I could make the two boards up as separate projects but I'd like to keep verification intact if possible

Thanks for any help, I've googled a bunch and it seems there's no straightforward way to do this

 

[Robert]

I split the full schematic into two separate files with ports (pads) representing the connections between them.

Each PCB layout is done as a completely separate project.

After both boards are complete I then create a "Panel" file which is basically both projects copy/pasted (and grouped/locked individually) and a retainer PCB drawn around them with mousebites.

Any circuit / layout changes are done to the individual files first, then copy/pasted into the panel file afterwards.

There are "better" ways, but better ways tend to be more complicated and/or break with future software changes, so I prefer to do it manually.

 

[jimilee]

Heres how I do it. Basically create a schematic then double it. Then I create one large pcb layout.

 

[falco_femoralis]

I split the full schematic into two separate files with ports (pads) representing the connections between them.

Each PCB layout is done as a completely separate project.

After both boards are complete I then create a "Panel" file which is basically both projects copy/pasted (and grouped/locked individually) and a retainer PCB drawn around them with mousebites.

Any circuit / layout changes are done to the individual files first, then copy/pasted into the panel file afterwards.

There are "better" ways, but better ways tend to be more complicated and/or break with future software changes, so I prefer to do it manually.

That will probably work better as I'm near the 300 pin limit on this project

How do you mitigate mistakes without being able to run verification?

 

[Robert]

How do you mitigate mistakes without being able to run verification?

Verification compares the PCB to it's schematic, as long as each PCB matches it's corresponding schematic (portion) it'll pass verification.

At least in my case, verification doesn't do a "sanity check" to ensure my circuit makes sense, it just makes sure all traces are routed.