Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8016 fanout

[robertferanec]

I got dragon board layout pcb after asking it for some coworkers here... I thought it wont be possible cause there are more than 2 months im on this project and I had asked before ... But now its better to understand everything ... Dragon Board it has 8 layers only...

- Awesome!

[Didan]

I got dragon board layout pcb after asking it for some coworkers here... I thought it wont be possible cause there are more than 2 months im on this project and I had asked before ... But now its better to understand everything ... Dragon Board it has 8 layers only... I was based on iMX6 12 layers stackup but now I can change strategy... Anyway thanks for all articles I read them and was very usefull...

[Didan]

What do you mean by ODB++ ? Can you share videos, articles, tutorials about it please? I got dragon board layout here, it uses only 8 layers and all eMMC, PMIC, APQ8016 and other BGA on board are using via in pad. I wasnt sure how to do that, but now its clear =D

[Paul van Avesaath]

try and use ODB++ instead of gerbers..
if you want to send gerbers place a layer indication on your board. or specify on each layer a string which shows what layer it is..
so either 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 (one number on each layer and also the internal planes) would not be the first time a layer set was put together in the incorrect order..

[Paul van Avesaath]

https://www.fedevel.com/designhelp/forum/test/circuit-design/8901-who-do-you-use-recommend-for-manufacturing-your-14-layer-pcbs

[Didan]

Paul Van, can you share advanced PCB manufacturer which you had sent gerbers files for your company projects? ty

[robertferanec]

someone here know how to create polygon for small areas?

as mairomaster mentioned, you may want to check polygons parameters, especially have a look at the parameters with words: "Remove ... Less than ...." ... try to make the numbers in these parameters smaller, that should help.

[robertferanec]

unfortunately I dont have dragonboard410c reference board... Just sch and the rest like footprint for apq8016 processor I got from my supervisors and are private documents... So even to get some importants documents wasnt so easy,

- I often design boards without special support from chip company (for example Freescale / NXP they refuse to talk to me ... we do not manufacture boards and I do not buy their chips, so they will not talk to me), however I do not design boards if there is no access to full documentation and software (you need to be able sign NDA and get access to a directory with all documents, software and tools for the chip). If you do not have full access to all documentation, you may keep having problems not only with HW development, but also during debugging, testing, software development., etc.

I learned at the beginning of my carrier - use only the chips with great documentation and support, avoid using chips with poor, bad or no documentation.

[Paul van Avesaath]

the text i used for plugged and plated via's was

All via's should be plugged and plated according IPC-4761 Type VII.

you will need to talk with your PCB manufacturer if they can comply with this..
I placed the tekst onto a mechanical layer. and reffered to it in my printspecification file.

just to make sure Didan do or don't you know what PCB manufacturer you are going to use?
I can't stress enough that you need to have communications with them at this point in your project...
the faster you can get manufacturing involved the better off you will be.. (and i know what a pain in the ass manufacturers can be)

just look at it this way.. if you are done with your design you will be so happy you did..or else you might hear something like:
we can't do it like this.. you should have used this via or minimum trace width, or this stackup..
not all manufacturers can make every design you make, for most of us we learned the hard way

also think ahead about testing your board. if you can let your OEM do this you need to implement that from the start.

good luck and show us from time to time your progress!!

[Didan]

mairomaster you told above polygons polygons should only be used when necessary, about PMIC fan out for this board I started discussion here, I've been doing what I think its right. All vias are microvias L1-L2 on pmic fanout as well eMMC memory. So about these fan out do you think it looks good and follow standard rules?

[Didan]

hi Paul, if you get it "IPC" gonna help for sure, thanks

[mairomaster]

Use fills and regions wherever possible. Polygons misbehave all the time and should only be used when necessary. With your example you can easily use fill/region instead. If you really need a polygon and it refuses to re-pour (after manually re-pouring it with the command repour selected/all), check it's properties. It must have the proper net assigned. I don't remember by heart but there are some settings about min neck size, min pour area and others. You might need to adjust those.

[Paul van Avesaath]

someone here know how to create polygon for small areas? Like picture attached I couldnt repour small polygons and it looks work for bigger areas. How to modify, if there are these options, about polygon areas?

sometimes altium does this.. there is a reason for it but it has to do with some items in the rules i believe, you can also use a " fill" in some cases

[Paul van Avesaath]

i think mairomaster meant that you have via's in the BGA pads, you can do this but the via;s need to be filled in with copper and treated like a BGA pad.

ask your PCB supplier for plugged via's and how they want you to specify these.. I used to add it in text in a mechanical layer with something like " all via's should be plugged and plated according to IPC" some number" then it is finished.. but again you should contact you pcb supplier to what standards yuou want this.. I can check later today on the exact ipc number it was done for me..

[Didan]

someone here know how to create polygon for small areas? Like picture attached I couldnt repour small polygons and it looks work for bigger areas. How to modify, if there are these options, about polygon areas?