background image

Tools

 ‐

Generate

 

Test

 

Grid

 

 

Generates

 

test

 

plot

 

file

 

in

 

shape

 

of

 

10

 

mm

 

line

 

grid

 

of

 

specified

 

dimensions

 

(drum

 

circumference

 

and

 

drum

 

axis

 

direction)

 

and

 

defined

 

line

 

thickness.

 

This

 

plot

 

file

 

will

 

be

 

automatically

 

plotted

 

with

 

resolution

 

1016

 

dpi.

  

 

Test

 

plot

 

can

 

be

 

used

 

as

 

a

 

check

 

plot,

 

where

 

plotter

 

accuracy

 

may

 

be

 

measured

 

 

any

 

inaccuracies

 

in

 

drum

 

circumference

 

or

 

drum

 

axis

 

direction

 

may

 

be

 

entered

 

into

 

setup

 

table

 

for

 

related

 

distance.

  

Plot

 

size

 

depends

 

on

 

values

 

written

 

in

 

files

 

Drum

 

axis

 

and

 

Drum

 

circumference

.

  

 

The

 

grid

 

lines

 

are

 

plotted

 

with

 

thickness

 

specified

 

in

 

field

 

Line

 

width

.

 

If

 

Include

 

setup

 

table

 

is

 

checked,

 

then

 

setup

 

table

 

will

 

be

 

automatically

 

included

 

at

 

the

 

bottom

 

of

 

the

 

plot.

  

 

If

 

serial

 

number

 

of

 

the

 

photoplotter

 

is

 

written

 

in

 

field

 

S/N

,

 

then

 

this

 

info

 

will

 

be

 

also

 

included

 

on

 

the

 

plot.

  

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Click

 

on

 

OK

 

to

 

continue

 

 

software

 

will

 

automatically

 

generate

 

test

 

plot

 

file,

 

which

 

can

 

be

 

now

 

plotted

 

as

 

any

 

other

 

plot

 

file.

  

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summary of Contents for FP?8000 XL

Page 1: ...hotoplotter is driven by program Run_photo_USB which reads in hi resolution bitmap files FPF photoplotter proprietary file format and BMP From this reason if you work with Gerber or Postscript files these files must be converted into one of these bitmap files format first Gerber files are converted by program Gerb2bitmap which is a part of the photoplotter software while Postscript files are conve...

Page 2: ...tioning on film glue unglue image location automatic positioning of associated images on different layers Photoplotter software is supplied on CD with installation program Requires Pentium computer with at least Windows 2000 and USB port 100 MB HD space minimum for software and output files The computer speed has influence on plotting time Plotting files may be quite large in range of tens of MB s...

Page 3: ... software go to directory Install on installation CD supplied with the photoplotter and execute SETUP exe Software starts to install on connected computer 3 2 Power the photoplotter Connect supplied power supply unit with the photoplotter connector is located on the back side Switch power on left side of the photoplotter The green LED labelled Power will come on Red or yellow LED labelled Laser wi...

Page 4: ...he left top corner of photo plotted area is then approximately 20 mm from the left edge of the drum on the horizontal line marked by white arrow Place film on the drum with its top edge approximately 20 mm behind the white mark on the drum hold it firm by hand and fix it to the drum by means of a masking tape along the top edge Rotate drum by one hand to be able to fix film s bottom edge but make ...

Page 5: ...d common liquid cleaner Do not spray Drum surface under film must be kept clean and dry ATTENTION During photo plotting is film drum lighted by laser light that is harmful to human eye Do not open photoplotter lid during photo plotting nor during testing without film 4 PHOTOPLOTTER SOFTWARE 4 1 Brief Description Photoplotter software comes on one CD together with ViewMate program for viewing Gerbe...

Page 6: ... associated drill It also has a built in converter of aperture files made in various CAD software Eagle Pads OrCad Protel P CAD etc The large grey area on the screen represents plotting area of the photoplotter The top left corner of grey field area has 0 0 plotting coordinates with increasing Y coordinate going vertically down and increasing X coordinate running horizontally to the right The coor...

Page 7: ...ing Master Gerber and Associated Gerber makes sense only in case of several artworks like Top side routing Bottom side routing Silkscreen Soldermask etc from the same board will be photo plotted while one of them Master will be panelised the other ones Associated must be then be panelised too and be positioned exactly to the same location as the Master image If films are not panelised than every G...

Page 8: ...tically fill all needed information in it The user can verify the source of aperture file by clicking on Guess Format the converter will report the name of the program where aperture file was created The conversion will start by clicking on Start or F4 Exit converter by using ESC keyboard button When converter closes confirm OK on a small dialog window The name of loaded aperture file will be disp...

Page 9: ...ociated with this one on selected layer Use Job Preview or an icon to preview result of Gerber to bitmap conversion for selected layer It is possible to make holes openings in otherwise filled pads to make manual drilling easy specify Hole Size in Pads As some pads for example SMD do not have any holes specify D codes without holes for these pads Similarly to view created technological area define...

Page 10: ...Use Job 500 dpi Bitmap to generate BMP file named Clip bmp for checking purpose you can display it in any bmp viewer if nothing more than Paint Brush in Windows will do that ...

Page 11: ...ed with the Master file soldermask etc on selected layer film Job Import Apertures loads aperture file for selected layer film Job Exit ends the program EDIT Edit Insert Mark allows to insert a small Gerber image to the film see Preference Mark Edit Copy to Clipboard Edit Delete Board or an icon deletes selected board image s and associated Gerber and aperture file Edit Lock All Boards glues image...

Page 12: ......

Page 13: ...llows to convert selected aperture file PREFERENCE Preference Memory Setting allows to specify computer memory size used for calculations Recommended size RAM memory 20MB The more memory available the faster calculation of bitmap Preference Plotting Area Size allows operator to set max Size of displayed plotting area Preference Data Format allows operator to set format of loaded Gerber file Prefer...

Page 14: ...Preference Tech Area allows to set parameters for so called robber strip copper strip around board outline used for board manufacturing purposes An example of Tech Area the robber strip ...

Page 15: ...r F3 command allows to read in input file generated previously in Gerb2bitmap program FPF format or Windows BMP format see picture on the next page FPF file can be previewed before loading and its image size resolution and user notes created in Gerb2Bitmap is displayed Please note that image size is extended by 10mm on each side In case of BMP file its image cannot be viewed here Its resolution MU...

Page 16: ...to program by OK button Loading may take some time depending on file size If loaded file size is smaller than 14 MB than its image is displayed otherwise a message File is too big to display but plotting will be OK is displayed ...

Page 17: ...e look right but keep in mind that this image is here displayed only for your information When image is displayed use Tools Run photoplotter or button A new dialog box appears where it is possible to set plot output resolution reversed Negative and mirrored Mirror plotting Time needed for plotting is shown automatically Click on Plot will start the plotter The higher output resolution the longer p...

Page 18: ...ting conditions at the user site temperature humidity film Angle Error represents a linear inaccuracy between the right angle plot and the real non right angle plot on a line 360 mm long along drum axis This is one half of vertical distance between corresponding horizontal lines of the two films measured 360 mm from the left 0 position while one of the films is flipped upside down Screw Error repr...

Page 19: ...rum axis direction may be entered into setup table for related distance Plot size depends on values written in files Drum axis and Drum circumference The grid lines are plotted with thickness specified in field Line width If Include setup table is checked then setup table will be automatically included at the bottom of the plot If serial number of the photoplotter is written in field S N then this...

Page 20: ...Continue as with any other plot file use Run photoplotter Tools Run Photoplotter or button ...

Page 21: ...tensity automatically increases with every next image by value entered in filed Increment Number of images is set by value in field Number Click on button OK starts plot Light Allows to pre set values for intensity of laser light related to used film sensitivity and output resolution For films with higher light sensitivity the values are lower Values go also down for higher resolution regardless o...

Page 22: ...sity of laser light Light if needed otherwise this value is pre set in dialog window under Light command Time needed for given file and set resolution is also indicated Plotting time Note that for the higher resolution the longer time is needed Click on Plot button to start photo plotting It takes a while for plotter drum to reach needed speed to rotate before it starts to plot The remaining plott...

Page 23: ... layer s in Active Layer Corresponding images will be automatically placed in the same location on the film as the Master Gerber image When Master image is moved or panelised all related images are also moved or panelised If Master image is deleted all related images files are also deleted 5 2c Load aperture file s for associated Gerber images Make sure that aperture files are loaded on the same l...

Page 24: ...Do not start plotting again unless laser head has returned to its initial position 6 How to make test films Occasionally it is needed to make test films just to find out proper working conditions like light intensity or plot accuracy To make test film to find out proper light intensity Use strip of film approx 100 mm wide and 300 mm long and tape it to the drum longer side over drum Use command To...

Page 25: ...ference direction enter measured differences in Drum Linearity table for every particular grid where error appears d If there are errors only in certain areas along the drum axis screw direction enter measured differences in Screw Linearity table for every particular grid where error appears e If lines drawn horizontally in drum axis direction are not perpendicular to lines in vertical direction d...

Page 26: ...MAIN SWITCH POWER 24V 2 5A DC DRUM MOTOR SCREW MOTOR LASER PANEL LED SCREW MICROSWITCH LASER LASER HEAD PHOTOPLOTTER 8000 DPI PCB TERMINALS CABLE BLOCK DIAGRAM FP8000 FP8000XL Photoplotter Insts 0611 ...

Page 27: ... VIEW WITH LID OPEN Auto Manual Switch Power Laser Main Switch Mega Electronics Ltd Mega House Grip Industrial Estate Linton Cambridge United Kingdom CB21 4XN Telephone 44 0 1223 893900 Fax 44 0 1223 893894 Email sales megauk com web www megauk com ...

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