ezCAM Basics

• Overview
• Job Manager Basics
  • Import Job
  • Rename Job
  • Delete Job
  • Open Job
  • Open Job Version Compare
  • Open ezCAM User Manual
  • Export Job
• Graphic Editor Basics
  • What is Graphic Editor
    • Display Controls
    • Measure Distance
    • Display Controls
    • Show S&R
  • Basic Editing Functions
    • Add Feature
    • Delete Feature
    • Change Feature Symbol
    • Add New Layer
    • Delete Layer
    • Save Job
  • Graphic Editor Main Functions
    • Matrix (Layer Arrangements)
    • Analysis (Design Rule Checks)
    • DFM Modules
    • Netlist Analyzer (Open/Short check tool)
    • Panelization Tools
  • Print Layer

Overview

Welcom to ezCAM user manual, this manual will go through the most common and basic functions when using ezCAM, even a first-timer will be able to use ezCAM with ease

Job Manager basics

In the Job Manager basics, we will be going through basic functions in the Job Manager interface.

See screenshot below for the Job Manager interface：

Import Job

When User opens ezCAM, the main screen will be the Job Manager interface, from here we can import job file (PCB layout files) into ezCAM

• Select File > Import ODB++

• Select files to import, click " Import " to import Job files into ezCAM

ezCAM Hint : You can also drag files on the ezCAM window to import files

Rename Job

• Right click on the Job folder and select "Rename"

• Enter a new name in the New name field, here test_odb++ was entered as example
• then click OK

Delete Job

• Right click on the Job folder and select "Delete"

• A warning message appears to confirm deleting this Job folder, click "OK" to continue

• A warning message appears to notify this action cannot be undone, click "OK" to confirm and delete the job folder

• Job folder has been deleted

Open Job

• Double click on a Job folder to open

• ezCAM supports various PCB Job formats, for more details, please refer to Job Import and Export

Open Job Version Compare

Job Version Compare function is used to automatically compare different versions of Gerber files, it helps to quickly locate the version differences.

• From Action dropdown menu > Job Version Compare to open this function

• For more details, please refer to Job Version Compare

Open ezCAM user manual

A comprehensive user manual that provides detailed guides to all ezCAM functions and parameter settings

• From Help dropdown menu > Select Open Help

Export Job

ezCAM is able to export Job files into supported formats

• ezCAM supports various file export formats, for more details, please refer to Job Import and Export

Graphic Editor basics

See below screenshot for the Graphic Editor interface：

What is Graphic Editor?

Graphic Editor is ezCAM's PCB layout editing function, it has comprehenisve editing tools at your disposal

Display Controls

View Layer

• Click on a layer in the layer list to display the graphic layout，see below demonstration with tsmd layer.
• Click on the layer again to close layout display

Viewing layout with mouse controls

• Use mouse roller to zoom in and out at the mouse cursor location

Select an area to zoom in

• Left click and drag to select an area, the selected area will be zoomed in

Display the whole layout

• Click on the Home button to display the whole layout

Measure Distance

：Measure distance

• The Measure Distance tool is used to measure precise distance in the layout design
• Five Distance Measure Modes available
  • 
• Between Points：Measure distance between two points
• Between Contours：Measure the shortest distance between two contour feature edge
• Between Nets：Measure the shortest distance from one circuit nets to another
• Between Center：Measure distance between two feature center points
• Between Skeleton：Measure the shortest distance between two features, from skeleton to skeleton
  • Skeleton view turned on as shown in Figure 1
  • Open Editor Control and set Width to off to view skeleton (See Fig. 2)

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

• Annular Ring：Measure annular ring distance

Measure distance demonstration

• Measure with Snapping Control
• Measure edge to edge between two surface features

• Click Snapping Control ，Select Snap Mode: Surface Edge
• Click Measure Distance ，Select Measure Mode: Between Points

With Snapping Control，mouse will be able to locate exact coordinate position for the surface edge

Animated Gif demonstration

• With Snapping Control, mouse cursor will change into a small square if target location is in place

Select Filter

：Select Filter

• The Select Filter function can be used to filter, select and highlight features

• Text Filter
  1. Input text in the Text Filter field (Use number 66 as an example)
  2. Click " Selection "
  3. Text feature with matching text will be selected and hightlighted on screen

Show S&R

• At panelization process, to display layout at panels，set Show S&R to Yes to display layer layout in the panels

Basic Editing Functions

Add feature

• Click Add Feature Icon
• Enter size in the symbol field
• Move mouse to the desired location and left click to fix feature position
• Press enter or double click with mouse to add feature

Delete Feature

• Click Delete Feature
• Left click to select the target feature
• Press enter or double click with mouse to delete feature

ezCAM Hint : Use hotkey Ctrl + B on selected feature also deletes the feature

Change Feature Symbol

• Click to select feature(s) you want to change (Select multiple features with Shift + left click)
• Edit dropdown menu > Reshape > Change Symbol
• Click and click on the symbol you want to change into
• Click OK to complete the change

• For more details on Graphic Editor, please refer to the Graphic Editor Guide

Add New Layer

• Right click on a layer in the layer list > Select Matrix > Create Layer
• Enter name for the new layer
• Click OK to add layer

Delete Layer

• Right click on the layer you want to delete > Select Matrix > Delete Layer
• Click OK to the two warning messages to complete

Save Job

• To save any changes, go to File dropdown menu > Select Save

Graphic Editor Main Functions

Here we will introduce some of the most used functions in the Graphic Editor

Matrix (Layer Arragements)

• Click on the Job Matrix button on top of the layer list to open Matrix Viewer
• Click on a layer, layer name, classification and type can be changed in the fields at the upper area

Analysis (Design Rule Checks)

• ezCAM has a wide range of DRC Analysis modules to validate layer designs, helps users to spot errors based on design rules

• For more details on DRC Analysis, please refer to the Analysis Module Guide

DFM Modules

• User can access to DFM Modules from Graphic Editor interface, a comprehensive layout optimization modules is available here

• For more details on DFM Modules, please refer to the DFM Module Guide

Netlist Analyzer (Open/Short check tool)

Netlist Analyzer is able to create a netlist for the work step, compare layout to the original design and checks for possible open/short circuits

• Action dropdown menu > Netlist Compare > Netlist Analyzer

• For more details on Netlist Analyzer, please refer to the Netlist Analyzer Guide

Panelization Tools

For PCB Panelization, ezCAM provides a series of supportive tools to achive a quick and efficient and panelization process.

• Step dropdown menu > Panelization > Step & Repeat

Print Layer

• ezCAM supports printing layer design with printer or output layer design in PDF files

• File dropdown menu > Select Print

• In the Layer Name field, enter layer name(s) to be printed
• Click on the Layer Name button, Select layer to be printed from the layer list

• After print setup, click Print to start printing
  • In the Destination field, you can choose to output layer design in PDF files or print with printer

• For more details, please refer to Print