Solder Mask Checks

• Solder Mask Checks
  • Open Solder Mask Checks
  • Parameters
    • Layer
    • SM Annular Ring
    • SM coverage
    • SM to rout
    • Sliver min
    • Spacing min
    • Bridge min
    • Minimum clearance overlap
    • Test list
    • Apply to
    • Use Compensated Rout

  • Set Range
    • Drill
      • PTH Annular Ring
      • NPTH Annular Ring
      • VIA Annular Ring
      • PTH Gasket
      • NPTH Gasket
      • VIA Gasket
    • Pads
      • SMD Annular Ring
      • Pad Annular Ring
      • PTH Pad Annular Ring
      • NPTH Pad Annular Ring
      • VIA Pad Annular Ring
      • Undrilled Pad Annular Ring
      • Fully Exposed Line Annular Ring
      • SMD Pad Gasket
      • Undrilled Pad Gasket
      • PTH Pad Gasket
      • NPTH Pad Gasket
      • VIA Pad Gasket
      • SMD Pad and Clearance Same Size
      • VIA Pad and Clearance Same Size
      • PTH Pad and Clearance Same Size
      • NPTH Pad and Clearance Same Size
      • Undrilled Pad and Clearance Same Size
      • Via to SMD Clearance
      • PTH to SMD Clearance
      • NPTH to SMD Clearance
    • Coverage
      • Coverage
      • Same Net Coverage
      • AR Larger than Coverage
      • Too Large Net
    • Rout
      • Rout Spacing
      • Missing Rout Clearance
    • Bridge
      • No Bridge
      • No Bridge (Same Net)
      • No Bridge (SMD Pads)
      • SMDs Clearance Bridge
      • SMD to Pad Clearance Bridge
      • Pad to Pad Clearance Bridge
      • Pad to Pad Clearance Bridge (Same Net)
    • Sliver
      • SM Sliver
      • Ignored Net
    • Spacing
      • Pad to Pad Spacing
      • Pad to Pad Spacing (Same Net)
      • Pad to Non-Pad Spacing
      • Non-Pad to Non-Pad Spacing
      • Fully Exposed Line
    • Missing
      • Missing SMD Clearance
      • Missing Undrilled Pad Clearance
      • Missing PTH Clearance
      • Missing VIA Clearance
      • Missing NPTH Clearance
      • SMD Partial Clearance
      • Undrilled Pad Partial Clearance
      • Partial clearance on VIA drilled pad
      • Partial clearance on NPTH drilled pad
      • Partial clearance on PTH drilled pad
        

  • Set Advance Variables
    • Ratio with sliver length to width
    • Classify pad Annular Ring mode
    • Report negative AR (gasket)
    • Report same size AR
    • Report fully exposed lines
    • Split coverage reports
    • Compare ar coverage
    • Ignore miss via
    • Categorize bridge
    • Ignore text
    • Ignore attributes

  • Run Solder Mask Checks
  • View Analysis Report
  • Result Viewer Form
    • Result Viewer Form Introduction
    • View Analysis Report
    • Result Viewer Form

Solder Mask Checks

• Solder Mask Checks analyzes solder mask layers for design errors and creates a report to list all the findings
• Solder Mask Checks only provide analysis check, does not change layout content

Open Solder Mask Checks

• In the Graphic Editor screen, select "Analysis" ，then select "Solder Mask Checks" 。( Command：chklist_single )

Parameters

• Parameters values can be changed in the respective fields and saved in ERF
• All values and settings shown in this guide is by default
• Parameters interface are shown below ：

Parameters：

Layer

• Select layer to run analysis

SM Annular Ring

• Set solder mask annular ring size

SM coverage

• Set spacing for solder mask layer feature to signal layer features without solder mask opening

SM to rout

• Set clearance size for Rout feature to solder mask features

Sliver min

• Set max sliver width

Spacing min

• Set minimum spacing for signal layer feature to solder mask features

Bridge min

• Set spacing for two solder mask features

Minimum clearance overlap

• Set minimum clearance overlap area

Test list

• Check items in the test list for analysis

• Availalbe items: ( Drill , Pads , Coverage , Rout , Sliver , Bridge , Missing , Spacing , Clearance connection

Apply to

Use Compensated Rout

• Choose methods to analysis rout
  • Yes:Use compensated rout for analysis
  • No:Use original rout for analysis
  • Skeleton:use rout skeleton for analysis

Set Range

Command：chklist_ erf_range

• Set range value for each analysis check items
• There are three types of analysis result: Critical, Warning or Safe
• Default setting is avaialble for all parameters
• Value can be changed in respective fields, and saved in ERF
• See below picture for the Range interface：

Range：

Drill

PTH Annular Ring

• Check PTH hole annular ring

NPTH Annular Ring

• Check NPTH hole annular ring

VIA Annular Ring

• Check VIA hole annular ring

PTH Gasket

• To be continued.

NPTH Gasket

• To be continued.

VIA Gasket

• To be continued.

Pads

SMD Annular Ring

• Check SMD pad annular ring

Pad Annular Ring

• Check pad annular ring

PTH Pad Annular Ring

• Check PTH pad annular ring

NPTH Pad Annular Ring

• Check NPTH pad annular ring

VIA Pad Annular Ring

• Check VIA pad annular ring

Undrilled Pad Annular Ring

• Check Undrilled Pad annular ring

Fully Exposed Line Annular Ring

• Check annular ring for line feature with solder mask opening

SMD Pad Gasket

• Detect SMD gasket

Undrilled Pad Gasket

• Detect Undrilled Pad gasket

PTH Pad Gasket

• Detect PTH pad gasket

NPTH Pad Gasket

• Detect NPTH pad gasket

VIA Pad Gasket

• Detect VIA pad gasket

SMD Pad and Clearance Same Size

• Detect solder mask feature with same size and location as SMD pad

VIA Pad and Clearance Same Size

• Detect solder mask feature with same size and location as VIA pad

PTH Pad and Clearance Same Size

• Detect solder mask feature with same size and location as PTH pad

NPTH Pad and Clearance Same Size

• Detect solder mask feature with same size and location as NPTH pad

Undrilled Pad and Clearance Same Size

• Detect solder mask feature with same size and location as undrilled pad

Via to SMD Clearance

• Analyze spacing between VIA and SMD pad clearance

PTH to SMD Clearance

• Analyze spacing between PTH and SMD pad clearance

NPTH to SMD Clearance

• Analyze spacing between NPTH and SMD pad clearance

Coverage

Coverage

• Analyze spacing between solder mask features to signal layer features

Same Net Coverage

• Analyze coverage spacing for features within the same net

AR Larger than Coverage

• Detect coverage that is larger than annular ring

Too Large Net

• Detect feature number in solder mask 與 signal layer nets, see if it's over max net size value

Rout

Rout Spacing

• Analyze rout feature clearance

Missing Rout Clearance

• Analyze solder mask opening for rout features

Bridge

No Bridge

• Analyze spacing between solder mask layer features

No Bridge (Same Net)

• Analyze spacing between solder mask layer features in the same net

No Bridge (SMD Pads)

• Analyze spacing between SMD pads

SMDs Clearance Bridge

• Analyze bridge distance between two SMD pad clearances

SMD to Pad Clearance Bridge

• Analyze bridge distance between SMD pad clearance pad and pad clearance

Pad to Pad Clearance Bridge

• Analyze bridge distance between two pad clearances

Pad to Pad Clearance Bridge (Same Net)

• Analyze bridge distance between two pad clearances in the same net

Sliver

SM Sliver

• Detect for layout design that would create silver

Ignored Net

• Set net to be ignored, ususally the features in the net are included in ignored attribute or ignored text

Spacing

Pad to Pad Spacing

• Detect spacing between solder mask pads

Pad to Pad Spacing (Same Net)

• Detect spacing between solder mask pads of the same net

Pad to Non-Pad Spacing

• Detect spacing between solder mask pad to other features

Non-Pad to Non-Pad Spacing

• Detect spacing between two non pad features

Fully Exposed Line

• Detect signal layer line feature with full solder mask opening

Missing

Missing SMD Clearance

• Detech solder mask opening for SMD pad

Missing Undrilled Pad Clearance

• Detect solder mask opening for undrilled pad

Missing PTH Clearance

• Detect solder mask opening for PTH holes

Missing VIA Clearance

• Detect solder mask opening for VIA holes

Missing NPTH Clearance

• Detect solder mask opening for NPTH holes

SMD Partial Clearance

• Detect solder mask opening for SMD pads

Undrilled Pad Partial Clearance

• Detect solder mask opening for undrilled pads

Partial Clearance on VIA Drilled Pad

• Detect partial solder mask opening for via pads

Partial Clearance on NPTH Drilled Pad

• Detect partial solder mask opening for npth pads

Partial Clearance on PTH Drilled Pad

• Detect partial solder mask opening for pth pads

Set Advance Variables

• Parameters values can be changed in the respective fields and saved in ERF
• All values and settings shown in the examples is by default
• Parameters interface are shown below ：

Advance Variables：

Ratio with sliver length to width

• Set size ratio for sliver，sliver with size lower than input value will be categorized to SM Sliver 。

Classify pad Annular Ring mode

• Classify Pad Annular Ring analysis result based on pad type

Report negative AR (gasket)

• Specify gasket design errors in the report

Report same size AR

• Detect for pad and clearance with same size and location

Report fully exposed lines

• Detect for line feature with full solder mask opening

Split coverage reports

• Check to analyze Same Net Coverage 。

Compare ar coverage

• Check to analyze AR Larger than Coverage 。

Ignore miss via

• Check to ignore analyze Missing VIA Clearance for drill holes

Categorize bridge

• Classify Pad to Pad Clearance Bridge error report

Ignore text

• Ignore text when analyze sliver

Ignore attributes

• Ignore features with inputted attribute when analyze slivers

Run Solder Mask Checks

• Run Solder Mask Checks Command：chklist_run
• Three buttons in the lower interface, each button runs the module at different area range
  • Global ：Analyze all features in the layer ( Command：chklist_cupd )
  • Screen ：Analyze all features in the screen display area( Command：chklist_cupd )
  • Profile ：Analyze all features in profile frame( Command：chklist_cupd )

View Analysis Report

• Click the " ＋ " button on the lower right to view analysis report ( Command：chklist_ res_show )

• Result Viewer Form will be opened after click on the " ＋ " button

Result Viewer Form

• In Result Viewer Form, Severity report will be displayed based on selected layers

Result Viewer Form Introduction

：Display analysis result by selected layers

• Click None to unselect all layers in the list
• Click All to select all layers in the list

：

• Select Replace Layer to view all results in the layer list
• Select Keep Layer to view single layer results

：Number of detected error types

：Back to the first error entry

：View previous error entry

：View next error entry

：Jump to the last error entry

：Error entry index number

：Choose method to view error entry in the layout：

• Auto Zoom: zoom in error area when selecting the error entry
• Pan Only: move screen to center on the error area
• Popview: open popview on the error area
• None: highlight error area only

：Remove reference mark

：Add reference mark

：Remove error entry marked with reference mark

：Open Result Report

：Open Result Histogram

：Error entry severity levels, red color is the most critical errors

：Display all error area in the layout

View Detected Error in the Layout

• In Result Viewer Form, click " <-- " or " --> " to view each error entry in the layout (See example below)

• Click "Show All" will highlight all the error spots in the layout(See example below)

View Result Histogram for Analysis

• Select an error entry, click the bar icon on lower right to open Result Histogram

Command：chklist hist close

Command：chklist hist show

• Example of Result Histogram ：