Pad Stack Manager FPX 2012.18

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   Dear professor Tom,

I’m currently evaluating the Footprint Expert. My first task is to make a BGA footprint for an Altera FPGA.

I’m running version 2012.18 now, with Windows XP. I know about your statement of “may work, but unsupported” 

In the Pad Stack Manager the parameters section of the dialog for Top, Mask Top and Stencil Top are all greyed out, is that intended?

In the Pad Stacks section I can create a new padstack. But I am unsure about the indented use of this by your development team. Could you explain more?

What I want is maximum control over all the shapes in every layer, including the recommended Bow Tie aperture in the IPC-7525A Stencil Design Guidelines. 

Wouldn’t a delete button a good idea to remove a padstack?

Furthermore the padstack name is lost when I ok the dialog and reopen it. But the field remains selectable and the parameters are remembered. 

Another thing: In the Setup drafting options I changed the user preference for Silkscreen outline width to 0.2 mm, saved it and later in the BGA Wizard the previous 0.12 mm parameter is loaded. Have I missed a preference setting or doesn’t FPX behave as expected.

Thank you very much for your attention and time!

Best regards,
Maarten Verhage

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Maarten Verhage Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Active User Joined: 27 Jul 2012 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 27	Post Options Post Reply Quote Maarten Verhage Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Pad Stack Manager FPX 2012.18 Posted: 06 Sep 2012 at 1:59am
	Dear professor Tom, I’m currently evaluating the Footprint Expert. My first task is to make a BGA footprint for an Altera FPGA. I’m running version 2012.18 now, with Windows XP. I know about your statement of “may work, but unsupported” In the Pad Stack Manager the parameters section of the dialog for Top, Mask Top and Stencil Top are all greyed out, is that intended? In the Pad Stacks section I can create a new padstack. But I am unsure about the indented use of this by your development team. Could you explain more? What I want is maximum control over all the shapes in every layer, including the recommended Bow Tie aperture in the IPC-7525A Stencil Design Guidelines. Wouldn’t a delete button a good idea to remove a padstack? Furthermore the padstack name is lost when I ok the dialog and reopen it. But the field remains selectable and the parameters are remembered. Another thing: In the Setup drafting options I changed the user preference for Silkscreen outline width to 0.2 mm, saved it and later in the BGA Wizard the previous 0.12 mm parameter is loaded. Have I missed a preference setting or doesn’t FPX behave as expected. Thank you very much for your attention and time! Best regards, Maarten Verhage



Tom H Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 05 Jan 2012 Location: San Diego, CA Status: Offline Points: 5719	Post Options Post Reply Quote Tom H Report Post Thanks(1) Quote Reply Posted: 06 Sep 2012 at 7:56am
	The Padstack Manager is not completed yet. We are currently focused on creating all the Through-hole component families and they should be completed by the end of 2012. Once all the component families are completed we'll back-track and complete the Padstack Manager. Whenever you change any "User Preferences" in "Setup > User Preferences" you must also change the Environment Setting to "User" in "Setup > User Preferences > Design Tab > Environment". Then when you're in the Calculator, in the main toolbar "Environment > Drop-down > User". Then all of your personal preference settings will appear in the graphic viewer.