Sometimes it is desireable to add additional toolpaths to an existing board under production. An example of this would be a contour routing toolpath, intended to separate different parts of a design into separate boards.

The easiest way to add more toolpaths is to import them as gerber files in the same way the board layers were imported as gerbers. This is shown in Figure 6.2.1. The new geometry may have its own unique layer.

Figure 6.2.1: Import Window. Note that the new geometry has its own aperture list file (.gpi) imported with it.

After importing the geometry, bring up the Layers Window using the View tab. In the Layers Window, the new layer will have no technology or phase assigned to it. The geometry shown in this example will be assigned to the Contour Routing phase and will be assigned as Mechanical technology.

Figure 6.2.2: Layers Window with extra layer.
The tech on the new layer MARBLE52.gml needs to be assigned to Mechanical tech like the Board Outline layer is.

To use the new geometry, it must be converted to a toolpath. To do this, right click the geometry in the CAM window and mouse over the “Convert to Toolpath” option. This will open a vast list of tools as shown in Figure 6.2.3. In the example, the Contour Router – 2.0 mm tool is chosen.

Figure 6.2.3: Converting a Geometry into a Toolpath
The toolpath being converted is the horizontal line highlighted in grey.

Once the toolpath is converted, go to the machine view and zoom in on its location. As can be seen in FIgure 6.2.4, the new toolpath is not in line with the other yellow toolpaths that form the PCB’s outline. This is because the new geometry and the Board Outline layer both originated from an Eagle design, but the Board Outline toolpath was generated from the technology dialog, which knows to offset the actual path taken by the contour router to create the desired contour. The new toolpath must be offset manually.

Figure 6.2.4: New Toolpath for the Contour Router.
It is not in line with the other Contour Router toolpaths and must be adjusted.

To adjust the location of the new toolpath, right click on the geometry in CAM view and select the “Transform” option. Within the Transform window, use the relative translation option to nudge the geometry object, as shown in Figure 6.2.5. Check the alignment in the machining view and repeat until satisfactory alignment is achieved, as shown in Figure 6.2.6.

Figure 6.2.5: New Toolpath for the Contour Router.
Transform Command

Figure 6.2.6: Aligned Toolpath for the Contour Router.
Zoom in with the mouse wheel until it is aligned.

Then, as shown in the Reprocessing section of this chapter, the new toolpath may be processed from the Toolpath window as shown in Figure 6.2.7. If the toolpath is for the Contour Router as in the example, special care must be taken to ensure that the Contour Router is able to lower itself into a gap in the material and move sideways. In this example, the board outline has already been routed, so it is safe for the tool to lower itself.

Figure 6.2.7: New Toolpath listed in the Toolpath Window