Custom Geometry and PCB Fabrication

Bends, curves, rings, radials, and custom traces; Boolean operations, Gerber file read and write

Use the shape objects to create different designs and complex shapes and create custom printed circuit board (PCB) components to complete PCB designs quickly. Use line interconnects such as bends, curves, mitered edges, and traces to effectively lay out PCB components.

Gerber files are open ASCII vector format files that contain information on each physical board layer of the PCB design. These files also represent circuit board objects, like copper traces, vias, pads, solder mask, and silkscreen images by series of coordinates. Write Gerber files that can be used by PCB manufacturers to translate the details of the design into physical properties of the PCB.

Objects

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Shapes

Bends

`bendCurved`	Create curved bend shape on X-Y plane (Since R2021b)
`bendMitered`	Create mitered bend shape on X-Y plane (Since R2021b)
`bendRightAngle`	Create right-angle bend shape on X-Y plane (Since R2021b)

U Bends

`ubendCurved`	Create U-bend with curved edges on X-Y plane (Since R2021b)
`ubendMitered`	Create U-bend with mitered edges on X-Y plane (Since R2021b)
`ubendRightAngle`	Create right-angle U-bend shape on X-Y plane (Since R2021b)

Rings, Curves, and Radial

`ringAnnular`	Create annular ring on X-Y plane (Since R2021b)
`ringSquare`	Create square ring on X-Y plane (Since R2021b)
`splitRing`	Create split ring shape on X-Y plane (Since R2023a)
`curve`	Create curved shape on X-Y plane (Since R2021b)
`radial`	Create radial shape (Since R2021b)
`delta`	Create delta shape (Since R2021b)
`dumbbell`	Create dumbbell shape on X-Y plane (Since R2023a)
`racetrack`	Create racetrack shape, of circle or rectangle type, on the X-Y plane (Since R2024a)

Traces

`traceSpiral`	Create even-sided polygon trace in spiral form (Since R2021b)
`traceRectangular`	Create rectangular trace (Since R2021b)
`traceTee`	Create tee trace (Since R2021b)
`traceCross`	Create cross-shaped trace (Since R2021b)
`traceStep`	Create step trace in XY plane (Since R2022a)
`traceTapered`	Create tapered trace in X-Y plane (Since R2022a)

Custom Traces

`tracePoint`	Create custom line trace based on specified X and Y coordinates (Since R2021b)
`traceLine`	Create line trace (Since R2021b)

PCB

`pcbComponent`	Create single or multifeed PCB component (Since R2021b)
`PCBReader`	Import and update Gerber files (Since R2021b)
`PCBWriter`	Create PCB board definitions from 2-D PCB designs (Since R2021b)
`pcbElement`	Create RF Toolbox circuit element (Since R2021b)

Functions

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Fabrication

`gerberRead`	Create `PCBReader` object with specified Gerber files and drill files (Since R2021b)
`gerberWrite`	Generate Gerber files (Since R2021b)
`pcbcascade`	Create new component using cascade operation (Since R2021b)

Shape Operators

`add`	Boolean unite operation on two RF PCB shapes (Since R2021b)
`subtract`	Boolean subtraction operation on two RF PCB shapes (Since R2021b)
`plus`	Shape1 + Shape2 for RF PCB shapes (Since R2021b)
`minus`	Shape1 - Shape2 for RF PCB shapes (Since R2021b)
`intersect`	Boolean intersection operation on two RF PCB shapes (Since R2021b)
`and`	Shape1 & Shape2 for RF PCB shapes (Since R2021b)
`area`	Calculate area of RF PCB shape in square meters (Since R2021b)

Shape Visualization

show Display PCB component structure or PCB shape (Since R2021b)

Shape Manipulation

`scale`	Change size of RF PCB shape by fixed amount (Since R2021b)
`translate`	Move RF PCB shape to new location (Since R2021b)
`rotate`	Rotate RF PCB shape about defined axis (Since R2021b)
`rotateX`	Rotate RF PCB shape about x-axis (Since R2021b)
`rotateY`	Rotate RF PCB shape about y-axis and angle (Since R2021b)
`rotateZ`	Rotate RF PCB shape about z-axis (Since R2021b)
`mirrorX`	Mirror shape along X-axis (Since R2022a)
`mirrorY`	Mirror shape along Y-axis (Since R2022a)

Topics

Board Thickness versus Dielectric Thickness in PCB
This example shows you how to define the BoardThickness of PCB with respect to dielectric thickness of pcbComponent object for different use-cases.

Featured Examples

Create and Analyse Dual Characteristics of Complementary Split Ring Resonators from Gerber Files

Create a complementary split ring resonator (CSRR) from Gerber files and subsequently analyze the model. The Gerber file format is used in printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing and is available in two formats: RS-274D, which was the initial release standard, and RS-274X, which is the newer extended Gerber format. The RF-PCB Toolbox™ supports the newer RS-274X format both to generate Gerber files from a PCB model and to create the PCB model from a set of Gerber files.

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Prototype, Design, and Analysis of SIW based Microstrip Tapered Transmission Line

Design and analyze a Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) microstrip transmission line using Gerber files.

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Analyzing Crosstalk Between PCB Traces

Create a pair of close traces using traceLine object and performs analysis on those traces to calculate the amount of unwanted coupling to the passive trace.

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Create and Analyze PCB Interconnects using Custom Traces

Use the custom traces traceLine and tracePoint in RF PCB Toolbox and create PCB traces with different shapes and orientations. The traceLine uses the lengths and angles properties to create a trace and the tracePoint uses points to create the trace. For both the traces, corner property can be set to Sharp, Miter, and Smooth to create specific corners at all the bends.

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Routing Discipline to Reduce Crosstalk

Analyze surface currents and follow routing discipline on a PCB trace.

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Design and Analyze Compact UWB Low Pass Filter Using pcbComponent

Design and analyze a compact low pass ultra-wide band (UWB) filter based on a U-shaped complementary split ring resonator using the pcbComponent object. The filter is designed to have very low insertion loss over a wide band of frequency from low 0.1 GHz to 10.8 GHz. The design of the filter is taken from the reference [1].

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Design and Analyze Band Stop Filter Using pcbComponent

Design and analyze band stop filter using the pcbComponent object. Design the band stop filter with a fractional bandwidth (FBW) of 1.0 at a midband frequency f0 of 2.5 GHz for the band-edge frequencies of f1 = 1.25 GHz and f2 = 3.75 GHz as defined in Figure 6.11b of reference [1].

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Design and Analyze HighPass Filter Using pcbComponent

Design and analyze highpass filter using the pcbComponent object. A microstrip highpass filter is designed based on a three-pole (n = 3) Chebyshev highpass prototype with 0.1 dB passband ripple and cutoff frequency fc = 1.5 GHz.

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