Stiffener

Define stiffener layer.

1. For Stiffener Top Layer, select the stiffener top layer from layer list.
2. For Stiffener Bottom Layer, select the stiffener bottom layer from layer list.

Define target components.

1. For Component Selection select target components from component group list.
2. For Exclude Components from Board’s Outline within given Distance, exclude components placed near board outline.
   • To select void–checking component, set the distance between component and board outline.

Define checking items.

1. Select Clearance between Component Stiffener and Component’s Pad to check the clearance between component’s stiffener and component’s pads.

   
   
   Figure 1.

   • Additional Void-Checking Component Selection: Add new additional void-checking component group by selecting component group from list.
2. Select Clearance between Other Component Stiffener and Component’s Pad to check the clearance between other component’s stiffener and component’s pads.
3. Select Stiffener Existence at reverse Side of Target Component to check the existence of stiffener on reverse side of target components.
   Certain component must have stiffener on the other side.
4. Select Check Stiffener’s Rounding in Corners to check whether stiffener corners’ rounding.
   To check a sharp angle, use the radius in corner.

   
   
   Figure 2.

   • Minimum Radius for Stiffener’s Angle: Set the minimum radius values.
5. Select Minimum Overlapping Width between Top and Bottom Stiffener if there are top and bottom stiffeners at same area to check the overlapping width.

   
   
   Figure 3.

6. Select Checking for stiffener overlapping with component on same side to check whether the component is designed to overlap with the Stiffener placement area.
   • Except component Group: Select a component group to exclude from checking.
7. Select Clearance between stiffener edge and via to check clearance between Stiffener and Via.
8. Select Check Uniform Pattern in both Side from Stiffener’s Edge to extend the checking area from the outside of the Stiffener by the specified value.
   The Stiffener boundary is likely to be folded or bent due to the nature of the FPCB. The possibility of breaking the routing increases if the width of routing becomes narrow or the angle of routing is changed.

   • Width: Check whether the width of routing is changed in the checking area.
   • Angle: Check whether the routing is bent in the checking area.
9. Select Check Existence of String for Stiffener’s Thickness to check if there is text string denoting the thickness of stiffener in stiffener area.
   The string should match the given thickness value.

   
   
   Figure 4.

If there are gas-holes under components, you can make rules for gas holes.

Figure 5.

1. For Gas Hole Layer Selection, define gas-hole layer by selecting layer from layer list.
2. Select Minimum Gas Hole Size, set minimum gas hole size.
3. Select Check Existence of Gas Hole in Stiffener to check if there are gas hole in stiffener area.
4. Select Clearance between Gas Hole and Stiffener to set the clearance value between gas hole and stiffener.