Complete PCB Design Using OrCAD Capture and PCB Editor

Positive Planes

As we saw in the previous design examples, keeping track of the necessary details to use negative Plane layers can be a bit of a task (making flash symbols, modifying padstacks, etc.). Negative planes are used because they have been used historically and are recommended in the OrCAD user’s manuals. One of the reported advantages of using negative planes is that the artwork files are smaller than for positive artwork files. With the current PC speed and memory capacity, file size is less of an issue. Another argument for negative planes is a shorter processing time for negative planes at the manufacturer’s end. That certainly was true when vector plotting with the flash lamps, but for current photoplotting equipment, that has also ...