CircuitWorks evaluates changes you make to boards and determines whether to create a new PCB (Printed Circuit Board) or update the existing PCB.
CircuitWorks updates the existing board if you change the following features:
- Board outlines
If you change the shape of the board outline or the number of cut-outs, CircuitWorks replaces the sketch elements within the board_outline sketch. Any mates that reference the top or bottom board faces remain unaffected.
- Plated holes
If you change the number of plated holes within a PTH sketch, CircuitWorks replaces the sketch elements. If the board did not have any plated holes, CircuitWorks creates a new PTH plated hole feature. If the board had holes but the new data has none, CircuitWorks removes the PTH feature from the model.
- Non-plated holes
If you change the number of non-plated holes within an NPTH sketch, CircuitWorks replaces the sketch elements. If the board did not have any non-plated holes, CircuitWorks creates a new NPTH feature. If the board had holes but the new data has none, CircuitWorks removes the NPTH feature from the model.
- Keep-in, Keep-out, and Outlines
If you modify keep-in/keep-out areas, CircuitWorks removes the old keep-in/keep-out features from the board model and recreates them with the new parameters.
When you change traces, vias, or other copper features, a message lets you choose to have CircuitWorks rebuild the SOLIDWORKS part representing the board by creating a new part file with a new part name, or overwrite the existing model instead.