Place Design Window
The Place Design window configures how a layout component or a subdesign is placed in an HFSS 3D Layout design. Click the Place Design window to capture or merge the relative positioning of one component/design to another. To open the window, select a component/subdesign and a component it is connected to. Then right-click within the Layout Editor and select Place Design or navigate to Layout > Place Design. The window opens with one or two pairs of pins selected in the Preview Window (adjacent to the parameter drop-down menus).
Filters and Orientation
From: the component or subdesign being positioned. The component To is what the component/subdesign is being connected to. Both panes contain controls that allow the user to filter and orient components. Make no selections to see all components. The following settings are available to configure:
- Type: Filter by component type (i.e., Any, IC, IO, Resistor, Capacitor)
- Placement: Filter by placement layer. The list shown is specific to its model. The filter includes Any plus all stackup layers in the model (e.g., Any, TOP, GND, R1+VCCFILL, R2+GNDFILL, VCC, BOTTOM).
- Filter: Field where users can filter components by name. Components with the specified Name, Type, and Placement layer are displayed in the list box.
- Place above: Controls whether the component/subdesign is placed on and connects to the top layer of the To component. The control's default adjusts based on the selected components. This control is not available in the Footprint editor.
- Flip over: When checked, this control flips the component/subdesign along the X axis , then rotates it to correctly map the pins of the To component. The control's default adjusts based on the selected components. This control is not available in the Footprint editor.
- Visibility: Determines how the components are rendered in the window.
HFSS 3D dynamic link components/subdesigns are not yet linked to components, so a Port Plane drop-down menu is shown instead of the component filter controls. A list is displayed showing the port instances in the selected port plane. The Port Plane drop-down menu can be used to filter port instances to a specific z plane (or Any can be selected to show all port instances). Port instances may be selected in the listbox or graphically selected in the previewer.
Preview Window
A preview of the component/subdesign placement is displayed. As pin pairs are selected, the preview is updated to show the new placement.
Mouse operations are supported similar to the main layout window:
- Shift+click and drag to move
- Ctrl+Shift+click and drag to zoom in/out
- Ctrl+click and drag to rotate
- Ctrl+click to rotate to predefined angles
A shortcut menu on the previewer provides additional controls.
The From component/subdesign can be dragged. When selected in plane, it can also be rotated with the handle that appears. Manual dragging/rotating is only used to assist pin pair selection in the previewer and doesn’t actually impact placement once the window is closed.
Reset reverts to the initial preview orientation/placement
Map By Name
Upon opening the Map by Name window with the corresponding button, the design is automatically placed by any matching pin pair names (using the full name, net name, and/or suffixes). Users can manually select pin names on the list boxes. The preview in the main window updates as pins are selected in the Map by Name window.
Create Solder Ball
Click Create Solder Ball to add and configure solder balls to the pins of the From component that connect to the To components.