PCB Layer

Video: Perform a thermal analysis on a component and printed circuit board

Use the PCB Layer modeling object to define the orthotropic thermal conductivity of one layer of the printed circuit board (PCB). You can model:

• Simplified PCB sequences by selecting the trace and dielectric materials.

• Detailed traces data from ECAD models that are imported using PCB Exchange.

PCB Layer modeling objects are created automatically by PCB Exchange when you use the Create ESC Solution command.

You can define a PCB Layer modeling object only from a PCB Stack physical property table.

You can define PCB models with variable orthotropic thermal conductivity.

In the PCB Layer dialog box, you specify:

The trace material for the PCB layer.The dielectric material for the PCB layer.The thickness of the PCB layer.The percentage of the conductive material coverage on the PCB layer. The coverage can be a value between 0 and 1 or a spatial field.The calculation method of the layer’s orthotropic thermal conductivity. The thermal conductivity can be calculated either from the material and trace coverage or as a thermal conductivity spatial field. When you define the thermal conductivity as a spatial field, you also need to specify the material orientation.

Sample PCB with a conductive material coverage (1) of 0.4 for the top layer

PCB Layer naming convention

The naming convention for the PCB Layer modeling objects created by PCB Exchange is as follows:

• The conductive layer is named Ply_#Conductive# or, if the ECAD model provides the ECAD layer names, Ply_#_. The layer number used is always odd.

• The dielectric layer is named Ply_#Dielectric#. The layer number used is always even.

The first layer corresponding to the layer with Ply_1 in its name is the bottom layer of the PCB, and the last conductive (trace) layer is the top layer of the PCB.

When you solve the solution, you can identify which ply results in the Post Processing Navigator corresponds to which ECAD layer.

For example, according to the generic naming convention (if the ECAD layer names are not available):

• Ply 1 contains results from the Ply_1_Conductive_1 PCB Layer modeling object.

• Ply 2 contains results from the Ply_2_Dielectric_2 PCB Layer modeling object.

• Ply 3 contains results from the Ply_3_Conductive_3 PCB Layer modeling object.

Where do I find it?

Application	Pre/Post
Command Finder	Physical Properties →PCB Stack→Create
Menu	Insert→Physical Properties→Printed Circuit Board→Create
Simulation Navigator	Right-click the 2D mesh collector node→Edit→Type list→PCB Stack→PCB Property row→Edit or Create Physical
Location in dialog box	Stack Definition tab→Create

How do I

Create a printed circuit board stack

Learn more

PCB Stack

Editing the attributes of multiple PCB layers and vias

PCB Via

Printed Circuit Board

Quick links

Command reference

Pre/Post video examples

Bulk Entry Descriptions

Simcenter 3D tutorials

Browse Simcenter 3D help by product area

Simcenter 3D Thermal/Flow, Electronic Systems Cooling, and Space Systems Thermal boundary conditions

Thermal/Flow, Electronic Systems Cooling, and Space Systems Thermal

Related Topics

Thermal Solution

PCB Layer, Simcenter 3D 2021.1 Series

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