Can't generate board outline in 3D view

Layout
1

I’m tinkering with a layout in PcbNew. When I try to render a 3D view of the layout I get this error message:

IO_ERROR: Unable to find the next boundary with an endpoint of(xxx, yyy).
Edit Edge.Cuts perimeter grahpics, make continuous polygons each from C:/Jenkins/workspace/windows-kicad-msys2-stable/src/kicad-4.0.1/pcbnew/specctra.cpp : ThrowIOError() : line 144
Unable to calculate the board outlines.
Therefore use the board boundary box.

My first take on this was that I simply missed connecting the board perimeter, but I get this message no matter how I draw the board outline. What’s causing this error?

Cheers!

2

Usually this is because the outline must be connected in the exactly continuous points. Use an appropriated grid to draw the board outline.

The start/end segments must be exact in the same coordinate point.
Please have a look at this issue:

3

Hm… you were spot on. As I stated, I thought I had a enclosed board outline… Apparently not. :flushed:

4

Set the grid to the biggest you can, while still being able to keep the accuracy of the outline - it’s easier to get the coordinates to match when there is a lot of ‘space’ between the snap-to-grid points available to the mouse pointer :wink:

2 Likes
5

Yet an other thing I’d like to ask regarding 3D rendering.

When I do the ‘view 3D’ thing in Pcbnew all solder holes that are connected to my ground zone have a copper cross over the hole, on the grounded side of the board. Is this merely a 3D rendering thing or is it something I’ve done wrong?

Cheers!

6

You should always check your design looking in the generated gerbers. The cross in the holes from a zone sounds ok. The 3d-viewer (may? or may not?) remove the copper in the holes. There is an option called “Show holes in zones”. Try select that option.

7

Ah! Yes that did away with the crossed (grounded) pads.

Thanks for the info, and for having patience with a newbie. :blush:

8

Hello, I get the same message with an outline imported from dxf. I connected all segments to a polyline in LibreCAD before importing. I also checked in Inskape, it fills so it’s continuous. Still KiCAD disagrees. Any ideas?

9

Run drc, it will tell you exactly where the issue is.

1 Like
10

It doesn’t list any errors. Should I check any options?

11

What is your kicad version?

12

Version: (5.0.2)-1, release build

13

I believe DRC option to check for outline integrity was new in 5.1, you should update.

1 Like
14

Thanks, I did update and it shows. Funny thing it was two internal arcs that were causing the problem. I was focusing on the outlline and couldn’t imagine them being the problem…

1 Like