I’m working on a 2-layer PCB that has ground plane cutouts on both the front and back copper layers. For our specific application, we need to use different materials for the traces and the ground planes. I’d like to have the paste layer precisely aligned with either the ground plane or the traces so that the manufacturer can clearly see the distinction.
Is it possible to achieve this in KiCad without doing it manually? If so, how can I ensure that the paste layer accurately reflects the ground plane cutouts or the traces?
I do not understand. All layers in KiCad use the same coordinate system, and therefore they are always aligned. Once you have made solder paste stencils and a physical PCB, there always needs to be some alignment step. This can be automated a bit by using alignment holes and some kind of frame with alignment pins.
I assume the OP wants a Paste layer the same as the resultant filled zone, after the zone has filled to the required GND plane with it’s associated cutouts and clearances . . . I looked yesterday but couldn’t figure out a nice way to do it.
I am not making such assumptions. They too often result in long threads with speculations, a lot of questions back, and OP drip feeding little snippets of what he actually wants.
Thank you both for your response, and thank you RaptorUK for clarifying my question, its like you said I was wondering if there was a way to make the “Paste layer the same as the resultant filled zone, after the zone has filled to the required GND plane with it’s associated cutouts and clearances”. I did not find anything, but I was able to differentiate the ground plane and the traces a different way. I basically made a Gerber with only the traces and then another with the traces and ground (which the manufacturer accepted).