Connect plan views and sections
Mark free flex, terminals, reinforced islands, and rigid regions with identifiers. Provide a corresponding section for each distinct construction and show orientation using consistent top and bottom references. The fabrication drawing guide covers the wider release package. Avoid a single stack diagram that silently averages different regions.
Minimum stack drawing content
| Stack feature | Specify | Engineering question |
|---|---|---|
| Region map | Named boundaries and section markers | Where does each construction apply? |
| Layer sequence | Conductive and nonconductive materials | What is physically present? |
| Dimensions | Units, assumptions and finished limits | Which interface controls acceptance? |
| Transitions | Terminations and reinforcement boundaries | How do adjacent regions connect? |
| Revision | Approved changes and material references | Which construction is being ordered? |
Specify layers in physical order
List copper, base dielectric, base adhesive where present, internal bonding, cover materials, shields, and supports. Use layer names consistent with electrical outputs. Distinguish material identifiers, nominal input thicknesses, and completed dimensional limits. Mark a proposed construction clearly until it has been reviewed. The bonding-layer guide addresses a common omission in multilayer drawings.
Resolve changes before release
Show boundaries and sections at transitions, exposed contacts, and local reinforcements. Include the assumptions needed to interpret bend location, contact orientation, and tolerance. Reconcile the drawing with the CAD stack and mechanical model after every accepted change. Altium describes region and substack assignment as a design workflow; the fabrication package must communicate the same intent in accessible release documents.
Use a reviewable revision record
Record the drawing revision, changed construction, reason for the change, and linked material approvals. Require proposed substitutions or geometry changes to be returned as explicit deviations. This creates a practical baseline for comparing quotes, evaluating prototypes, and transferring the approved circuit into repeat builds.
Before you release the design
- Match conductor names to fabrication outputs.
- Draw sections through critical contacts.
- Include adhesive and protective layers.
- Distinguish proposed and released information.
- Check the model against the final drawing.
Watch points
- A material bill without layer order cannot fully describe a regional stackup.
Practical questions
Should the drawing include all material datasheet values?
Include the requirements and references needed for release. Preserve detailed supporting data separately rather than turning the drawing into an unfiltered property table.
Can CAD files replace the drawing?
Agree acceptable deliverables with the fabricator. Ensure regional construction, critical dimensions, and mechanical intent remain clear in the reviewed release package.
Technical references
References support the material or design context. Check the exact grade, part number, document revision and project conditions before release.Updated 27 September 2026 · Technical content policy · Engineering guidance supports project review; the agreed drawing defines the build.