Fill, Polygon Pour, Plane in Altium Designer

Fill: 

Draw a solid copper skin that connects all the wires and vias in the area, regardless of whether they belong to the same network or not. If there are two networks of VCC and GND in the drawn area, the Fill command will connect the elements of the two networks together, which may cause a short circuit.

Polygon Pour: 

Cut the copper pouring area. For example, copper irrigation need to be optimized or reduced, can be reduced in the area with Line split into two irrigation copper, copper irrigation area will not be directly deleted.

Polygon Pour Cutout: in the irrigation area to establish copper digging area. For example, some important networks or components need to be hollowed out at the bottom. Common RF signals usually need to be hollowed out. There are transformers below, RJ45 area.

Polygon Pour: 

Pour copper. Its function is similar to that of Fill. It also draws a large area of ??copper skin. However, the difference is that irrigation has the unique intelligence of pouring copper and actively differentiates the network of vias and solder joints in the copper pouring area. If the vias and solder joints belong to the same network, copper pouring will be based on the rules set by the vias, solder joints and copper skin together. Conversely, the copper skin and vias and solder joints will maintain a safe distance. Copper irrigation is also reflected in its intelligence can automatically remove dead copper.

In summary, Fill will cause a short circuit, then why use it?

Although Fill has its deficiencies, but it also has its use of the environment. For example, when there are large current power supply chips such as the LM7805 and AMC2576, a large area of copper is needed for the chip to dissipate heat. Only one network can be used on this copper plate, and the Fill command is just right.

So the Fill command is often used early in the board design. After the layout is completed, the use of Fill will draw a special area, you can avoid making mistakes in the subsequent design.

In short, these two tools work together in the board design process.

Plane: 

Flat layer (negative), applies to the entire board has only one power or ground network. If you have more than one power or ground network, you can use line to draw a closed box on a power or local area and then double-click the closed box to assign the appropriate power or ground network to that area, which is larger than the add layer ) Can reduce a lot of engineering data, the response speed of the computer in dealing with high-speed PCB faster in the process of revision or modification can deeply understand the benefits of plane.

Method 1: Select the need to trim the copper, shortcut key M + G can be adjusted copper shape.

Method 2: In the repair of copper can use PLANE 【shortcut P + Y】 to make an obtuse angle.