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    FAB 3000

    How to Use Composite Layers in FAB 3000

    Numerical Innovations Team

    Composite Layers in FAB 3000 make it easier to work with overlapping dark and clear geometry without having to construct complicated polygons or shapes manually.

    They can be especially useful when working with Gerber or CAM data containing cutouts, openings, clearances, or nested geometry.

    How Composite Levels Work

    A layer containing one or more objects with a Composite Level greater than zero is considered a composite layer.

    Objects are drawn in order based on their Composite Level, starting at 0 and increasing up to 1000.

    Even levels (including 0) are filled dark — think Paint. Odd levels are drawn clear — think Scratch.

    FAB 3000 Composite Levels showing dark Paint and clear Scratch areas
    Composite Levels determine the order in which objects are painted or cleared within a layer.

    Why Composite Levels Matter

    Instead of manually rebuilding complicated polygons, Composite Levels allow you to control which areas remain dark and which areas are cleared.

    This can make editing complex Gerber and CAM data faster and easier, especially when preparing manufacturing data.

    How to Change a Composite Level

    1. Select the object(s).
    2. Go to Edit > Properties, or use the Object Properties panel on the right side of the FAB 3000 editor.
    3. Locate Composite Level and select the desired value.
    4. Click OK or Apply.

    If needed, you can use Undo to reverse your changes.

    Automatically Assign Composite Levels

    For a group of overlapping objects, FAB 3000 can automatically determine Composite Levels based on their interior locations.

    Simply select the objects and go to:

    Edit > De-Embed

    Tip: For complex imported data, De-Embed can save time by automatically assigning Composite Levels based on object nesting.

    Need More Composite Layer Tools?

    Go to:

    Tools > Composite Wizard

    The Composite Wizard provides additional tools for working with composite layer data in FAB 3000.

    Simplify Complex Gerber & CAM Editing

    Working with complex Gerber data? Try FAB 3000 free and see how Composite Layers and other CAM editing tools can simplify manufacturing preparation.

    Try FAB 3000 free
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