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Altium Mechanical Layers

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m.elsayed View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote m.elsayed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Altium Mechanical Layers
    Posted: 04 Nov 2025 at 6:50am
I setup my Altium output for Mechanical Layers 11, 13, 15 only. 


 
However, when open in Altium it appears extra layer Mechanical 1



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dramos View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dramos Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Nov 2025 at 7:46am
Hi m.elsayed,
Really interesting issue. We configure our mech stack in PCBFootprint Expert as well...
is this mechanical 1 the Assembly Bottom layer?
Regards.
david

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Tom H View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tom H Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Nov 2025 at 8:24am
Here are the Altium Default Layer Assignments created in November 2024. 


These are the Default Layers in Footprint Expert. 

Here is the Altium documentation information to their Style Guide:


In your screenshot, you are assigning Mechanical Layer 11 to the Assembly Outline Top and Bottom. This is not recommended that you use the same layer for both Top and Bottom. 

You are also assigning Component Outline, Terminal Outline and Reference Designator to Mechanical Layer 11. 

Never seen this before and we don't know any professional Altium user who directs all these elements to the same Mechanical Layer 11. 

We highly recommended that you use the Altium Default Layer Recommendations. 

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m.elsayed View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote m.elsayed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Nov 2025 at 1:00am
Tom,

This is a customized layer option we need. 

Mechanical layer 1 appears as blank layer however, we don't need it. 

It's in the Script. 

Can please check?

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Jeff.M View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jeff.M Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Nov 2025 at 9:32am
The FPE Altium translator only writes mechanical layer 1 to the .pas script when a user assigns Altium eMechanical1 to one of the FPE Footprint layers (like 'courtyard' or 'silkscreen').  

Unspecified layers will never appear in a translator script.

If you have a question or issue with layer 1 as applies to your Altium application, then you need to contact Altium.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tom H Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 hours 19 minutes ago at 4:26pm
Default Altium Layers. Mechanical Layer 1 = Board Shape

Layers in Altium Designer

The following Altium layer mapping is suggested as a standard. This mapping includes the Layer Type settings available in the Edit Layer dialog in Altium Designer for both single mechanical layers as well as for layer pairs. When there are two consecutive similar layers where the first layer begins with TOP…, and the next layer begins with BOTTOM…, these two layers should be used to create a corresponding layer pair in Altium Designer. For example, Mechanical Layer 9, TOP GLUE, and Mechanical Layer 10, BOTTOM GLUE, would be used to create a Layer Pair called GLUE with the Layer Type setting set to Glue Points.

Layer Types make it easier to share Altium Designer data when different layer numbers have been used for the same layer information by different users. For example, one uses Mechanical Layers 13 and 14 for Top and Bottom 3D Bodies, and the other uses Mechanical Layers 14 and 15 for Top and Bottom 3D bodies. 3D body data could potentially be lost when sharing between the two users. However, if both users have assigned the Layer Type of the 3D body to their respective 3D body layer pair, then when loading data from each other, the 3D body data will be mapped to the corresponding layer numbers that match the Layer Type. See Working with Mechanical Layers” in the Altium Designer online documentation for more information.

This layer mapping also includes some basic layers needed for Flex and Rigid-Flex PCB designs.

1-8 Board Related Layers

Mechanical 1

BOARD SHAPE

Overall board outline or profile - Layer Type = Board Shape

Mechanical 2

ROUTE TOOL PATH

Mechanical routing information - Layer Type = Route Tool Path

Mechanical 3

DIMENSIONS

Dimensional detail required for the board - Layer Type = Dimensions

Mechanical 4

HOLE DETAIL

Dimensional detail required for special holes

Mechanical 5

DXF IMPORT

Mechanical details imported from DXF

Mechanical 6

V-CUT

V-Groove or scoring details - Layer Type = V Cut

Mechanical 7

BOARD

Detail board-related instructions or details - Layer Type = Board

Mechanical 8

 

User defined

9-33 Component Related Layers

Mechanical 9

TOP ASSEMBLY

Detail component package outline for assembly - Layer Type = Assembly
*Can be used by Draftsman

Mechanical 10

BOTTOM ASSEMBLY

Mechanical 11

TOP DESIGNATOR

.Designator special string layer pair - Layer Type = Designator

Mechanical 12

BOTTOM DESIGNATOR

Mechanical 13

TOP 3D BODY

3D model layer pair - Layer Type = 3D Body

Mechanical 14

BOTTOM 3D BODY

Mechanical 15

TOP COURTYARD

Component required placement space layer pair - Layer Type = Courtyard

Mechanical 16

BOTTOM COURTYARD

Mechanical 17

TOP COMPONENT CENTER

Indicate the centroid of the component - Layer Type = Component Center

Mechanical 18

BOTTOM COMPONENT CENTER

Mechanical 19

TOP VALUE

Place the .Comment special string - Layer Type = Value

Mechanical 20

BOTTOM VALUE

Mechanical 21

TOP COMPONENT OUTLINE

Define the area the component occupies on the board - Layer Type = Component Outline

Mechanical 22

BOTTOM COMPONENT OUTLINE

Mechanical 23

TOP COMPONENT DIMS

Define the dimensional detail required for components - Layer Type = Dimensions

Mechanical 24

BOTTOM COMPONENT DIMS

Mechanical 25

TOP GOLD PLATING

Define component selective gold plating requirements - Layer Type = Gold Plating

Mechanical 26

BOTTOM GOLD PLATING

Mechanical 27

TOP GLUE

Component assembly glue points layer pair - Layer Type = Glue Points

Mechanical 28

BOTTOM GLUE

Mechanical 29

TOP CONFORMAL COAT

Component assembly conformal coating details layer pair - Layer Type = Coating

Mechanical 30

BOTTOM CONFORMAL COAT

Mechanical 31

COMPONENT CAVITY

Embedded component cavity definition

Mechanical 32

 

User defined

Mechanical 33

 

User defined

34-40 Board Documentation Related Layers

Mechanical 34

FABRICATION NOTES

Detail important fabrication notes - Layer Type = Fab Notes

Mechanical 35

ASSEMBLY NOTES

Detail component load order and/or important assembly notes - Layer Type = Assembly Notes

Mechanical 36

TITLE BLOCK

Detail the drawing title block and sheet border - Layer Type = Sheet

Mechanical 37

TITLE BLOCK MIRRORED

Detail a mirrored version of the drawing title block and sheet border

Mechanical 38

CONTINUATION BLOCK

Detail a simplified drawing title block and sheet border for sheet(s) 2-n

Mechanical 39

CONTINUATION BLOCK MIRRORED

Detail a mirrored version of the simplified drawing title block and sheet border for sheet(s) 2-n

Mechanical 40

 

User defined

41-48 Panel Documentation Related Layers

Mechanical 41

PANEL DIMENSION

Detail important panel layout dimensions

Mechanical 42

PANEL FABRICATION NOTES

Detail important panel fabrication notes

Mechanical 43

PANEL ASSEMBLY NOTES

Detail important panel assembly notes

Mechanical 44

PANEL TITLE BLOCK

Detail the panel drawing title block and sheet border

Mechanical 45

PANEL TITLE BLOCK MIRRORED

Detail a mirrored version of the panel drawing title block and sheet border

Mechanical 46

PANEL CONTINUATION BLOCK

Detail a simplified drawing title block and sheet border for sheet(s) 2-n

Mechanical 47

PANEL CONTINUATION BLOCK MIRRORED

Detail a mirrored version of the simplified drawing title block and sheet border for sheet(s) 2-n

Mechanical 48

 

User defined

49-53 Flex and Rigid-Flex Related Layers

Mechanical 49

TOP PSA

Define areas requiring pressure sensitive adhesive necessary for final assembly

Mechanical 50

BOTTOM PSA

Mechanical 51

TOP STIFFENER

Define areas requiring a stiffener

Mechanical 52

BOTTOM STIFFENER

Mechanical 53

BEND LINES

Detail flex bend lines

 

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m.elsayed View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote m.elsayed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 6 hours 60 minutes ago at 12:45am
Thanks a lot for your reply, but we need support to solve removing Mechanical Layer 1 from the Footprint Expert output.

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Tom H View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tom H Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 48 minutes ago at 6:57am
We can't help you with that. Talk to Altium technical support. 

Mechanical Layer 1 is not in the Footprint Expert output script file. 

Mechanical Layer 1 is the Board Outline layer. 

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