Proteus isis professional 7, how to do a 4 layer design?

[OwenJS]

Hi all,

I'm trying to create a 4 layer PCB with the first layer being signals and components, the second being +Vs, the third being GND and the bottom layer being signals and components again.

Ive selected the 4 layer design layout in ARES, however I haven't assigned any layers to either +Vs or GND as I don't know how. So currently I have a 2 layer design...

Can anyone guide me through the process as I haven't done this before and for some reason there's no YouTube videos on the subject.

Thank you,

Owen

 

[FvM]

There's a power plane tutorial in the online help...

 

[OwenJS]

There's a power plane tutorial in the online help...

So if I add a top and bottom copper plane are they considered layers? So if I add two copper planes to my design it will be 4 layers?

 

[Mattylad]

May better to do it;
L1=Signal
L2=GND
L3=V+
L4= Signal.

That way the majority of component on the top have the GND closer to them.

 

[marce]

Or
L1 signal/components
L2 VCC
L3 GND
L4 signal/components

Components on both sides...
How much difference it makes would be interesting, not much I would suspect.
Just for interest what is the best way of sandwiching signals':
GND/SIG/GND
VCC/SIG/GND
VCC/SIG/VCC

 

[FvM]

So if I add a top and bottom copper plane are they considered layers?

No, you'll add copper planes on two inner layers.
Apparently, Proteus Ares has a fixed set of 14 inner layers which are enabled and visible by default. I would deselect all but "inner 1" and "inner 2" and place GND and VCC planes on it.