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Electrical and Computer Engineering Department
University of Alabama in Huntsville
CPE 495
September 03, 2009
Agenda
PCB Design Process – General Guidelines
Express SCH – Getting Started
Express PCB – Getting Started
Circuit Board Design Tips
PCB Design Tutorial on ExpressPCB
PCB Design Process – General
Guidelines
Before the design
Preparing the design
Draw the board
Import the net
Place the parts
Route the traces
Final work
PCB Design Process(Cont.)
Before the design
You will need (as a minimum):
à The required dimensions of the board
à A list of parts to be used on the board
à The data sheets for each part
à A schematic diagram of the board
PCB Design Process(Cont.)
Preparing the Design
Generating the Netlist
The netlist is a file that has the device names of
the parts used on the board.
It also shows the “nets” ‐ interconnections
between the pins of the parts.
PCB Design Process(Cont.)
Preparing the Design
Creating the Parts DataBase
Most ECAD systems define the parts to be placed on the board
as a special type of file called the PDB file.
PDB is built in a hierarchy:
• Devices ⇒ Packages ⇒ Pads
à Pads: Entities that interface the part pins to the copper traces
of the board.
à Packages: Entities that represent the part. Consist of lines and
text.
à Devices: Entities that link the value or part number of a part
with the ECAD package.
PCB Design Process(Cont.)
Draw the Board
First draw outline of the board
May need to set‐up placement keep‐out areas:
à if board fits into a card rack need to allow for amount
of board that sits in the slides
à a keep‐ out of 0.050” around board edge to allow for
manufacturing tolerances
Any errors made will usually be apparent here
Automatic error detection is one of the big
advantages of using ECAD systems
Express SCH
Drawing a Schematic
Æ Very easy to use
Æ Saves time designing when linked with Express
PCB
Æ Makes Express PCB easy to learn
Component Manager
Æ Easiest way to place components in the board
layout.
Express SCH(Cont.)
Custom Components
Æ Facilitates building of our own components.
Sheets and Ports
Æ Two or more sheets can be used in case of over
populated schematics.
Æ Ports can be used to make the electrical
connections between the sheets.
Check for Errors
ÆCheck for errors by running Check schematic for netlist
errors option from the File menu.
Express PCB
Used to design the circuit board.
2 or 4 layer board can be designed.
Schematic file can be linked to the circuit board
layout.
Snap‐to‐grid option helps align traces and
components.
Filled Planes are used to add ground or power planes
to a circuit, usually on double‐sided boards.
Express PCB (Cont.)
Component Manager
à The easiest way to place components on board is
to use Component Manager
Custom Components
à Easy to build new components while designing
PCB.
Ordering Boards
à Compute Board Cost can be used to estimate the
cost.
à Boards can be ordered online.
Circuit Board Design Tips
Placing Components
Minimize trace lengths.
Arrange ICs in only one or two orientations: up and
down, or, right and left.
Polarized parts (i.e. diodes, and electrolytic caps)
with the positive leads having same orientation.
Leave 0.350" ‐ 0.500" between ICs, for large ICs
allow even more.
Print the layout and ensure enough spacing by
placing the parts on it.
Placing Power and Ground
Traces
ICs need to have solid power and ground lines.
Use wide traces that connect to common rails for
each power supply.
Avoid snaking or daisy chaining the power lines
from part‐to‐part.
Bottom layer of the PC board includes a "filled“ ground
plane.
Large traces feeding from a single rail are used for the
positive supply.
Placing Signal Traces
Make them as short and direct as possible.
Use vias to move signals from one layer to
the other.
A good trace width for low current digital and
analog signals is 0.010".
Think about the space between the trace and
any adjacent traces or pads.
Place text on the top layer of your board.
Checking Your Work
Double check the routing of every signal.
Check for traces that cross each other.
Check for missing vias.
Inspect your layout to insure that the gap
between every item is 0.007" or greater.
Inspect for these shorts by placing all the
metal components on a printout of the top
layer.