I did not write this book because I am an OrCAD guru. I wrote it because no up-to-date references were available when I was trying to learn how to use the software. This book is the one I wish I would have had. This book was born from notes I compiled as I learned (the hard way) to use the software. The initial intent of the book was to describe how to use OrCAD Layout specifically. Along the way, though, I realized also that I (and many of the engineers I talked to) had a lot to learn about the printed circuit board (PCB) design process itself. There was a significant amount of information available on PCB design from both the electrical and the manufacturing aspects, but there was not an easily accessible resource that covered those subjects with how to use the software. That is the intent of this book.

Chapter 1 introduces the reader to the basics of PCB design. The chapter begins by introducing the concepts of computer-aided engineering, computer-aided design, and computer-aided manufacturing. The chapter then explains how these tools are used to design and manufacture multilayer PCBs. Many 3-D pictures are used to show the construction of PCBs. Topics such as PCB cores and layer stack-up, apertures, D-codes, photolithography, layer registration, plated through-holes, and Gerber files are explained.

Chapter 2 leads new users of the software through a very simple design example. The purpose of the example is to paint a big picture of the...