Complete PCB Design Using OrCad Capture and Layout

Chapter 2: Introduction to the PCB Design Flow by Example

Now that we have covered the construction of a PCB and know Layout s role in it, we will go through a simple design example so that you get a feel for the overall design process. This simple example sets the stage for Chap. 3, in which we will dig deeper into the details of the process and learn more about Layout itself, and Chap. 9, in which PCB design examples are presented.

Overview of the Design Flow

This section illustrates the basic procedure for generating a schematic in Capture and converting the schematic to a board design in Layout. The basic procedure is as follows:

  1. Start Capture and set up a PCB project using the PC Board wizard.

  2. Make a circuit schematic using OrCAD Capture.

  3. Use Capture to generate a Layout netlist and save it as a .MNL file for Layout.

  4. Start Layout and select a PCB technology template (.TCH file).

  5. Save the Layout project as a .MAX project file.

  6. Use Layout to import the .MNL netlist into the .MAX file.

  7. Make a board outline.

  8. Position the parts within the board outline.

  9. Autoroute the board.

  10. Run the postprocessor to generate files used to manufacture the PCB.

Creating a Circuit Design with Capture

If you do not have a full version of OrCAD you can install the version 10.5 Demo CD included with this book or go to the OrCAD Web site and download the latest demo. If you are using...

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