OrCAD Tutorial

IC Design and Solutions Lab
Weekly Note
OrCAD Tutorial
Van Hoang Nguyen

College of Information & Communication Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University
PCB Editor: Library Setup
Decide the folder that store your footprint, Padstack and 3D model
Case 1: Using default folder
Copy PCB footprint, Padstack and 3D model of all component used in project to cadence’s folder
• PCB Footprint and Padstack folder: C:\Cadence\SPB_17.2\share\pcb\pcb_lib\symbols
• 3D model folder: C:\Cadence\SPB_17.2\share\local\pcb\step
Case 2: using custom folder
Using can store new footprint or padstack in your own folder, example: D:\HoangNguyen\Project\Cadence\Library
These folder are used in “ User Preferences” setup.
2
PCB Editor: Library Setup
• Above figure is PCB Designer window in

“Mechanical Symbol” mode.
• We can set “User Preferences” in any
mode.
Set “padpath” and “psmpath” directories are

folders that contain your footprint and
padstack.
3
PCB Editor: Assigning Footprints to Your Components
To assign Footprint to components:
1. Open your schematic file (“OrCAD Capture CIS” project)
2. Edit Object Properties
3. Assign Footprints
4
PCB Editor: Assigning Footprints to Your Components
If you don’t know a footprint name exactly, you can search in the “OrCAD
PCB Designer” Tool after Library setting up.
5
PCB Editor: Create Netlist
6
PCB Editor: Create Netlist
Choose any Choose the

folder where configuration
store your file for
If want to create netlisting
PCB board first netlist file
and then add the
netlist file, it is
un-checked
If you want to
update exist
file, you should
choose the
input file
C:\Cadence\SPB_17.2\tools\capture\allegro.cfg
The folder
where store
your PCB file
Open OrCAD PCB
Editor after
netlisting
7
PCB Editor: Set Up PCB Design and Draw a Board Outline
1. Setup “Design Parameters”
There are a lot of parameters to set

before design. Example, you can
change the units to millimeter
8
2. Setup “Grids”
9
2. Database Preparation: Board Outline
Input the dimension of

the board outline
Board Outline is
created
Place the designed board

outline and close the
“Design outline” window
10
3. Database Preparation: Cross Section
The number of the PCB is modified in “Cross Section”
11
3. Database Preparation: (Import Netlist file)
If you plan to create the Board Outline first and then import the exist Netlist file, you can follow step below:
12
PCB Editor: Create and Place Mechanical Symbols
If you want to create a symbol yourself?
Make sure that your symbol

is store in the folder that is
added in the “padpath” in
“User Preferences”
Name your
symbol
Choose type
of symbol
13
During placing your component, if there

are an error like “Pin(s) cannot be
placed outside the drawing extents”,
your pins is outside of the design area,
you should change your design area by
following step below:
14
To move the
component
15
PCB Editor: Place component
To make a interaction between schematic (OrCAD Capture) and Layout (OrCAD PCB Designer), which allow you to
select the component on the Schematic directly, below step should be done first: (in OrCAD Capture)
16
PCB Editor: Place component
In PCB Designer, Place -> components Manually.
The component is chosen in

Schematic is shown up in PCB
Designer
17
PCB Editor: Set up Differential Pairs and Constraint Manager
You can modify Differential

pair after generating
18
PCB Editor: Set up Differential Pairs and Constraint Manager
Create new Physical/Electrical set in

Set Electrical “Physical/Electrical Constraint Set”
and Physical and then apply it in “Net”
Constraint
19
PCB Editor: Create Ground and Power Plane
You can create the ground plane by following step below:
Select the layer where
You can create a plane you want to place a plane
with different boundary
Select the net which is

connected to the plane
If you want to create a plane

from separate part, you can
you “Merge Shapes”
20
If you have multiple source, such as 5V, 1.8V, 3.3V in the same layer, you should isolate those region. To do that, you
should use “Create Split Plane” function.
Select the layer that you

want to assign the power
source
Select the Net is

assigned
Tip: You can turn off

another layer for
clearly visible
purpose
21
To assign multi source you

much create the region
where you want to isolate
before using “Split Plane”
Note that: The boundary can be any

shape (line, rectangle) and much be
draw in the same layer with one you
want to assign power source
Tip: you can select Power plane

type in “Split Plane Params”
22
PCB Editor: Routing
You can change the layer color in your PCB to make it easy to see.
23
PCB Editor: Routing
You can easy create connection between pins of component with the power plane or ground plane by
using “Create Fanout” function
24
PCB Editor: Routing
You can move a via by using

“Etchedit” and then click and
hold a via and move
If you want to change

trace width you can
choose
“Edit -> Change Objects”
25
PCB Editor: Routing
Let rout remainder nets!
After Routing, if you want to make your

traces look like nice, you can modify by
using “Etchedit or “Custom Smooth””
26
PCB Editor: Routing
After routing, you should

have a check to make sure
that all nets are routed
Click to “Update
DRC” to check DRC
till “DRC error”
change to green
27
PCB Editor: Prepare for manufacturing
Before create manufacturing file, all Nets color must be cleared
28
You should set the origin of your PCB and then add the “Title box”
29
Add the “Title Box”
30
You have to define the output director for storing all extracted file for manufacturing
31
32
You can add the “Reference Designator” for component or delete any text in your design
33
Create fabrication film file
34
Save the artwork form
Right click and choose “Add”
FAB
35
Create Assembly Film
36
Create “Silk Screen Top” film
Change the
“undefined line
width” to 0.127
37
Create the SOLDER MASK TOP film
38
Create the PASTE MASK TOP film
39
Create the SOLDER MASK BOTTOM film
40
41
PCB Editor: Manufacturing Exporting
Export IPC-2581
42
Export Artwork (Gerber)
43
Export NC Drill
44

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IC Design and Solutions Lab

Van Hoang Nguyen

These folder are used in “ User Preferences” setup.

• Above figure is PCB Designer window in

Set “padpath” and “psmpath” directories are

Choose any Choose the

There are a lot of parameters to set

Input the dimension of

Place the designed board

The number of the PCB is modified in “Cross Section”

If you want to create a symbol yourself?

Make sure that your symbol

During placing your component, if there

The component is chosen in

You can modify Differential

Create new Physical/Electrical set in

Select the net which is

If you want to create a plane

Select the layer that you

Select the Net is

Tip: You can turn off

To assign multi source you

Note that: The boundary can be any

Tip: you can select Power plane

You can move a via by using

If you want to change

After Routing, if you want to make your

After routing, you should

Before create manufacturing file, all Nets color must be cleared

Add the “Title Box”

Save the artwork form

Right click and choose “Add”

Create Assembly Film

Create “Silk Screen Top” film

Create the SOLDER MASK TOP film

Create the PASTE MASK TOP film

Create the SOLDER MASK BOTTOM film

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