PADS Desktop PCB Design
PADS Desktop PCB Design RSSPADS Tips and Tricks: Building a PCB Decal with Polar Patterns
Many connectors and other components require decals/footprints that have their pins laid out in a polar pattern. In many CAD systems, this can be a time consuming effort to build these in the library. It can be done very quickly in PADS!
Bill Tkachuk CSD AE, recently wrote TechNote MG582079 that steps the user through building these devices. If you have access to SupportNet, you can view a video demonstration of how to do this.
To create a Decal with a distinct Polar pattern:
- Go to Tools > Options > Grids and Snap > Grids > Radial Move Setup.
- Define the Polar Grid origin (specifies the center location for the polar grid to originate from)
- Define the Inner Radius value for how far from the center the pins will be placed. (Delta Radius is used when you have
additional concentric rings you wish to define). - Define the sites per ring (how many pins will be located in a given ring)
- Define the starting angle (does the pin begin at the 0 degree mark, 90 degree mark, etc).
- Click OK to the dialog
- Type in the modeless command GP and press enter to make the polar grid visible.
- Select the Add Terminal icon, click OK to the Add Terminals dialog
- Begin clicking around the ring to place pins
- Exit from the Add Terminal icon
- Redefine the settings in the Radial Move Setup dialog if the additional rings require different parameters based on the footprint’s specification.
If you have access to SupportNet, view the video and TechNote MG582079 here.
Jim
Interactive Routing in the PADS ES Suite
When designing a PCB, most of your time may be spent interactively routing.
PADS has always been known for having powerful, yet easy to use interactive routing capabilities to help engineers and designers in this phase of the design process. You need the ability to quickly connect the easy traces (is there such a thing anymore?) as well as be assured that your critical nets with length constraints, differential pair assignments, etc. are routed to their assigned rules. This is just another area where PADS excels!
For a look at PADS interactive routing capabilities, take a look at this video, or try yourself in our new virtual labs!
Jim
Tags: PCB design
PADS Evaluation Now on the Cloud!
Taking a look at PADS is now easier than ever – we’re on the Cloud! The full PADS ES Suite Evaluation is still available to download, but if you want a quick and easy way to evaluate PADS, check out the Virtual Labs.
Here, you will have access to the full PADS ES Suite to evaluate, with lessons and exercises on simulation and analysis, design capture and CIS, and PCB layout and routing.
No installation, firewall, IT, bandwidth, or other issues to worry about. Try it from home or work!
This is new to us, so I’m interested in your feedback. Please let me know how your PADS evaluation experience went on the Cloud!
Jim
Tags: PCB design
Do Your Designs Require Simulation and Analysis?
Are you doing any simulation today, specifically for signal integrity issues? Many design professionals believe that simulaiton is only needed for really bleeding-edge technology. But in my recent meetings with customers, they are finding they need to simulate designs that once did not. Even on simpler consumer electronic devices, or industrial controllers, the components they need to purchase for use on these have edge rates that make simulation a requirement. Many still try to rely on the tried and true rules-of-thumb, but these are coming up short!
If this is you, the PADS ES Suite delivers best-in-class pre- and post-layout signal integrity tools built in. These tools are designed for any electrical engineer to easily use: you don’t need to be a SI expert!
Take a look at this short video for more information on simulation in the PADS ES Suite.
Jim
Tags: PADS, PADS ES Suite, PCB, PCB design
PADS Tips and Tricks: Printing a Color Image of a Decal
Have you ever wanted to, or had the requirement to print a color image of a Decal? This can be done directly in the Decal Editor.
In this PADS Tip and Trick, Bill Tkachuk from CSD explains how:
1. Load a decal into the Decal Editor and zoom to extents
2. Define the visible colors you want printed
3. Open the Output Window by going to View > Output Window
4. Select the Macro tab within the Output Window
5. In the pane to the right of Macro1, type in the following line: MainView.PrintPreview()
6. Save the Macro
7. Run the macro by clicking on the Run button (green arrow icon).
8. A Print Preview window will appear, click Print and select a color printer from your list of printers.
Note:
To modify pin numbers so they are smaller, go to Tools > Options > Drafting > Text and Lines. Decrease the Pin number size and line width. To see true width go to Tools > Options > Global > General, set Min Display Width to 0.
The decal will fill your printed page, there is no direct control over the scaling other than its native Scale to Fit. If you zoom out it will still fit the visible objects to fill the page. Zooming in, however, will provide you a full printed page of your visible area that you zoomed into. In some instances you may see more data in the print out than was displayed in the Decal Editor screen.
Objects in white color are automatically converted to black and black objects are automatically converted to white.
Tags: PADS
PADS Tips and Tricks: Creating Split Planes and Manipulating Thermal and Antipads
Today’s Tip and Trick comes from Bill Tkachuk in customer support.
PADS Layout has very powerful split plane functionality. Along with this, it gives the user great control on how to change, modify, and customize the thermal relief and antipads in these splits.
Bill wrote a great TechNote (MG581658) which gives step-by-step directions on how to create split planes, set default thermal and antipads, and how to customize these pads.
Jim
DxDesigner With PADS Layout
I’ve spoken with several customers recently who have, or are in the process of transitioning from PADS Logic to the new DxDesigner. Their reasons were consistent: they needed a component information system, or analog simulation, and/or their designs were getting more complex and need a more robust hierarchy.
Does this describe you? Now may be the time for you to consider the move to DxDesigner.
Take a look at this website for more information: http://www.mentor.com/products/pcb-system-design/design-flows/pads/pads-logic-dxdesigner.
Jim
Tags: DxDesigner, PADS
PADS Tips and Tricks – Assigning a Shortcut Key to a Macro
Have you written a macro and want to execute it quickly and easily with a custom defined shortcut key? That’s easy to do in PADS! Application Note MG579433, written by Bill Tkachuk and Todd Hendren, give you step-by-step directions on how to record a macro, then assign it to a shortcut key of your choice.
You can find the app note at https://supportnet.mentor.com/reference/appnotes/index.cfm?id=MG579433
Jim
Tags: PADS, PADS Tips & Tricks
PADS Tips and Tricks – Changing Trace Width While Routing
This Tip is Shared by Yan Killy, Technical Marketing Engineer
There are technology and fabrication reasons why designers on occasion need to change the width of a trace during interactive routing. In PADS, you can easily accomplish this with settings in Design Rules and the use of Modeless Commands.
Using Design Rules you set can up the trace width range for all nets or one net in particular. In the Design Rules dialog box, under Clearance is the Trace width rules, where there are three settings: Minimum, Recommended, and Maximum. When you start routing a Trace it will always start by using Recommended value. To change the width, start routing and place a corner then type ‘W’ on the keyboard and enter different value for the trace width. As you continue routing this trace, it will use this new trace width value until you will change it again.
If your setting for the Trace width were 6 mils for Minimum, 12 mils for Recommended, and 25 mils for Maximum, your Trace will start routing at 12mils and then you can change to any value that satisfy Minimum/Maximum settings by using the “W” modeless command.
Tags: PADS
PADS Logic Isn’t Going Away
Do you need to do more with your schematic? Are you frustrated with PADS Logic? It’s time to take a fresh look at a front-end layout tool that enables complete PCB design creation.
You can use DxDesigner for its many strengths, including:
- Ease of use
- Easy to learn
- Tightly integrated with PADS layout
Take a look as I tell you more about the relationship between PADS Logic and DxDesigner, and the benefits to make the transition to DxDesigner 7.9.4.
Tags: DxDesigner, PADS
About PADS Desktop PCB Design
Discussions on the present, future capabilities and value of the PADS PCB flow.
Latest Posts
- PADS Tips and Tricks: Building a PCB Decal with Polar Patterns
- Interactive Routing in the PADS ES Suite
- PADS Evaluation Now on the Cloud!
- Do Your Designs Require Simulation and Analysis?
- PADS Tips and Tricks: Printing a Color Image of a Decal
- PADS Tips and Tricks: Creating Split Planes and Manipulating Thermal and Antipads