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All CollectionsPADS Professional Premium with DFM Quickstart GuideChapter 1: Getting Started with the PADS Professional Desktop
Quickstart Lesson 4: PCB Physical Layout
Quickstart Lesson 4: PCB Physical Layout

PCB Physical Layout

Paul Welch avatar
Written by Paul Welch
Updated over 11 months ago

Lesson 4: PCB Physical Layout

Placing footprints from schematics

In this lesson, you will open the schematic and PCB workspaces side by side to aid in footprint placement. Some footprints have already been grouped and placed on the board for you. Although not required, guiding footprint placement from the schematic workspace can speed up the board layout in projects with higher component counts.

  1. Launch PADS Professional Layout, then go to: File ► Open.

  2. Navigate to C:\PADS_Professional_QuickStart\Lesson 4 - PCB Physical Layout\PCB\LED_Flasher.pcb, select the file named LED_Flasher.PCB. Click Open.

  3. Your workspace has been pre-configured to allow easy placement of parts from the Design schematic page.

  4. Within the Schematic window, use the middle mouse button to zoom into the

    component J1.

  5. Left click J1 once such that it is selected (no need to hold down the mouse).

  6. Move your mouse cursor over to the PCB layout space and notice how the associated footprint to J1 is appended to the cursor and ready to be placed.

  7. Press the F3 key to rotate J1’s footprint, position, and left click to place the footprint as shown.

Note: Displaying the schematic view within your layout space does NOT consume a

schematic license. This method allows users to place parts on their board in an

organized manner. The following settings are already enabled for you. Windows ►

Add Schematic View. Within the Component Explorer panel the following options

are enabled.

Parts can also be placed as groups or sequentially by first selecting them from the Component Explorer Panel.

Placing Footprint in 2D/3D Side by side

You can view your board in 3D and 2D side by side simultaneously. This can facilitate

alignment and placement of more complex 3D geometry, especially if placing multibody STEP assemblies. STEP model color information will be imported if defined from within your MCAD program. Zooming IN/OUT or Panning will move both 2D/3D views.

  1. Close the Schematic window.

  2. Go to: Windows ► Add 3D view.

  3. Go to: Windows ► Tile Vertically.

  4. Within the Component Explorer panel, click “Place By Schematic” and “Show list”. Note: You may notice some LEDs turning yellow during placement. Live DRC is activated and currently set to prevent you from placing parts in positions that violate any relevant placement DRC rule. Components with violations will turn yellow.

  5. Within the Component Explorer list, drag R9 onto the board in 3D View, as shown below.

  6. Within the Component Explorer, drag the “LEDS” group onto the 3D view.

  7. Within the 2D view, right-click the group object’s perimeter and click Place Parts

    Sequentially.

  8. Press "F3" to rotate LEDs before placing. Make sure the notch (visible in 3D) is facing the top left corner.

  9. Continue to rotate and place remaining LEDs, as shown below.

  10. Go to: File ► Close, and click “Yes” when prompted to save.

Up Next: Lesson 5 - Routing the PCB

Lesson 5

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