Lesson 5: Using PCBflow DFM directly from PADS Professional
Note: this lesson covers the PCBflow-enabled DFM capability included in PADS Professional Premium DFM.
Overview
In Lesson 4, you checked your project into Connect, saving the latest changes. In this final lesson, you will run a Design For Manufacture (DFM) analysis on your design to discover design faults that may cause problems during bare-board fabrication. Once you have run the analysis, you will see how to review the issues in PADS Professional hazard viewer. You can later edit your design to fix the issues and re-run the DFM analysis as often as you like.
DFM analysis checks your design using a DFM Profile, which is a set of design rules that must be followed to ensure manufacturability. In this lesson, you will learn how to select a DFM profile from a list of available profiles. A generic PCBflow default profile is provided and will analyze your design based on generic fabrication rules that are common in the electronics industry. As well, many DFM Profiles have been provided by participating manufacturers and will appear in the list with the appropriate manufacturer name.
Note: For trial users only. Both the PADS Professional Premium "Overview" trial AND the PADS Pro App Suite 30-day trial give you additional user licenses so you can experience collaborating with your team members. Once your trial ends you will need to purchase additional licenses for collaboration.
Open the LED Flasher Project from Connect
In PADS Professional, open the trial project “Led_Flasher_test”, which was previously saved in Connect.
Open and load the PADS Pro DFM addin
From the Analysis menu in PADS Professional, select “PADS Pro DFM”.
The PADS Pro DFM addin will appear on the right-hand side of the application window.In the PADS Pro DFM addin, select “Load PADS Pro DFM”. Your browser window will open with a message welcoming you to PCBflow.
Return to the PADS Professional application
Select a DFM profile and activate the DFM analysis
In the PADS Pro DFM addin, open the DFM Profile dropdown to view all available DFM profiles.
Select the DFM profile named “(PCBflow) Default” from the list.
At the top of the PADS Pro DFM addin, click on the “Perform Analysis” button.
The DFM analysis will start. It may take a few minutes to complete.
Open the Hazard Explorer and review DFM results
In the PADS Professional Analysis menu, select “Hazard Explorer…”. The Hazard Explorer will open on the left-hand side of the PADS Professional application.
Use the expandable results list to select a DFM result. The graphic area will zoom to the selected result for review
Review several results this way until you are comfortable using the Hazard Explorer.
Open Connect to see the DFM results in PDF format
Return to your web browser to see the project files at: https://app.pcbconnect.online/#/projectlist
Open the LED_Flasher project
Go to the “Files” tab, and open the latest directory
Open the file named pdf_* . A PDF version of the DFM results will open for your review.
Congratulations! You've completed the "chapter-2" lessons of your PADS Professional Premium overview trial.
Lesson-5 focused on the additional DFM capability of PADS Professional Premium DFM.
As a solution, PADS Professional delivers:
The fully-integrated, best-in-class solution for PCB design & analysis
Cloud-connected productivity
Secure, easy-to-use project management and collaboration
The richest source of component content for electronics design
Earlier insight into supply chain sourcing issues
Prevention of manufacturability issues during the layout phase
Try using one of your own design projects to see how PADS Professional Premium DFM can help improve your development process!