Hmmm, A real walking tutorial! Chapter1: The first steps in PCB designers' life. You'll never forget this. ;o)
Mira --- Brad Velander <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Waheed, > whether or not you realize it at the moment, you > are entering a > complex world of detailed design issues. It is a bit > overwhelming at first > but the key to success is knowledge. Study > everything that you can get your > hands on, talk at lengths with your intended PCB > fabricator. The details are > not that complicated once the basic understanding is > established. I would > suggest that a tour of a PCB fabricators facility is > called for, a designer > has to build an understanding of how a PCB is > fabricated. This knowledge > will allow you to understand the decisions that you > make and how they will > impact the manufacture of the PCB board. One tour > will start you on the > path, many more hours of study and probably several > more tours will prove > fruitful. > > General Process flow. > > 1) Identify components to be used. > 2) Create schematic symbols, create PCB footprints > (land patterns) > 3) Design schematics, connect symbols to represent > circuit > connectivity. > 4) Run ERC (Electrical Rules Check) on schematic, > correct errors. > 5) Port netlist (footprint and connectivity > information) over to PCB > design. > 6) Configure DRC (Design Rules Check) according to > technology being > utilized in the PCB fabrication. > 6) Place PCB Footprints in desired PCB locations. > 7) Route (connect with traces) the connections > between all pins of the > components. > 8) Run DRC (Design Rules Check) to assure design > conforms with the > rules configured. > 9) Configure & generate CAM (Computer Aided > Manufacturing) files, > multiple Gerber layers and drill files. > 10) Document PCB fabrication details for the > fabricator either in a > ReadMe text file or a Fab drawing. > 11) Zip all CAM and documentation files for transfer > to PCB fabricator. > > Additional steps for uninitiated PCB designers.(All > in fun!) > 12) Cross fingers and toes in the hope that your PCB > is usable upon > arrival. > 13) Pay a significant chunk of money to fabricator. > 14) Receive your first PCB. > 15) Hit head against wall with sufficient force to > knock oneself > unconscious when you discover stupid mistakes or > failures in your design. > 16) Consider another profession because it seems > that there is too much > to designing PCBs for your to ever fully comprehend > it. > 17) Find out that your friendly CAD vendor is not so > friendly when you > talk about returning their software for a refund so > you can go take a course > in Rocket Science. > 18) Resign yourself to the fact that you will > eventually perciveer in > understanding this PCB design stuff and put your > nose back in place at the > center of your monitor and get back down to > business. > > The above steps are a general guide to the process, > the details for each > step could cover chapters in a book. Some books > which take a stab at > defining all of these issues are 400 - 600 pages, > they are not absolutely > complete. I would suggest that you obtain a book > called "Printed Circuits > Handbook - 5th Edition" by Clyde F. Coombs, Jr.. It > is almost the defacto > standard new designers guide. Amazon.com has a > listing for a used version at > $23.13 USD. > > > Waheed, if you could enlighten us as to you general > location. Any number of > subscribers would aptly share with you all known > locations of courses and > seminars where you could increase your knowledge at > an exponential pace > verses self learning. Are you doing this as a hobby > or as an intended > career? What is your electronic background? Are you > aware of the IPC design > guides for PCB design? Are you aware of what the IPC > documents cost, they > aren't cheap? > > Hope all of this helps you somehow! > > Sincerely, > Brad Velander. > > Lead PCB Designer > Norsat International Inc. > Microwave Products > Tel (604) 292-9089 (direct line) > Fax (604) 292-9010 > email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://www.norsat.com > > Visit us at Booth 2G2-09 at CommunicAsia 2002 in > Singapore June 18-21. > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Waheed Bajwa [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > Sent: Thursday, May 16, 2002 4:31 AM > > To: Protel EDA Forum > > Subject: [PEDA] New to Protel and PCB Designing > > > > > > Hello all, > > > > I am new to PCB designing and Protel (99 SE with > SP 6)... I have just > > started on the training manuals of protel. I am > getting the > > grasp of it but > > what i have noticed during this period is that i > lack the > > basic cycle flow > > involved in PCB designing so please could some one > guide me > > in this? The > > cycles that are involved in PCB designing from > conceptual to > > the realization > > of PCB (as a material thing)... Please use simple > > terminologies or try to > > explain them as I said that I am new to it and > words even > > like footprints > > dont make sense to me right now :( > > > > Thanx, > > Waheed Bajwa > > > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > * * * * > * To post a message: > mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > * > * To leave this list visit: > * http://www.techservinc.com/protelusers/leave.html > * > * Contact the list manager: > * mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > * > * Forum Guidelines Rules: > * > http://www.techservinc.com/protelusers/forumrules.html > * > * Browse or Search previous postings: > * > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > * * * * __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? LAUNCH - Your Yahoo! 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