Designing a circuit board usually involves many complex steps. Whether it's the basics of microprocessing copper and solder to try and ensure the PWB is ultimately printed correctly, or encountering more specific design issues such as through-hole technology or design signal integrity issues with through-holes, pads, and any number of layout designs, you need to make sure you have the right design software. So now iPCB tells you how to design a PCB panel.

　　 1. Create a PCB substrate schematic

　　Whether you are generating a design from a template or creating a PCB panel from scratch, start with the PWB schematic. The schematic is like a blueprint for new equipment, and it is important to understand what is shown in the schematic. Compared to designing directly on the PCB panel, not only are circuit interconnections easier to define and edit, but it is also much easier to convert the PWB schematic into a PWB board layout. For components, PCB board design software has an extensive parts library database.

　　 2. Create a blank PCB board layout

　　After creating the PWB schematic, you need to use the schematic capture tool in the PCB design software to start creating the PCB layout. Before this, you need to create a blank PCB document. To create a PCB panel, you need to generate a PCB Doc file. This can be easily done from the main menu of the design software.

　　If the shape, size, and layer stack of the PCB board have already been determined, you can set them up immediately. If you don't want to perform these tasks now, don't worry, you can change the shape of the PCB board later. By compiling the SchDoc, the schematic information can be used in the PCB. The compilation process includes verifying the design and generating several project documents so that you can check and correct the design before transferring to the PCB. It is strongly recommended that you check and update the project options used to create the PCB information at this time.

　　When designing a PWB panel, it sometimes seems like a long and arduous journey to reach the final design. Whether it's the basics of microprocessing copper and solder to try and ensure the PWB is ultimately printed correctly, or encountering more specific design issues such as through-hole technology or design signal integrity issues with through-holes, pads, and any number of layout designs, you need to make sure you have the right PWB design software.

　　 3. Capture the PCB prototype schematic and link it to the PCB

　　All tools in the PCB prototype board design software can be used in a unified design environment. In this design environment, the schematic, PCB, and BOM are interconnected and can be accessed simultaneously. Other programs force you to manually compile schematic data.

　 　4. Design PCB stacking

　　When you transfer the schematic information to the PCB Doc, in addition to the specified PCB board outline, the package of the components will also be displayed. Before placing the components, the "Layer Stack Manager" shown in the figure below should be used to define the PCB layout (i.e., shape, layer stack).

　　If you are unfamiliar with PWB board design, although you can define any number of layers in the PWB panel design software, most modern designs will start with a 4-layer board on FR4. You can also utilize the material stack library; this way, you can choose from a variety of different laminates and unique panels.

　 　5. Define design rules and DFM requirements

　　There are many categories of PWB design rules, and you may not need to use all of these available rules for every design. You can select/deselect individual rules by right-clicking on the rule in question in the PWB Rules and Constraints Editor list below.

　　The rules you use, especially those for manufacturing, should conform to the specifications and tolerances of the PCB manufacturer's equipment. Advanced designs such as impedance-controlled designs and many high-speed/high-frequency designs may need to follow very specific design rules to ensure your product works correctly. Be sure to check your component datasheets for these design rules.

　 　6. Place components on the PWB prototype board

　　Currently mainstream PWB board design software provides great flexibility, allowing you to quickly place components on the circuit board. You can automatically arrange components or manually place them. You can also use these options together to take advantage of the speed of automatic placement and ensure that the PWB is laid out according to good component placement guidelines.

　　 7. PWB board insertion holes

　　Before the PWB layout, place the drill holes (mounting and vias). If your design is complex, you may need to modify at least some via locations during the routing process. This can be easily done through the "Properties" dialog box.

　　Preferences here should follow the Design for Manufacturing (DFM) specifications of the board manufacturer. If you have defined the DFM requirements of the PWB as design rules (see step 5), the PWB design software will automatically check these rules when you place vias, drill holes, pads, and traces in the layout.

　 　8. PWB board layout tracking

　　After placing the components and other mechanical components, you can prepare for the layout. Make sure to use good routing guidelines and PWB design software tools to simplify the process, such as highlighting nets and color-coding them by routing.

　 　9. Add labels and identifiers to the PWB

　　After verifying the PWB layout, you can add labels, identifiers, markings, logos, or any other images to the PCB board. Use the component's reference identifiers, as this will help with PWB assembly. Also include polarity indicators, pin 1 indicators, and any other labels that help identify the components and their orientation. For logos and images, consult your PWB board manufacturer to ensure that the fonts you use are readable.

　 　10. Generate Gerber files for the PCB layout design.

　　Before the PCB manufacturer provides the results, verify the PCB layout by running a Design Rule Check (DRC).