Learn PCB design with Pads Professional, Siemens's circuit design software (Software License is included)

One of the key parts of electronic design is creating a printed circuit board (PCB) but there are many challenges that many engineers face within a complex PCB design. Pads Professional is a powerful integrated circuit design software that supports a variety of PCB design needs and provides affordable features to help engineers to get products to market faster.

Pads layout software offers sketch routing tool that is an automated intelligent routing method to speed up PCB design and, hence, it reduces the PCB design time dramatically. In this software, the remarkable routing of automation capabilities are:

• fan-out for signals, hierarchical 2D/3D planning & placement, dynamic copper pour, dynamic planes, tuning of high-speed nets, and sketch routing.

• Hyperlynx thermal analysis is the other capability provided by this software that allows engineers to analyze the effect of heat generated by components and meet the thermal constraints

• Integration between schematic and layout workspace is the other helpful feature that reduces errors within designing

• A large number of parts, symbols, and footprints are accessible on the PARTQUEST website and you can download and use them in Pads Professional software, so it can be the other advantage of PADS-designed software.

In this course, we will focus on essential tools and features in pads professional software to create printed circuit boards and you will learn what you need to know about designing your own PCB by using this software.

The summary of each section's content is as below:

Introduction to the interface

• Creating a new project

• Using navigator panel

• Introducing useful windows and panels

• How to define the border size

PARTQUEST

• How to use the PARTQUEST website to find the desired parts, symbols, and footprints

• How to add each part into the pads pro designer workspace

• How to categorize a special group of components to access them quickly

Placing and wiring parts

• Using search window and my parts panel to access required components and place them in the schematic workspace

• How to manipulate the placed components

• Using a net tool to wire the components

• Creating a circuit diagram as an instance and utilize the mentioned tools

• Using DRC or how to use verify tool to find the design rule violations

• How to specify design rules or physical characteristics to set the constraints by using constraint manager

Creating a PCB file

• Mapping components in the logical pads designed to the physical footprint

• How to work with component explorer

• How to place the components by using schematic workspace to reduce the errors within designing

• Creating a group of components that is helpful in a large, dense design

• How to edit the placed components

• Defining the physical borders of PCB

Routing the PCB

• Introducing DRC in pads layout environment

• How to work with net explorer and cross probe to facilitate routing

• How to work with a fan-out tool to add Vias

• Showing different methods of routing and how to work with them

• How to add Vias and change the layers

• How to find unconnected net lines

• Defining plane layers and nets to have more uniform connectivity, decrease impedance and reduce complex routing

• How to have a 3D view of PCB board

• Synchronizing the 2D and 3D views simultaneously

• Adding dimension to PCB board

Manufacturing output

• How to generate output file

Adding netlabel and bus

• Connecting nets by using netlabel to speed up the process of schematic designing and reduce mistakes

• How to represent multi-wire connections by using Bus tool

Sketch route

Automating routing by using sketch route capability

Tuning

• How to create tracks with the same length in high-speed connections

Creating new symbols and cell

• How to work with Symbol Editor and create a new symbol

• How to create Package Cell

• How to specify the new cell for created symbol

Hyperlynx thermal

• Simulation of Thermal Impact of PCB placement and routing

• How to work with Hyperlynx thermal tool to analyze the effect of the heat generated by the components

Projects

• In this project, you will learn how to build a temperature sensor circuit using Pads Professional

What you will learn

• Learn circuit design and PCB design by using the most powerful integrated circuit design software, Pads professional

• Use verify tool to find the design rule violations

• Learn essential methods to automate routing and speed up routing process

• Defining plane layers

• Creating desired symbols and footprint based on your need

• Hyperlynx thermal analysis to simulate the thermal impact of PCB

• Defining the physical borders of PCB