Tutorial - Getting Started With PCB Design - Online Documentation for Altium Products

Circuit for the multivibrator.

Create the new project in the required location.

Sheet1.SchDoc

Tutorial - Getting Started with PCB Design | Online Documentation fo... http://techdocs.altium.com/display/ADOH/Tutorial+-+Getting+Starte...

1 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27

The Libraries Search dialogs can search across folders on the hard drive, or libraries already installed in the software.

Name contains 3904Components

C:\Users\Public\Documents\Altium\AD15\Library

(Name LIKE '*3904*')

2N39042N3904


2 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27

Filtering the library for components with the string 3904 in their name.

2N3904

Set the Designator to Q1, and confirm that the Footprint is TO-92A.

Q1

The placed transistors.


3 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27

res

Res1

R1

=Value

100k

Enter the Designator and Value, and map the Value into the Comment field, so that it transfers to the PCB.

1k

The circuit with the transistors and resistors placed.

cap

CAP

C1 =Value

20n,

Circuit with the capacitors also placed.

C:\Users\Public\Documents\Altium\AD15\Library\

*2

Header 2 Y1


4 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27

Circuit with all parts placed.

A simple animation showing the schematic being wired.

An animation showing dragging - hold Ctrl as you click and drag to maintain connectivity.

12V


5 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27

The net label in free space (left image) and positioned over a wire (right image), note the red cross.

GND

The completed schematic, ready to check for errors.

Configure the Error Reporting tab to detect for design errors.

The Connection Matrix defines what electrical conditions are checked for on the schematic.


6 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27

Component and net classes can be generated from the schematic, as well as placement rooms.

The Comparator tab is used to configure exactly what differences the comparison engine will check for.

Multivibrator.SchDoc

Use the Messages panel to locate and resolve design errors - double-click on an error to pan and zoom to that object.


7 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27

\TemplatesA4.PcbDoc

The new blank board, ready to be resized and configured.

Select the command, position the cursor over the corner of the board (left image), then click to define the origin (right image).

5mm

Switch from 2D to Board Planning Mode so you can redefine the board shape.

Resizing the board shape to the required size (note the editing cursor in the left image), then move the shape to the center of the page.

PCB1.PcbDoc

Drag and drop the PCB file onto the project file to make it part of the project. The reverse process can be used to remove a file from the project.

Multivibrator.PcbDoc


8 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27

An ECO is created for each change that needs to be made to the PCB so that it matches the schematic.

The components and nets needed for the design, placed in the PCB workspace (configuring this display is described below).


9 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27

Press the L shortcut to open the View Configurations dialog.

Single and Centered

Use the dropdown to quickly switch between view configurations.

Tutorial

The properties of the physical layers are defined in the Layer Stack Manager.


10 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27

10x Grid StepDots

Set the Snap Grid to 0.125 mils.

Enable Snap to Center to always hold the component by its reference point. Smart Component Snap is helpful when you need to align by pads.

The PCB editor includes powerful interactive routing capabilities.


11 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27

InNetClass('Power')All

All PCB design requirements are configured as rules/constraints, in the PCB Rules and Constraints Editor.

All

All

The default Routing Width design rule has been configured for the tutorial, a new rule is about to be added for power nets.

Width_Power


12 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27

Using the Query Builder to create the Query, once that is done the required Width can be configured (shown in the next image).

Power InNetClass('Power')

0.25 0.5 0.5

This Width rule targets the power nets.

All

0.25mm

Configure the electrical clearance to be 0.25mm.

1mm 0.6mm

A single routing via is suitable for all nets in this design.


13 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27

1mm

Y1

Components positioned on the board.

Align and space the resistors.

Click to select a different footprint.

rad


14 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27

Search the current library for a suitable footprint.

Components placed on the board with new footprints.

0.125mm


15 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27

Note how the segments are displayed differently.

Cursor following streamlines the manual routing process. committed tracks display in solid color, uncommitted tracks are shown hatched\hollow.

Animation showing the board being interactively routed, with all tracks placed on the bottom layer. Press the Spacebar to toggle the corner direction.


16 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27

Animation showing the Loop Removal feature being used to modify existing routing.

Animation showing track dragging in push mode, the via is automatically jumped.


17 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27

Fully autorouted board, left image shows layers set to Top-horizontal / Bottom-vertical, right image shows Top-horizontal / Bottom-horizontal.

Violations can be displayed as a colored overlay and also as a detailed message, with different symbols being used to show different detail of the error type.

Violations are shown in solid green (left image), as you zoom in an Overlay is added (center image), as you zoom in further Violation Details are added.


18 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27

Rule checking, both online and batch, is configured in the Design Rule Checker dialog.

Checking is configured for each rule type, use the right-click menu to toggle multiple options.

The report details all detected violations, click on a violation to jump back to the PCB and examine the error.


19 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27

0.254mm

0.14mm

The Heads Up display details that it is a Silk to Solder Mask Clearance violation, between a track and a pad. It does not detail the actual clearance though.

The panel details the violation type, the measured value, the rule setting and the objects that are in violation.

0.14mm < 0.254mm

The Silk to Solder Mask constraint defines how far silk objects must be from either: the solder mask opening, or the underlying copper exposed by that opening.

0.125mm

0.067mm

0.254mm


20 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27

0.125mm

SolderMaskExpansion_TO-92AHasFootprint('TO-92A')0.07mm

Hold Shift to display the 3D view directiional sphere, then click and drag the right-mouse button to rotate.

The Multivibrator PCB complete with components - 3D Bodies have been used for the transistors and caps, STEP models for the resistors and header.


21 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27


22 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27


23 of 23 26-08-2015 10:27