Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) are found in nearly every electronic device. Any device that contains electronic components will have these parts mounted on PCBs of various sizes. Beyond simply securing small components, the primary function of a PCB is to establish electrical connections between the components. As electronic devices continue to increase in complexity, more components are required, leading to denser circuits and components on the PCB. A standard PCB looks like this. The bare board (without any components) is typically referred to as a “Printed Wiring Board (PWB).”
1. Common mistakes in PCB schematics:
(1) Missing signal connection to the pin in the ERC report:
Certainly! Here’s a refined version of your article with minimal changes to enhance clarity, maintain technical accuracy, and preserve the original meaning and style:
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**b.** Inconsistent grid attributes are modified when components are created or placed, causing pins and wires to remain unconnected.
**c.** When creating the component, the pin direction is reversed, and the non-pin name end must be connected.
**(2)** The component extends beyond the drawing boundary: no component was created at the center of the component library’s diagram.
**(3)** The network table in the generated project file can only be partially imported into the PCB: global was not selected when generating the netlist.
**(4)** When using multi-part components created by yourself, avoid using the annotate feature.
**2. Common PCB Errors:**
**(1)** NODE not found when loading the netlist:
**a.** The components in the original PCB design use packages that are not present in the PCB library.
**b.** The components in the schematic use package names that are inconsistent with those in the PCB library.
**c.** The components in the schematic use packages with mismatched pin numbers in the PCB library. For example, a transistor: in the schematic, the pins are labeled as E, B, C, but in the PCB, the pin numbers are 1, 2, 3.
**(2)** Unable to print everything on one page:
**a.** The PCB library was not created at the origin.
**b.** Components have been moved and rotated multiple times, leaving hidden objects outside the PCB boundary. To fix this, enable the option to show all hidden objects, reduce the size of the PCB, and then reposition the objects within the boundary.
**(3)** The DRC report indicates that the network is split into multiple parts:
This suggests that the network is not properly connected. Refer to the report file and use the CONNECTEDCOPPER command to locate the issue.
Additionally, it is recommended to use Windows 2000 to minimize the chances of encountering a blue screen. To reduce file size and prevent Protel from freezing, export the design several times to create a new DDB file. When working on more complex designs, avoid relying too heavily on automatic routing.
In PCB design, routing is a crucial step in finalizing the product design. It could be said that all previous preparations lead up to this stage. Routing is often the most constrained part of the entire PCB design process; it demands the highest skill level, requires the most effort, and involves the greatest workload. PCB routing includes single-sided, double-sided, and multi-layer routing.
There are two primary methods of routing: automatic routing and interactive routing. Before using automatic routing, interactive pre-routing can be applied with stricter requirements. The input and output ends should not be placed adjacent to each other in parallel, as this can cause reflection interference. If necessary, ground wires should be added for isolation, and the routing on adjacent layers should be perpendicular to minimize parasitic coupling that often occurs in parallel traces.
1. Common mistakes in PCB schematics:
(1) Missing signal connection to the pin in the ERC report:
Certainly! Here’s a refined version of your article with minimal changes to enhance clarity, maintain technical accuracy, and preserve the original meaning and style:
—
**b.** Inconsistent grid attributes are modified when components are created or placed, causing pins and wires to remain unconnected.
**c.** When creating the component, the pin direction is reversed, and the non-pin name end must be connected.
**(2)** The component extends beyond the drawing boundary: no component was created at the center of the component library’s diagram.
**(3)** The network table in the generated project file can only be partially imported into the PCB: global was not selected when generating the netlist.
**(4)** When using multi-part components created by yourself, avoid using the annotate feature.
**2. Common PCB Errors:**
**(1)** NODE not found when loading the netlist:
**a.** The components in the original PCB design use packages that are not present in the PCB library.
**b.** The components in the schematic use package names that are inconsistent with those in the PCB library.
**c.** The components in the schematic use packages with mismatched pin numbers in the PCB library. For example, a transistor: in the schematic, the pins are labeled as E, B, C, but in the PCB, the pin numbers are 1, 2, 3.
**(2)** Unable to print everything on one page:
**a.** The PCB library was not created at the origin.
**b.** Components have been moved and rotated multiple times, leaving hidden objects outside the PCB boundary. To fix this, enable the option to show all hidden objects, reduce the size of the PCB, and then reposition the objects within the boundary.
**(3)** The DRC report indicates that the network is split into multiple parts:
This suggests that the network is not properly connected. Refer to the report file and use the CONNECTEDCOPPER command to locate the issue.
Additionally, it is recommended to use Windows 2000 to minimize the chances of encountering a blue screen. To reduce file size and prevent Protel from freezing, export the design several times to create a new DDB file. When working on more complex designs, avoid relying too heavily on automatic routing.
In PCB design, routing is a crucial step in finalizing the product design. It could be said that all previous preparations lead up to this stage. Routing is often the most constrained part of the entire PCB design process; it demands the highest skill level, requires the most effort, and involves the greatest workload. PCB routing includes single-sided, double-sided, and multi-layer routing.
There are two primary methods of routing: automatic routing and interactive routing. Before using automatic routing, interactive pre-routing can be applied with stricter requirements. The input and output ends should not be placed adjacent to each other in parallel, as this can cause reflection interference. If necessary, ground wires should be added for isolation, and the routing on adjacent layers should be perpendicular to minimize parasitic coupling that often occurs in parallel traces.
