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[17.4] OrCAD PCB Walk-through: Component Placement

July 10, 2020

This OrCAD PCB Editor tutorial demonstrates several different options for placing components on your PCB.  After you complete this tutorial, you will be able to:

  • Place components
  • Review a report that identifies unplaced components
  • Cross probe components between Capture and PCB Editor

If you would like to follow along with this tutorial, you can visit our walk-through page to view video tutorials and download design files .

To follow the instructions presented in this tutorial, continue using the design you completed in PCB Walkthrough 2 or open the provided board file in the folder directory, PCB Walkthrough 3_Component Placement.   

  1. Open the provided Complete Capture Tutorial.dsn file in OrCAD Capture and the pcb tutorial.brd in OrCAD PCB Designer Professional. Set up a split screen configuration.
  2. In OrCAD Capture, select Options > Preferences from the menu.

  1. In the Miscellaneous tab, check Enable Intertool Communication. Click OK.
  2. In OrCAD PCB Designer, select Placement > Manual from the Design Workflow.
  3. In OrCAD Capture, select IC1.
  4. Move the mouse to OrCAD PCB Designer.
  5. Click to place the footprint.
  6. Complete this process for the placement of JP1, JP2, and X1.

Note: To rotate a part during placement, right click and select Rotate.

  1. In OrCAD PCB Designer, close the placement window.
  2. In the Design Workflow, select Placement > Manual.

Note: The already placed components have been removed from the list.

  1. In the Placement window, select the box next to Components by refdes.

Note: This will select all the components left to place. 

  1. Click place the remaining components.
  2. Close the Placement Window when finished.
  3. In the Design Workflow, select Placement > Report.

Note: This will report any unplaced components. If any components need to be moved, select Setup > Application Mode > Placement Edit from the menu. Click a component and click to place.

  1. In OrCAD Capture, select a component to cross-probe.

Note: The selected component is shown in OrCAD PCB Designer.

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