[17.4] OrCAD PCB Walk-through: Design Rule Check

July 10, 2020

This OrCAD PCB Editor tutorial conducts a final design rule check (DRC) which is necessary to prepare the board for manufacturing. After you complete this tutorial, you will be able to: 

  • Run a Design Rule Check
  • Identify and correct DRC errors

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 6 or open the provided board file in the folder directory, PCB Walkthrough 7_DRC.   

  1. In the Design Workflow, select Utilities > Display Status.

  1. Select Update DRC.

Note: There are no DRC errors for the design. For the purpose of this tutorial, we will create and resolve a DRC error.

  1. Close the Display Status Window.
  2. Select Edit > Change Objects from the menu.

  1. In the Options tab, select Line width and add a value of 0.381.

  1. Select a trace from IC1.
  2. Right click and select Done.
  3. In the Design Workflow, select Utilities > Display Status.

  1. Click the yellow button next to DRC errors to view the DRC report.
  2. Select the coordinate to be brought to the location on the PCB or look at the PCB for the DRC marker.

  1. Mouse over the DRC error for additional information.
  2. Close the Display Status Window.
  3. In the Design Workflow, select Utilities > DRC Browser.

Note: Here you can view all the DRC errors on the board and browse by category. Select the coordinates to be brought to the location on the PCB.

  1. Close the DRC Browser.
  2. Select Edit > Change Objects from the menu.

  1. In the Options tab, change the Line width back to 0.28.
  2. Click the trace with the DRC Error.
  3. Right Click and select Done.

Note: The DRC error is resolved and the marker is removed.

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