Virtual Workshop: Fanouts & Vias

Duration: 15 minutes| Version Required: 17.4

Time is of the essence when it comes to PCB Design. If you aren’t the first to market, your competitors surely will be. Fanouts and vias are simple in OrCAD with just one command and step. In addition, with OrCAD’s constraint-driven approach to fanouts and vias, you can be rest-assured they are done faster and correctly the first time.

This document is intended to provide step by step instructions on the capabilities of fanouts and vias in OrCAD PCB Designer Professional. For this workshop, download the design files and use the provided design, Fanout_Start.BRD, to follow along. To view the completed design, select Fanout_Finish.BRD.

1. Open the provided design, Fanout_Start.BRD, in OrCAD PCB Designer Professional.

2. Select the Setup > Application Mode > Placement Edit from the menu.

3. Select U1A1.

4. Click to place on PCB.

5. Select U1B5.

6. Click to place on PCB.

7. Select U4B1.

8. Click to place on PCB.

9. Select Setup > Application Mode > General Edit from the menu.

10. Select Route > Create Fanout.

11. In the Options Tab, select Outward for Via Direction.

Note: Outward allows vias to be placed on the outside of components.

12. In the Find Tab, check Symbols.

13. Select U4B1.

14. In the Options Tab, select In/Out for Via Direction.

Note: In/Out allows vias to be placed alternating inward and outward directions.

15. Select U4B1.

16. Select U8.

17. In the Options Tab, select Inward for Via Direction.

Note: Inward allows vias to be placed under a component.

18. Select U8.

19. In the Options Tab, select Via18-10-28_SMB for Via.

Note: Via padstacks in this list are those stored in the database that span the specified Start and End subclasses.

20. Select BGA Quadrant Style for Via Direction.

Note: BGA Quadrant Style is a default style in which vias are created for each pin in the direction away from the symbol center. Two unused channels remain (one vertical and one horizontal) that pass through the symbol center. By default, BGA’s fanout using 45-degree angles.

21. Set Pin-Via Space to Centered.

Note: Pin-Via Space specifies the distance from the edge of the pin-pad to the edge of the via-pad. Values default from the default constraint set.

22. Select U1A1 and U1B5 to apply the fanout.

23. In the Options Tab, select Net Default under Via.

Note: Selecting Net Default will ensure a via padstack uses the default net constraints defined in the Constraint Manager.

24. Select Via in Pad for Via Direction.

Note: Via in Pad centers a via at the pin location with no cline between the via and the pad.

25. Select U2A5.

26. In the Options Tab, select North for Via Direction.

27. Set the Pin-Via Space to 8.0.

28. Click and drag to select the capacitors to the left of U2A5.

29. Select Setup > Application Mode > Placement Edit from the menu.

30. Move the capacitors as needed. Click to select the capacitors and click to place.

Note: The symbol and fanout will move together. To rotate, right click and select rotate. You can also set a function key to rotate by entering a key on the keyboard. View the Bonus portion of this workshop for more information on assigning function keys.

 

 

 

 

Bonus: Assigning a shortcut to rotate components

Function keys can be used to perform commands quickly with the press of a button on the keyboard.

 

1. Select Display > Windows > Command from the menu.

 

2. To find a specific command, type scriptmode +e in the command window. Press Enter on the keyboard.

 

Note: This will display the command text for the actions performed in OrCAD PCB Designer in the command window.

3. Right Click on a component and select Rotate.

 

4. Rotate the component. Click to place.

5. View the Command Window to determine the corresponding command text.

 

 

6. In the Command Window, type Funckey r iangle 90. Press Enter on the keyboard.

 

 

7. Click to select a component. Press ‘r’ on the keyboard to rotate the component in 90 degree increments.

 

8. Click to place the component.

To assign commands for use in every PCB design and for more information assigning function keys, refer to our video: Assigning Function Keys. 

Making the most of your time is essential to stay one step ahead of your competitors. With OrCAD, fanouts and vias can be completed quickly and correctly. If you would like more tutorials, visit our walk-through page to view additional OrCAD and PSpice video tutorials and download design files.

 

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