Designing With OrCAD
Chapter 1: Schematic Capture
Introduction
Just downloaded OrCAD® trial? New to OrCAD? These videos are for you! This guide will take you step by step, through starting your design with OrCAD, from schematic to PCB layout.
What You Will Need
Download File Sample file to practice with (ZIP)
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0. Using this tutorial
Quick video showing you how to use this OrCAD tutorial.
1. Start a New Schematic Project
Create a new schematic project in OrCAD Capture, set preferences for the schematic design canvas, add a title block and create a new library for the design.
2. Add Libraries and Parts
Set up your library by adding parts from an existing Capture default library or create a new part from scratch.; You can also subscribe to Ultra Librarian to download from millions of pre-built components.
3. Search and Place Parts
Search and place parts to the design from Cadence default libraries and the library you have created.
4. Connect Parts
Place wires to connect components in your design, place and connect buses and learn the basics of autowire.
5. Name Nets
Set aliases to nets and buses, which will be very useful for the layout process.
6. Define Differential Pairs
Differential pairs can be defined in both the schematic capture phase in OrCAD Capture and the PCB layout phase in OrCAD PCB Editor.
7. Assign Part Information to the Design
Discover multiple ways to assign value and change properties of components.
8. Annotating Your Design
Performing an annotation chronologically renumbers the part references in your schematic design from top to bottom to ensure each component is uniquely defined. You can choose to annotate your entire design automatically or only partially annotate the components in your design.
9. Perform a Schematic DRC
It is always a good idea to run a Design Rule Check (DRC) before generating a netlist. The schematic DRC will check your design for design rule violations and place error markers on your schematic design. Select the rules you would like to check and generate a DRC report.
10. Generate BOM (Bill of Materials)
Add manufacturers and parts information to properties of parts, fill in the parts information from manufactures, and generate and view bill of materials (BOM).
11. Generate a Smart PDF
Create smart PDF so that you can view and share your schematic in a PDF reader with descendible hierarchies and component links without worrying about losing your design IP.
You Have Completed the Schematic Tutorial
Please feel free to use this as a reference going forward