- #HOW TO CONVERT PCAD 2001 TO ORCAD 16 SOFTWARE#
- #HOW TO CONVERT PCAD 2001 TO ORCAD 16 PC#
- #HOW TO CONVERT PCAD 2001 TO ORCAD 16 PLUS#
- #HOW TO CONVERT PCAD 2001 TO ORCAD 16 PROFESSIONAL#
- #HOW TO CONVERT PCAD 2001 TO ORCAD 16 FREE#
I generally work on 'D' size sheets but print to 'B' size. In the default setting form, OrCAD 10 schematics look terrible. I've had to custom tailor the schematic symbols and font sizes to my liking and that has taken considerable time and practice. I was introduced to OrCAD 10, nine years ago and I have used it ever since. Until we can find an alternate solution, still the biggest expense for low volume assemblies is the bare PCB! Although these do not meet the high standards of Sunstone, they have been satisfactory for prototyping purposes. Very good people to work with and excellent quality boards.įor lower cost prototypes and production, if you don't mind production in China, two houses are iTeadStudio ( ) for protyping and low volume and PCBCart ( ) for production. Once you get used to it, it produces reasonable BOMs with little difficulty.įor most of my work, I've used Sunstone. I've had no problems adding components as needed. It comes with a fairly good (but somewhat outadted) library.
#HOW TO CONVERT PCAD 2001 TO ORCAD 16 SOFTWARE#
As with all new software there's a learning curve, but EAGLE's was not difficult. Meanwhile EAGLE has been able to do everything I've asked of it and produced very good boards – from 1 through 6 layers. Although Altium is very good, I can't justify the cost for the type of jobs I do. OSHpark and Pentalogix boards are fabricated in USA (unless that changed)… I've had good experiences with both Pentalogix and BatchPCB, I'm going to try OSHpark next. (9.90$ + shipping for 10 copies of a two-layer board, 5cm*5cm max other prices available for bigger boards and 4-layer)
#HOW TO CONVERT PCAD 2001 TO ORCAD 16 PLUS#
(10$ setup plus 2.50$ per square inch for 2-layer, 8$ per square inch for 4-layer) I couldn't find cheaper prototypes for 6 layer boards when I searched last year. (“5 quick protos” service: amazingly fast, no tooling fee, and has the option of 2-, 4-, 6- and 8- layer boards. (5$ per square inch for three copies of a 2-layer board, no tooling fee, no shipping fee in the US for 4-layer boards, 10$ per square inch for three copies) On that subject, I feel it would be a good thing to link to PCB prototype services:
#HOW TO CONVERT PCAD 2001 TO ORCAD 16 PC#
Making a schematic is one thing, but getting PCBs fabricated is another thing, especially when you're working on a personal project as Brad says in the original article, “when the bank account allows it, order PC boards”. We'd especially like to hear from engineers who are doing their own board designs (professionally) after they've done the circuit design.
#HOW TO CONVERT PCAD 2001 TO ORCAD 16 FREE#
What do you like about them? What don't you like? Was it free or did you have to buy it? Cost? Would you buy it again? And do you have any special drafting tricks to make the task easier? I would like to hear from you on schematic capture programs you've used. Much of what I've seen does not produce the crisp schematics I'd like. I'm willing to lower my standards a bit for a home-use product.
#HOW TO CONVERT PCAD 2001 TO ORCAD 16 PROFESSIONAL#
Now, obviously, you would expect this from a schematic capture program designed for professional use and priced accordingly. I could do everything I've just described (and much more) with Viewdraw. Adding text labels in general is pretty handy. Adding text to the components and being able to edit the text (size and placement) is good. Still, it's nice to have a large library of components from which I can draw. If I follow through with a PC board, it will be several square inches in size. Just to put my design work in perspective, I am typically drawing a one- or two-page schematic. The component symbol must have all the attributes to make it work properly in the schematic and in the PC layout - for the occasions in which I follow through and get PC boards made. Finally, I like a schematic capture program that makes it quick and easy to create new components.
I like to be able to move and copy sections of the schematic easily. I like to line up components with one another to the extent possible. I dislike drawings with excessive jogs in the “wires.” I can't tolerate drawings where a number of connections are so close together (rather like a bus structure, but this is analog, so get off the bus ) that you can't trace from one end to the other. I have high standards when it comes to drafting. With Viewdraw, I could create extremely professional schematics. Part of the problem is that I'm spoiled - I used Viewdraw (now part of Mentor Graphics) at a previous job.
I am not entirely satisfied with the versions I've tried so far. Some were part of circuit simulation software (LTSpice, TINA-TI). Some were supplied as part of PC layout software (Express, Eagle). I've tried several different schematic capture packages. As an engineer who enjoys tinkering on various hobbyist projects, I have occasion to draw schematics and (when the bank account allows it) order PC boards.