• Converting the Schematic to PCB Layout
• Design Rule Check
• In-App PCB Ordering

PCB Artist™ makes it extremely easy to “translate” your PCB Schematic to your PCB layout.  Simply click on PCB Artist™’s Tool Menu and select the Schematic <–> PCB option in the dropdown.  Then, hover over to Translate To PCB.  A shortcut to this would be to hit Ctrl+P.  This will display the PCB Wizard; The wizard allows you to use a set of dialogs which you step through in sequence to define aspects of your design in the PCB design editor.

Once you have converted the Schematic to PCB have your components placed automatically, you are ready to begin the Routing process.  The design can be routed manually or automatically. This is the process of converting the electrical point-to-point connections into physical copper tracks or traces.  Choosing the Autoroute option can save many hours of work for printed circuit board designs that are dense and instead can be completed within minutes using the software’s automated features.

To use PCB Artist™’s Autorouter, simply go to the Tools Menu at the top go the screen and select Auto Route Nets and select All Nets.  You may choose to leave the default settings as they are or adjust them to fit your PCB design needs; then, hit Route and a dialog box will display the results of the Autorouter data once completed.  The PCB design can be Un-Routed and it can also be completely routed manually.

PCB Design Rule Check

It is very important to run a Design Rule Check before sending your PCB design files to the manufacturer for production.  Doing so can save you headaches over production delays, PCB functionality issues, and of course, money.  PCB Artist™ can make the necessary checks to ensure your PCB design is free of design rule errors.

To begin to check for possible errors, simply select the Design Rule Check from the Tools Menu.  The tool will prompt you to select or unselect the different areas it can look for issues such as Spacing, Nets, Silkscreen Overlap, and Manufacturing Issues.  You can leave the defaults or be as selective as you need before running the check.  Once the check has been completed, you can locate the DRC error markers in the Interaction Bar where each error is displayed.

Manufacturing Your PCB Design

Sending your PCB design to Advanced Circuits can be done quickly and easily within the PCB Artist™ software.  Making sure all necessary files and checks are ready to send over to the manufacturer can sometimes be a bit complicated, but when you use the PCB Artist™ design software, this final step is a simple one.

To package your PCB design and place the order with Advanced Circuits, click on the Submit Order button at the top of the screen or under the Output option.  The Submit Order dialog will appear to indicate your PCB order information and manufacturing options.  Click on the Place Order button at the bottom of the dialog box to be taken directly to our website where you can finish the order and payment process.

For more information about Advanced Circuits’ PCB artist, please contact the dedicated support line at 1-800-979-4722 x.1025.  For more detailed tutorials, frequently asked questions, and guides, click here.

In this two part post, we will discuss the basics of creating a printed circuit board design using PCB Artist™ in the following sequence:

Circuit Board Design Part 1

• PCB Artist™ Design Toolbar and Menu Introduction
• PCB Schematic Design
• Adding PCB Components

Circuit Board Design Part 2

• Converting the Schematic to PCB Layout
• Design Rule Check
• In-App PCB Ordering

PCB Artist Design Toolbars and Menus

PCB Artist™’s professional-grade features make it easy to design your first or your next printed circuit board with intuitive toolbars and menus.  Below, we identify the design software’s most common tools and menus:

Start PCB Design in Layout Mode or Schematic Design Mode

PCB Artist allows the users to begin the PCB design process in PCB layout mode or in schematic design mode.  In this post, we will start our printed circuit board design process in schematic design mode.  First, the user will need to start the PCB Artist™ software and click on File>New or hit Ctrl+N once the software is up and running.  Then, select the New Schematic Design option and click on Use Template to get started quicker in the New Design Window.

Once you clock Ok PCB Artist™ will open a blank window with the Schematic Design Toolbar prominently displayed on the left hand side of the screen.

Let’s begin by adding components to the PCB Artist™’s Schematic Design area which for now should look like a blank canvas.  When the Schematic Design option was selected, PCB Artist™’s Interaction Bar should be displayed; Select the Add Component browser at the bottom of the Interaction Bar and select the Component Library from the All Libraries list.  When the appropriate Component Library has been selected, continue to find the component symbols needed for your Schematic and click the Add Component button.

Before connecting the components, you can move the components you have placed by simply clicking and drawing with your mouse.  Components can be rotated during move by clicking the “R” key. A single click of the “R” key will rotate the component by 90 degrees. Click “R” more than once to rotate it by another 90 degrees and so on.  Note that the components can also be moved after they have been connected.

After you have moved the components to the necessary location per your design requirements, the next step is to connect them.  Connections are added to the Schematic design to make connectivity between electrical pins.  When translated to the PCB design, these connections give you the circuit board design’s Net List.

An easy way to connect the components is to add connections by dragging off pins.  Each click of the mouse after dragging will create a corner to the connection and moving the mouse to another electrical pin will allow you to finish the connection.

Once this is done, Power and Ground symbols can be added.  Power and ground symbols are used in the Schematic to indicate a connection to a power source. These symbols are required for aesthetic purposes and are not translated to the PCB (because they do not have PCB footprints associated with them).

Now that your PCB design Schematic is finished, you are ready to move on to the next stage which is to convert the Schematic design into the actual PCB layout.  As we mentioned before, it is not necessary to begin your PCB layout process in the Schematic mode since PCB Artist™ allows you to begin the PCB design in PCB layout mode as well.  In the second part to this blog post, we will convert the Schematic to the PCB layout environment of PCB Artist™.

Advanced Circuits’ own PCB design software, PCB Artist™ is a professional-grade tool that helps electronic design engineers accelerate the PCB layout process with an easy to use interface.  PCB Artist™ users enjoy the benefits of advanced features without paying the high price tag that come with similar PCB layout tools.  Our PCB Artist™ software does not require a subscription of any kind and all PCB design features are 100% unrestricted with no pay-walls or fees.

Build Faster with Quote, Layout, Parts, and Ordering Within The PCB Design Software

Advanced Circuits’ PCB Artist™ software was made to be the tool of choice to create printed circuit boards quickly without compromising on capability.  The PCB design software comes with a built-in quoting matrix that allows you to input your board specifications like size, number of conductive layers, plating finish desired and more to obtain a quote from Advanced Circuits instantly.  Once you are ready to plan your printed circuit board design, you can use the layout software’s Multi-sheet Schematics, a huge library of over 500,000 parts ready to use for your PCB design.  The built-in component library is also free to use and contains up-to-date footprints, symbols, and component specs all in one easy-to-access location.

Quickly Export Files For Production From The PCB Design Software

Since PCB Artist™ is backed by a leading printed circuit board manufacturer, the process to export your PCB design files for fabrication is a very simple and seamless one.  Within the software, you are able to begin your PCB manufacturing order with Advanced Circuits by following the prompts and selecting your desired ordering options.  The last steps packages all the necessary data to accurately manufacture your printed circuit board into a single .zip file for your Advanced Circuits order.

What about Gerber files?  PCB Artist™’s in-app ordering system takes care of packaging the files quickly and easily to place your printed circuit board order with Advanced Circuits, but you can also receive your circuit board design files in the industry standard Gerber format.  Once you have placed your circuit board order with Advanced Circuits, you can request your printed circuit board’s Gerber files at not cost.

To learn more about Advanced Circuits’ free PCB design tools and services, please contact your Advanced Circuits Sales Representative or call 1-800-979-4722.

Why Start With Prototype Assembly?

Some design engineers choose to go straight to production after designing and manufacturing a PCB; this, however, is not wise. There are many issues that may arise in the many stages of fabrication, assembly, and testing. Here is why it is important to start with low quantity prototype assembly:

• Cost – Prototype assembly of your first prototypes can lead you to discover ways to reduce costs in manufacturing and assembly of your circuit board; plus, mass producing a design with flaws can cost a fortune.
• Discover Design Flaws – PCB prototypes may help you discover design flaws that can be corrected before your production run.
• Proper Testing – Testing ensures proper functioning of your PCB design and reduces the risk of errors prior to production.

How to Choose a PCB Prototype Assembler

Before embarking on the design and production of a PCB prototype, it is crucial to select the right prototype assembly partner. Here are important questions to make the proper selection:

• Does the PCB assembler internally manufacture the bare printed circuit board?
• Will all or some parts of the manufacturing be sub-contracted to third-party?
• Does the PCB assembler have technical experience and capabilities for your circuit board design requirements?
• Does the assembler have direct and prompt access materials and components needed?
• Can the PCB prototype assembler produce the pieces by the required timeline?

What Information is Essential for a PCB Assembly Order

Prior to a PCB prototype assembler beginning a new project, the majority will require this relevant information:

• Amount of prototypes needed
• PCB Gerber files
• Bill of Material (BOM) detailing all components
• Precise timeline of prototype turn-around

After receipt of the necessary information, assemblers can review the material and determine if they can properly meet the deadlines and specific execution of the PCB prototype.  For a complete list of PCB assembly requirements from Advanced Circuits, click here.

Due to the fast-paced technological advancements of today’s world, many PC boards are designed with a very compact layout and require higher functionality and performance standards.  In order to achieve optimum PC broad performance and quality, a careful review of the circuit board design must be done to ensure it meets the minimum manufacturing requirements as well as verifying that the manufacturer has the precision capabilities, industry certifications, and qualifications required.

PC Board Quality Starts with its Design

Our PC board Tolerance Guidelines are accessible online and make it easy for design engineers to adhere to the required tolerances and specifications for a smooth PCB ordering and fabrication process.  Every PC board design submitted to Advanced Circuits receives a detailed review by our CAM engineers prior to production to ensure all minimum design requirements are met.

We also provide free tools to ensure your PC board design is ready for manufacturing and meets the requirements to produce quality boards.  Simply upload your circuit board design’s Gerber files to our FreeDFM online tool to perform an automated review prior to placing your order.  Within minutes, you will receive a graphical report that includes any possible manufacturability issues found in your PC board design that will cause a production hold.  The FreeDFM report will also highlight any design elements that do not meet our manufacturing and tolerance requirements but will be Automatically Fixed by our CAM engineers before production.

PC Board Fabrication Capabilities

Advanced Circuits offers expanded capabilities and certifications to meet rigorous design requirements.  Our PC board fabrication capabilities include:

• Stacked Microvias
• Blind & Buried Vias
• Laser Drilled Microvias
• Up to 40 layers
• Laser Direct Imaging (LDI)
• .00275″ Trace/Space
• Down to .3mm Pitch
• Air Pockets Between Layers
• Heavy Copper (up to 20 oz.)
• Via-in-Pad
• Multilayer RF Designs (up to 8 layers)
• Cavity Boards
• Oversized Boards (up to 37″ x 120″)

Click here to download our full list of PC board fabrication capabilities [PDF].

For more information about our printed circuit board manufacturing capabilities, ordering process and services, please contact your Sales Representative or call us at 1-800-979-4722.

FreeDFM is our free online software that identifies possible manufacturability issues in your design by simply uploading your Gerber files to our online portal.  Within minutes, you will receive a free graphical report of any issues found via email and you will also receive a discount code for up to $100 off your next circuit board order.

PCB Artist is another great tool that Advanced Circuits offers that is absolutely free.  PCB Artist is our professional-grade printed circuit design software that was developed to make it easy for customers to create their design and submit it to us directly from the software for production.  Click here to learn more about our printed circuit board design software and download the complete software package.

The quick tips below may help make your printed circuit board design process easier and help you save on costs associated with fabrication and PCB assembly.

Become Familiar With The Manufacturer’s Printed Circuit Board Design Specifications & Requirements

Manufacturers have specific requirements regarding trace spacing/width, layers count, internal/external copper weight, among many other specifications and requirements for the fabrication of your printed circuit board design. Checking the manufacturer’s website will be a great place to start since you can access most of the necessary guidance and resources online.  Advanced Circuits makes it easy to find all the information you need online and our live support team is always available to guide you through this process.  A quick way to get started is to check our Standard & Custom Spec chart for a glance at our capabilities and services.  You can also download a PDF copy of our complete capabilities list here.

When Possible, Keep Your Components On The Top Side Of Your Printed Circuit Board Design

If it is possible, having the components on one side of the printed circuit board may help you save on costs, especially during the PCB assembly process.  Try to always leave at least 100 mils between components and the printed circuit board edge and begin by placing components that require a specific location first. Also, when you add components, you should consider using the snap to grid option in your PCB design software and space the components evenly horizontally and vertically avoiding component orientations that are not 0 or 90 degrees. If you’re looking for a good value, staying within a minimum of a 5mil trace/space will be best.

Integrating Signal Traces In Your Printed Circuit Board Design

Be sure to make the signal traces as direct and short as possible on your printed circuit board design. You can use vias to move signals in between layers. A good practice is to lay out the board with horizontal traces on one side and vertical traces on the other. Your signal trace width can be smaller in general, ideally you want to have a trace width for signal traces of 6-10 mils.

Avoid 90 Degree Trace Angles In Your Printed Circuit Board Design

The reason why these are problematic is that their outer side has a greater potential to be etched narrower when compared to the regular trace width. As time goes by, this could lead to shorts. You should consider replacing these with 45-degree angles instead to deliver the same results you need without any of the downside.

For more tips and helpful resources, please visit our PCB Engineering & CAM Resources page on our website.  There you will find more in-depth information about our capabilities, tolerances, CAM procedures, stack-ups/controlled impedance, and more.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our support team via email or by calling 1-800-979-4722.

Using the industry leader’s PCB design software comes with its perks.  PCB Artist users enjoy live technical support and integrated PCB manufacturing quoting for instant pricing within the software.

Unrestricted & Free PCB Design Software

Advanced Circuits’ PCB Artist is truly unrestricted and packed with powerful features.  While some free software may limit features with options to purchase or with paid subscriptions, PCB Artist allows its users full access to all features, giving the user more freedom to create printed circuit boards to meet their requirements.  Once the PCB design is completed, the software makes it easy to place an order for manufacturing with Advanced Circuits directly through the application; this takes away the uncertainties that come along with exporting the required files from EDA packages that manufacturers may not support.

PCB Artist Features

The professional-grade features that our free PCB design software offers include:

• Free component library of over 500k parts
• Create up to 28 layer boards
• Part Creation Wizard (Easy custom symbol/part/footprint creation)
• Multi-page Schematic
• Controlled Autorouter
• Native Eagle Import
• Components/BOM/Positions CSV Export
• Moved Component Tracks Stay Connected
• Free Gerber files upon request after first order

Click here to download the unlimited software package and contact our PCB Artist live tech support (8:00am – 5:30pm MST) 1-800-979-4722 x.1025 or email Layouthelp@4pcb.com with any questions.

Advanced Circuits is the leading one-stop shop for full-service PCB manufacturing and quickturn, prototype quantity PCB assembly under one roof.  Since 1989 the company has grown to become the third largest PCB manufacturer in North America by offering the industry’s best on-time shipping record, the largest support team, expanded capabilities, and quickturn PCB manufacturing options.

Advanced Circuits Meets All Your PCB Manufacturing Requirements

There are many reasons why more OEM design engineers work with Advanced Circuits than any other PCB manufacturer in North America.

Our “one-stop shop” approach goes beyond PCB and Assembly under one roof, we go the extra mile to ensure all your PCB needs are covered; from the design stage with powerful design tools and support to the final stages of production with the industry’s best on-time shipping record.

PCB Design

To help design engineers with the PCB design stage, we offer our completely free and highly capable PCB Artist layout software with an extensive component library of over 500,000 parts to make the design process easy.  The fully downloadable software does not require a subscription and does not limit its design capabilities or features in any way.  When you are ready to order, the software easily integrates with our systems so you can avoid complicated file exporting procedures and know that the PCB Artist will provide all the information needed for manufacturing your printed circuit boards with Advanced Circuits.

Gerber File Check for PCB Manufacturing

Anyone who has Gerber files ready and would like to run a final manufacturability check to ensure the PCB manufacturing process will be smooth and ensure all requirements are met prior to purchasing can use our FreeDFM check tool.  Advanced Circuits provides this free tool to everyone at no cost and without obligation or purchase requirements so that users receive an automated detailed report of any issues found in the PCB design prior to ordering.  Along with the report, FreeDFM also sends a PCB manufacturing quote with a discount code for up to $100 off your order.  FreeDFM allows users to save money on their order and it also saves you time by being able to identify and fix any issues that otherwise would have caused the order to be placed on CAM Hold.

PCB Manufacturing with Hands-On Support

Advanced Circuits’ customers can rely on the industry’s largest support team before, during, and after production.  When you call us, your call is directed to your regional sales team who will work closely with you through each step of the process.  Once your order is placed, our experienced CAM engineers manually inspect each and every file provided to ensure a worry-free production process.

Quickturn PCB Manufacturing as Fast as Same Day

We offer comprehensive turntimes for PCB manufacturing to accommodate your specific needs.  For orders where cost is more important than the delivery date, we can offer 1 to 4 week turns which reduces the cost of the order.  For time-sensitive orders, we are able to offer same day turns to 5 day turns and weekend turns are also available for qualified orders for Saturday morning shipping.  To compare turntimes and cost, log-in to get an Instant Quote.

 In-House Prototype Assembly

Advanced Circuits makes turnkey PCB prototyping easy with our own state-of-the-art PCB assembly department located alongside our bare board manufacturing, under the same roof.  We maintain full control of the entire process so you don’t have to manage multiple vendors and lose days in transit from one vendor to the next. When you choose Advanced Circuits, you can be sure that your PCBs flow directly into our in-house Assembly Department to begin assembly without delay.

Your PCB Manufacturing Partner

Advanced Circuits is your PCB manufacturing partner and you can count on us at every step of the process.  Rely on the impeccable quality, outstanding service, and trusted reliability that only Advanced Circuits can provide.

• S. based manufacturer
• Best on-time shipping record
• Expanded capabilities
• 24 hr. live tech support
• No min. order requirements
• Same day & weekend expedites
• Flight & space approved supplier
• Free PCB design tools
• On-site IPC certified trainers
• High-reliability focus

To learn more about our services and PCB manufacturing capabilities, click here to contact your Regional Sales Representative or click here to download our company presentation.

Expanded Capabilities Include Multilayer PCBs Up to 40 Layers

Advanced Circuits is able to meet the demand for the increased layer count of conventional circuit boards.  Multilayer PCB designs allow the engineer to create more powerful boards while at the same time shrink the overall size of the PCB.  To meet the demand for higher layer counts and more advanced PCB technologies, Advanced Circuits has invested heavily in strategic acquisitions and in state-of-the-art equipment which has allowed the company to offer the medical, aerospace and defense, industrial, and many other industries advanced PCB capabilities to meet their needs.  Learn more 〉

Prepreg Thickness Chart for Multilayer PCB Lamination

Prepreg is the material used in the multilayer PCB lamination process – a woven glass cloth with epoxy resin.

The chart below provides the thickness for a single ply (sheet) of each style of Pre-Preg after processing. These are grouped by the weight and type of the internal conductor layer (typical signal and plane layers) that they will be adjacent to (columns A-F).  Those that are adjacent to the top and bottom copper layers will use the column designated for these (column G) regardless of the layer type.  All plies that are not directly against a conductor layer (use for situations with more than 2 plies in an opening) will use the additional plies values (column H).  These values are based on a minimum of 2 plies of pre-preg per opening between foil and cores or between cores.

This thickness guide is provided as a guide only. The actual thickness will be affected by the copper distribution within the design as well as within the production panels. Learn more 〉

Other Advanced Capabilities

• Multilayer RF Designs Up to 8 Layers
• Heavy Copper Up to 20 oz.
• Oversized Boards Up to 37″ x 120″
• Laser Direct Imaging (LDI)
• Laser Drilled Microvias (HDI)
• Stacked Microvias
• Cavity Boards
• Via-in-Pad
• Air Pockets Between Layers
• Blind & Buried Vias
• Buried Chip Resistors
• .00275″ Trace/Space
• Down to .3mm Pitch
• Laminate options for high temp., low loss and lead-free materials

See full list of Advanced Circuits PCB Capabilities.

Highly Capable PCB Design Software with Popular User-Friendly Interface

The circuit board design software has gained its popularity because its user interface is very intuitive and easy to learn for first-time users.  Since its first release on Downloads.com, the software has been downloaded over 265 thousand times – making it the most active circuit board design software on the third-party site.  Another reason PCB Artist™ is widely used among makers, hobbyists, and professional electronic/hardware design engineers is because it is highly capable and without the high price tag of other professional design software.  The software has evolved and has been improved upon to offer more and more complex features for advanced layouts with comprehensive tools while maintaining a user-friendly interface.

“Found AC searching for ‘Free Software’ and found PCBArtist. Soooooo much better than PCB123.”Read more

A Huge Library of Over 500,000 Parts Makes Circuit Board Design Easy

One key feature that you may not find included in many free circuit board design software available is a large parts library – especially loaded with hard-to-find parts.  The parts library is integrated in the software and allows users to import the component specifications to their design and a recent update allows users to place their components even quicker by right-clicking and using the “Fetch Component” feature to place the component directly on the current cursor position.

Fully Supported Circuit Board Design Software with “Live” Technical Support

Many of the free PCB design software available online are to be “used at your own risk”…meaning that there is not much support available when needed.  Some do have extensive “user-generated” help pages and forums that you can dig through to see if other have encountered a similar issue to yours, but that is as far as it goes.  The advantage of using a circuit board design software powered by Advanced Circuits™ is that we provide dedicated “Live” Technical Support for our software and also have created tutorial videos and instruction manuals to get you started quickly.  If an issue is ever encountered with our PCB Artist™ design software, we encourage you to give our PCB Artist™ Live Tech Support a call at 1-800-979-4722 x.1025 or email layouthelp@4pcb.com.

Click here to download PCB Artist™ »

FreeDFM™ Gerber File Check – Check your design files prior to ordering »

You may also be interested in our press release:  Advanced Circuits Releases Upgrades to PCB Artist »