Ultiboard PCB Design Tutorial

Introduction

Ultiboard is a printed circuit board (PCB) design software from Mentor Graphics that provides schematic capture and PCB layout tools for professionals. This tutorial will guide you through the basic workflow and features of Ultiboard to create a simple board design.

Creating a New Project

To start a new design in Ultiboard:

1. Launch the Ultiboard software.
2. In the startup screen, select “New Project”.
3. In the New Project dialog box:
   • Set Project Type to “PCB Project”
   • Enter a Project Name
   • Set the Project Location
   • Leave Template set to “None”
4. Click OK to create the project.

A new project will be created with empty Schematic and PCB documents ready for design.

Building the Schematic

With a project started, we can now build a schematic:

1. In the Project Manager, double click the Schematic document to open it.
2. Select Place->Component and browse the component library.
3. Select the components needed for your circuit and place them on the schematic sheet.
4. Use the Wire tool to connect pins between components.
5. Right click to access the Properties menu for each component and enter values.
6. Repeat steps 2-5 until the schematic is complete.
7. Select Project->Generate Netlist to export the netlist for PCB layout.

After generating the netlist, we are ready to work on the board layout.

Creating the PCB Board Outline

To setup the blank PCB document:

1. Double click the PCB document to open it.
2. Select File->Import Netlist and select the netlist file. This will import components.
3. Choose the Board Outline tool and draw a rectangular board boundary.
4. Set board size in the Properties panel, such as 6 x 4 inches.
5. Click the Layer Setup button to create board layers as needed.

The blank PCB canvas is now ready for placement and routing.

Placing Components

To arrange components on the board:

1. Select Place->Component and browse library for needed component packages.
2. Select a component package and place it onto the PCB canvas.
3. The Source View window will appear. Select the desired schematic component to associate with the placed package.
4. Repeat to place additional components. Use the Move tool as needed reposition them.
5. Right click and choose Rotate if components need to be reoriented.

Proper component placement is key for an optimized PCB layout. Take time to arrange parts for efficient routing and design.

Routing the PCB

To connect components with copper traces:

1. Select the Route->Auto Route tool to have the software automatically route connections based on the netlist.
2. Clean up the routing using the Route->Interactive Route tool to manually fix traces.
3. Delete and redraw traces as required to optimize the layout.
4. Use the Route->Route Keepout tool to block areas from auto routing.
5. Change layers using the Layer Manager during routing to transition between layers.

Review all traces to verify the routing meets design rules and manufacturability requirements.

Adding Other Objects

Additional objects can be added to the PCB design:

• Text: Add reference designators, notes, labels, and other text using the Place->Text tool.
• Shapes: Draw arbitrary shapes on any layer with the Place->Shape tool.
• Holes: Place drill holes for standoffs and mounting using the Place->Hole tool.
• Regions: Assign copper fills or complex shapes to a net with the Place->Region tool.
• Arcs: Draw curved traces with the Route->Interactive Arc tool.

Properly using PCB objects will improve manufacturability and enhance the design.

Running Design Rule Checks

To validate the PCB layout:

1. Select Tools->Design Rule Check to bring up theDesign Rules dialog.
2. Click the Rules tab to select which checks to run.
3. Click Start DRC to perform the design rule check.
4. Any errors will be listed in the Results tab.
5. Fix violations by editing the board and rerun the DRC.

Running design rules verifies the layout meets requirements for proper manufacturing.

Generating Manufacturing Outputs

To prepare fabrication and assembly data:

1. Select File->Fabrication Outputs->Gerber Files to generate Gerber files.
2. Select File->Fabrication Outputs -> Drill Files to generate drill drawing and data.
3. Select File->Assembly Outputs->Pick and Place Files for pick and place assembly files.
4. Save ODB++ or IPC-2581 database files using File->Export.
5. Zip the files and send to your board manufacturer.

Ultiboard streamlines generating the various outputs needed to fabricate and assemble your design.

Ultiboard PCB Design Tips

Here are some additional tips for efficiently working in Ultiboard:

• Use the Properties panel to modify settings like trace width and drill size.
• Reference the Layer Manager to control layer settings and visibility.
• Utilize the Component bins for easy access to library parts.
• Enable grid and snap options under Place->Snap to align objects.
• Import 3D STEP models to check component clearances.
• Use copy and paste to quickly duplicate sections of routing.
• Run Reports->BOM to generate a bill of materials table.
• Select objects and use the Teardrop tool to add rounded trace corners.
• Keep your work organized by creating design blocks and hierarchical sheets.

Learning shortcuts and advanced features will speed up the PCB design process in Ultiboard.

Ultiboard FQA

Below are some common questions on using Ultiboard for PCB design:

How is routing completion analyzed in Ultiboard?

Ultiboard uses a ratsnest display of all unrouted connections during layout. The ratsnest is updated dynamically as traces are placed. A fully routed board will have no remaining ratsnest lines.

What types of analysis tools are included in Ultiboard?

Ultiboard provides Signal Integrity tools like IBIS modeling, digital timing analysis, and 2D field solving. It also includes options for thermal analysis and power plane resonances.

What file formats does Ultiboard support for import and export?

Ultiboard supports industry standard formats including ODB++, GenCAD, DXF, DWG, STEP, and Gerber. Netlists can be imported from various EDA tools.

What is the Design Archive format in Ultiboard?

Split plane layers can be defined in the layer setup. The Plane Edits tools are then used to dynamically cut polygons and split the plane as needed during layout.

The proprietary Design Archive format bundles all project documents into a single file. This facilitates easy backup and portability between systems.

How are split power planes handled in Ultiboard?

Conclusion

This concludes our beginner tutorial on using Ultiboard PCB design software. The program provides extensive tools for efficiently authoring schematics and laying out boards. Additional help is available through the documentation and online training resources. With practice and experience, you will quickly become proficient at harnessing Ultiboard for all your printed circuit board design needs.

Ultiboard PCB Design Tutorial

The Ultiboard PCB Design is the PCB layout tool of Multisim. The National Instruments (NI) Ultiboard provides a powerful tool to layout PCB design and Multisim is the excellent solution for spice simulation of circuit designs. The Ultiboard is widely used by many professionals, hobbyists and students to help them convert their circuit design to PCB layout keeping in the same NI software environment. This will save time for transferring your design to other CAD tools and re-capturing the schematics and laying out PCB in different CAD tool.

Standard Tool Bar:

Starting from the left most to right.

• 1- The New file will create a new PCB file inside the project folder.
• 2- Open the new file when existing project is opened
• 3- Open the sample
• 4- Save
• 5- Print the layout
• 6- Cut
• 7- Copy
• 8- Paste
• 9- Undo
• 10- Redo
• 11- Redraw screen
• 12- Full screen View
• 13- Zoom in
• 14- Zoom out
• 15- Zoom Area and Zoom full (Brings the PCB layout screen at the center and fit to screen)

Starting from left most to right most.

• 1- Select
• 2- Design Tool Box located on the left panel
• 3- Spreadsheet View
• 4- Database Manager
• 5- Board Wizard
• 6- Part Wizard
• 7- From Database
• 8- Line
• 9- Follow me
• 10- Connection machine
• 11- Via
• 12- Polygon
• 13- Power Plane (Places the power plane on PCB)
• 14- DRC and netlist check (The design rule check (DRC) and netlist a connection scheme generated from transfer schematic to PCB layout)
• 15- Text
• 16- View 3D
• 17- Capture Screen Area
• 18- Help

The items highlighted above are need to be mentioned.

2- Design Tool Box

The design tool box shows the information about the PCB layers, like copper layer, PCB silk screen layer, keep out layer, solder mask layers and board outline. This also shows the assembly date like paste mask and glue mask. Also shows the mechanical layers and information about “Ratsnest” and DRC.

What is Ratsnest..?

The Ratsnest is the display of interconnection with straight lines between pads of components according to the netlist generated by Ultiboard. This Ratsnest is the connectivity display before the actual routing / traces is started.

3- Spreadsheet View:

The spreadsheet is the bottom window shown

The spreadsheet view is the detailed information about the PCB components list, nets, SMT and THT pads, vias, copper areas, keep out layer, copper layer, parts position and statistics. This also shows the component’s reference designator, value, footprint and trace clearance values.

The “parts” tab shows the details of the components on the bottom right corner as shown in the first figure of this article.

The “nets” tab shows / highlights different interconnection placement on the PCB. This is shown on the same bottom right corner as for parts.

The “SMT pad” shows the dimensions of pad size. The length and width along with trace clearance values

The “THT pad” shows the top pad shape, inner pad shape, bottom pad shape, annular ring size, pad diameter, drill diameter, trace clearance.

“Vias” tab shows pad diameter, drill diameter and trace clearance and solder mask status.

The “parts position” tab shows the position of each component in terms of X and Y coordinates.

The “statistics” tab shows the statistics of the PCB layout. This shows the information (total number) of the following

• 1- Total number of pins
• 2- Pins in a net
• 3- Not connect pins
• 4- Test pins
• 5- Jumpers
• 6- Total number of vias
• 7- Total number of connections
• 8- Un-routed connections
• 9- Completion percentage
• 10- Total number of parts and
• 11- Total number of nets

The units of measurement can be set among any one of the following options 1- nm 2- um 3- mm 4- mil 5- inch. The standard PCB units are either mil or mm. The drop down menu shows the layer type and select that layer to highlight. The copper layer drop down menu shows to select or de-select the particular layer and shows it as automatic.

4- Database Manager (From Database):

The database manager shows the parts available in National Instruments database. The “parts” panel shows the part number of the component selected from the “database” panel as per the selected category. The two main categories are Surface Mount (SMT) and Through Hole (THT). You can copy the selected part to the corporate or user database. Or you can make a new part from selected one.

The Filter on top, has five options. All types, CAD part, PCB part, Custom pad shape and net bridge.

The Show dimension button will enable the dimensions to be shown on the graphics window on right.

The dimensions are measure in units that can be selected from drop down menu on top right. Units are nm, um, mm, mil and inch. The zoom in and zoom out options are on top right and copy to clipboard option on top left.

5- Board Wizard (Multilayer):

The board wizard is used to define the shape, size, vias, layers and technology (Multilayer or single sided or double sided)

• 1- Go to Tools >> Board wizard. The Board Wizard – Board Technology dialog box appears.
• 2- Click Change the layer technology checkbox.
• 3- Select board technology and click Next
• 4- For Multilayer and Two sided board, define lamination settings
• 5- Select number of layer pairs
• 6- Select Blind and Buried vias
• 7- Select the layer combination which you allow in the design. This will be shown as acceptable layer combinations
• 8- Click Next and then finish

6- Board Wizard (Double Sided):

• 1- Go to Tools >> Board wizard. The Board Wizard – Board Technology dialog box appears.
• 2- Click Change the layer technology checkbox.
• 3- Select board technology and click Next
• 4- For Two sided but not multilayer, click next after defining lamination setting
• 5- Set the default measurement unit
• 6- Define board reference point
• 7- Define board shape and size
• 8- Define the default clearance
• 9- Click finish

7- Part Wizard:

The part wizard is a 7 step procedure used to create a new part. It defines, the footprint package of the component, its dimensions / size, number of pins, pads style, drill hole diameter and technology means SMT or THT.

Follow me:

It will place a follow me trace on PCB

Connection machine:

This is used to connect more than 2 pads at the same time. This is very fast way of interconnecting two pads.

View 3D:

The view 3D will generate a 3D view of the PCB layout showing CAD models or step models of the ICs and components used on PCB layout.