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Purdue ECE477 Tutorial Series: PADS Layout Tips and Tricks

Introduction:
The PADS electronic design automation (EDA) toolsuite from Mentor Graphics is one of the
primary options for ECE477 students for designing their schematics and printed circuit boards
(PCBs). The designers and software engineers at Mentor Graphics created PADS with a certain
user interaction paradigm in mind, and as such certain things are easy to do in PADS while other
things are considerably more difficult. Students struggle with certain tasks in PADS, and the
purpose of this document is to help provide a series of tips and tricks for tasks that students
have historically found difficult in PADS Layout.


There are a series of sections in this document, which are as follows:
1.0 Units in PADS (metric, mils, and inches)
1.1 Changing the Design Grid Size/Spacing
2.0 Quickly selecting/deselecting objects in PADS
3.0 Changing via sizes, shapes, and drill sizes
4.0 Manually routing and unrouting traces
5.0 Ground Planes
6.0 Changing the Board Shape
7.0 Silkscreen Images

The contents of this tutorial are maintained by the Purdue ECE477 course staff. If there is an
issue with viewing this tutorial or error with the technical contents of the tutorial, please
contact the Purdue course staff and let them know. Your team members and fellow classmates
will thank you.

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1.0. Units in PADS (metric, mils, and inches)

For PCB layout and design, there are 3 schools of thought. Historically, many American
companies utilized English or imperial units, and so for legacy reasons many circuit boards and
components are measured in inches. Many non-American companies use the metric system,
and apply the same standard for units of measure on their circuit boards, offering
measurements in milimeters. Still others use the mil, an English unit that is equivalent to
1/1000th of an inch. When doing layout in PADS you may be required to switch between
measurement systems for various aspects of your layout design.

At all times, your position on the grid, as well as the active measurement system, are displayed
in the lower right corner of the PADS Layout window, as shown in figure 1.0.1.

Fig. 1.0.1: PADS Layout Measurement Units

To change the measurement system, go to Tools -> Options (Ctrl + Enter). A window will show
up, as shown in figure 1.0.2.

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Fig. 1.0.2. Layout Options Global Tab

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In the PADS Layout Options window, select the Global tab, then select the unit measurement
system in the Design units field. Notice how changing the measurement unit updates the
measurement unit that is displayed in the lower right corner of the main PADS Layout window.

1.1. Changing the Grid Size/Spacing
With the Options window open (Ctrl + Enter), navigate to the Grids tab, as shown in figure
1.1.1.

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Fig. 1.1.1. Layout Options Grids Tab

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From here, you can set the following grids:
Design grid: Grid controlling the minimum snap distance for the pointer when editing.
Via grid: Grid controlling the minimum distance between vias.
Fanout grid: Grid controlling the placement of fanout vias.
Display grid: Visible dot grid (set X and Y to 0 to make the grid invisible)
Hatch grid: Grid controlling the distance between copper hatchlines for copper pours
and plane areas.

It is important to remember that whatever numbers you enter for the grid spacings will be in
the currently active measurement units. For setting measurement units, see section 1.0.

2.0. Quickly Selecting/Deselecting Objects in PADS

The ability to quickly select objects in PADS is a valuable time-saving trick when laying
out your boards. To select objects in PADS, right click on a blank area of the workspace in the
main window when no tools are selected. (If a tool is in use, simply click on its icon again to
deactivate it). This will bring up a menu as shown in figure 2.0.1.

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3.0.

4.0.

5.0.

6.0.

7.0.

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Fig. 2.0.1 PADS Selection Option

The following meanings of the various options are described below:

Changing via Properties

Manually Routing/Unrouting in PADS Layout

Ground Planes
Changing the Board Shape
Silkscreen Images