Exporting Gerber files from Cadence PCB Editor
What is a Gerber file?
A Gerber file (also known as artwork) is a 2-D graphical representation of a single layer of a PCB. A typical design will have individual Gerber files for each layer (e.g., top copper, bottom copper, top silkscreen, bottom silkscreen, top soldermask, bottom soldermask) of a PCB.
Exporting Solder Mask Layers from Cadence PCB Editor
What is a solder mask?
Solder mask is the thin polymer layer that is applied to a printed circuit board to insulate copper traces from unwanted connections. It is often green, red, or blue, and is put over all parts of a PCB except where components are to be soldered.
Finding existing PCB footprints for Cadence PCB Editor
Where can I find a list of existing PCB footprints for Cadence PCB Editor?
While Cadence does have some built-in footprint libraries, they are limited due to the hundreds of thousands of different parts in existence. Additionally, most companies make their own footprints to match the specific manufacturing processes that they use.
Getting Started with Cadence PCB Editor
What is a printed circuit board (PCB)?
See the What is a Printed Circuit Board? page for more information about PCBs and the general design flow for creating a PCB.
Manual Routing in Cadence PCB Editor
How do I manually route a design in PCB Editor?
Your design should have a board outline and components placed, and blue lines (the “rats nest”) between the components (see example, Figure 1). These blue lines are not traces, but rather points that are connected on your schematic and should be converted to traces in your design.
Packaging Cadence Files for Submission
Introduction
This tutorial goes through how to package Cadence schematic and PCB files for submission to Canvas.
PCB design checklist
Before exporting your PCB design for fabrication, you **must **verify the design and fix any errors. Time invested verifying your design before manufacturing will make the assembly and testing process significantly easier.
Placing and moving components in Cadence PCB Editor
While it is easy to place components using the mouse, most designs require precise placement of some components (e.g., to align parallel headers). This tutorial walks through how to place components at a specific X-Y coordinate, determine the X-Y coordinates of a component, measure the distance between two components, move an existing component to a specific X-Y coordinate, and move an existing component relative to its current location.
