Orcad 16.6 Tutorial

By following this workflow, you have successfully navigated the core functions of OrCAD 16.6 Capture. You have set up a project, built a logical circuit, and prepared the data for physical manufacturing.

Once upon a time, in a small lab filled with the hum of old monitors, an engineer named Alex faced a daunting task: designing a 5V power supply from scratch using OrCAD 16.6. Chapter 1: The Blueprint

Alex began in OrCAD Capture CIS, selecting File > New > Project to create a fresh workspace named "Power_Supply". He chose the PSpice Analog or Mixed A/D option, knowing that simulation was the only way to avoid "the magic smoke" later.

Setting the Stage: He navigated to the Libraries and started placing components—a linear regulator, some capacitors, and a simple connector.

The Connection: With a few clicks of the Wire tool, he linked the pins, carefully naming the nets to keep the layout organized. Chapter 2: The Physical Form

With the schematic complete, Alex had to give his virtual parts a physical body. He opened the PCB Editor to build a custom footprint for his connector.

The Pad Designer: He used the Pad Designer to create a circular pad with a 0.039-inch drill hole, ensuring it had enough copper for a solid solder joint.

The Footprint Wizard: Using the Package Symbol Wizard, he defined a 9-pin header with a 0.1-inch lead pitch, setting Pin 1 as a square pad for easy identification. orcad 16.6 tutorial

The Silk Screen: He added a neat rectangular outline on the Silkscreen Top layer so he’d know exactly where the part sat on the board. Chapter 3: Bringing it to Life

After mapping his footprints back to the schematic symbols, Alex generated a Netlist and moved into Allegro PCB Designer. He laid out the board, carefully routing traces to handle the current.

OrCAD 16.6 Tutorial: Comprehensive User Guide OrCAD 16.6 is a vintage yet robust suite for electronic design automation (EDA), primarily used by engineers to create schematics and design printed circuit boards (PCBs). This report outlines the core workflow for OrCAD Capture (schematic) and OrCAD PCB Editor (layout). 1. Schematic Capture (OrCAD Capture)

This is the starting point where you define your electrical circuit. Creating a Project : Open OrCAD Capture and select File > New > Project

. Choose "PC Board Wizard" to ensure compatibility with the PCB layout tool. Placing Components Place > Part menu (Shortcut:

). You can search through default libraries or download pre-made components from to save time. : Connect pins using the Place > Wire tool (Shortcut: Annotation

: Before moving to layout, you must assign unique names to components (e.g., R1, R2). Go to Tools > Annotate By following this workflow, you have successfully navigated

and select "Unconditional reference update" to reset and re-label all parts. Design Rule Check (DRC) Tools > Design Rule Check

to identify errors like overlapping wires or missing footprints. Netlist Generation : To transfer data to the PCB editor, go to Tools > Create Netlist . This generates the logic file the layout tool requires. 2. PCB Layout (OrCAD PCB Editor)

The layout stage involves placing physical components on a board and routing the traces. Importing Logic : In PCB Editor, use File > Import > Logic to bring in the netlist from Capture. Footprint Management

: Components need a physical "footprint." Standard footprints are stored in C:\OrCAD 16.6\share\pcb\pcb_lib\symbols Padstack Design : For custom components, use the Pad Designer

utility to define hole sizes and copper pad dimensions for different layers (Begin, Default, End). Routing and Navigation Ctrl + Mouse Scroll or shortcuts

: The tool provides online DRC that highlights violations (like traces too close together) in real-time. 3. Manufacturing Output

Once the design is complete, you must generate files for the fabrication house. Gerber Files OrCAD 16

: These are the industry-standard "blueprints" for your board. Go to Export > Gerber Parameters to configure the layers, then generate the artwork files. NC Drill Files : Generate these via File > Export > NC Drill to provide coordinates for all holes and vias. 4. Advanced Features PSpice Simulation

: OrCAD 16.6 includes PSpice for mixed-signal simulation, allowing you to test circuit behavior before building it. Academic Access

: Students can often get free access to these tools through the OrCAD Academic Program

This covers the essential steps from schematic capture to PCB layout.

OrCAD 16.6 remains one of the most widely used versions of Cadence’s industry-leading PCB design suite. Despite newer versions being available, 16.6 holds a legendary status due to its stability, widespread adoption in corporate environments, and the massive library of legacy projects that still rely on it.

Whether you are a student trying to finish a senior project, an engineer migrating from Altium or Eagle, or a hobbyist looking to go pro, this OrCAD 16.6 tutorial will walk you through the entire workflow: from schematic capture to final Gerber generation.

Note: This tutorial assumes you have OrCAD 16.6 installed (with the latest Hotfix applied). The suite includes Capture CIS (schematic) and PCB Editor (layout).

Close Capture CIS (you can keep it open for cross-probing) and launch OrCAD PCB Editor.