Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1529118
36 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I NOVEMBER 2024 to the placement to complete the design cor- rectly. To avoid problems like these, give some thought to what you are trying to accomplish before you start placing parts. Here are some ideas to consider: • Data: Gather as much information up front as possible. e more you have to work with, the less chance there will be of having to re-do portions of the design. • Libraries: Make sure your PCB libraries are ready to go before you start placing components. A lot of design time gets wasted by having to re-layout circuitry to accommodate a modified or corrected part. • Schematic: Make sure that the schematic is relatively complete, updated, and ready to go. It is also very helpful if it is laid out logically, with components and nets clearly labeled and defined. • Parameters: Set up your design environ- ment with preferred settings first so that you don't have to go back and make adjust- ments to text or other details later on. • Workflow: Before you start, make sure that everyone on your team understands their responsibilities. Assign tasks to team mem- bers, organize the workflow, and arrange for additional help if needed. With a plan in place, you can begin your layout without distractions that cost time and effort. Next, we'll look at some rules of thumb for placing components on the board. A Clean PCB Layout Begins with Placement One rule of thumb to keep in mind is that the placement of components drives the routing of a board, and not the other way around. PCB designers typically know this rule instinctively, but it is still an important point to make. While parts will always have to be adjusted to help the routing, it is still essential that designers understand how important a good part place- ment is to the overall success of the design. Here are some additional placement rules that will help with this. Floor Planning Circuit boards typically have different types of circuitry that can be designated as digital, analog, and power supply. ese can be fur- ther broken down into sub-groups and may cause huge signal and power integrity prob- lems if the groups are mixed together. e best thing you can do is to floor plan, or partition the groups of circuitry in the design before you start placing components on the board. is will help you avoid problems with crosstalk, EMI, noise, and other integrity issues that can ruin an otherwise good-looking design. One way to do this is to set your design up for cross- selection between the schematic and the lay- out, so you can select groups of parts on the schematic to be grouped in the layout. Component Placement With the floor plan of the board ready, you now have a good plan of attack for your layout to work with. Now it is time to execute that plan " Circuit boards typically have different types of circuitry that can be designated as digital, analog, and power supply. "