Activity 2: Place the PCB components

In this activity, you place the components on the circuit board.

PCB components positions

The exact position of the components is not critical in this case. However, The LED's the LM555ND timer, and the JSTPH2 should be in the relative position as shown. The resistors and capacitors relative position to each other is not critical but they should be placed in position as shown above relative to the other components. The routing of the wires between the components can occur in hundreds of different configurations.

To optimize the manufacturing process, the recommendation is to keep all components on the same layer. Depending of the design, placing components on opposite layers may be required. Use the Mirror command to move components from one surface layer to another one. Surface mount devices that have the pads in Red mean that they have been placed on the top layer, while Surface mount devices with pads in Blue represent components on bottom layer.

Surface mounted devices on the Top and Bottom of a PCB

Steps

1. Position the timer on the PCB.

   1. Click, hold and drag the left mouse button, around the timer to select it. Click on the on the handle for a timer, a in the center of the part. Note: you know a part is selected when the color changes to a deeper, brighter red.

      

   2. Drag the timer on the PCB as shown.

      

   3. Click Design > Place > Mirror

   4. Click the handle for the timer to mirror the timer.

      Note:

      The blue color represents that the component is on the bottom side of the PCB.

      

2. Position the LED's on the PCB.

   1. Click Design > Place > Move

   2. Click and hold the left mouse button, on the handle for LED1.

   3. Drag the LED on the PCB as shown.

      

   4. Click and hold the left mouse button, on the handle for LED2.

   5. Drag the LED on the PCB as shown.

      

3. Position the light pipes on the PCB.

   1. Click Design > Place > Move

   2. Click and hold the left mouse button, on the handle for a labeled MECH1.

   3. Drag a light pipe to the center, over one of the LED's on the PCB as shown.

      

   4. Drag the second light pipe over the other LED on the PCB.

4. Position JSTPH2 on the PCB.

   1. Click the handle for JSTPH2 once to rotate the component 90 degrees.

   2. Click Design > Place > Move

   3. Click and hold the left mouse button, on the handle for JSTPH2.

   4. Drag the JSTPH2 on the PCB as shown.

      

5. Position the resistors and capacitors on the PCB.

   1. Click Design > Place > Move

   2. Click and hold the left mouse button, on the handle for a resistor or capacitor.

   3. Drag the component on the PCB as shown.

   4. Continue to place all the components.

   5. Click Design > Place > Mirror

   6. Click the handle for each resistor and capacitor to mirror the component.

      

Steps

1. Position the timer on the PCB.

   1. Click, hold and drag the left mouse button, around the timer to select it. Click on the on the handle for a timer, a in the center of the part. Note: you know a part is selected when the color changes to a deeper, brighter red.

      

   2. Drag the timer on the PCB as shown.

      

   3. Click Design > Modify > Mirror

   4. Click the handle for the timer to mirror the timer.

      Note:

      The blue color represents that the component is on the bottom side of the PCB.

      

2. Position the LED's on the PCB.

   1. Click Design > Modify > Move

   2. Click and hold the left mouse button, on the handle for LED1.

   3. Drag the LED on the PCB as shown.

      

   4. Click and hold the left mouse button, on the handle for LED2.

   5. Drag the LED on the PCB as shown.

      

3. Position the light pipes on the PCB.

   1. Click Design > Modify > Move

   2. Click and hold the left mouse button, on the handle for a labeled MECH1.

   3. Drag a light pipe to the center, over one of the LED's on the PCB as shown.

      

   4. Drag the second light pipe over the other LED on the PCB.

4. Position JSTPH2 on the PCB.

   1. Click the handle for JSTPH2 once to rotate the component 90 degrees.

   2. Click Design > Modify > Move

   3. Click and hold the left mouse button, on the handle for JSTPH2.

   4. Drag the JSTPH2 on the PCB as shown.

      

5. Position the resistors and capacitors on the PCB.

   1. Click Design > Modify > Move

   2. Click and hold the left mouse button, on the handle for a resistor or capacitor.

   3. Drag the component on the PCB as shown.

   4. Continue to place all the components.

   5. Click Design > Modify > Mirror

   6. Click the handle for each resistor and capacitor to mirror the component.

      

Activity 2 summary

In this activity, you positioned the components for the PCB. No two engineers are likely to position the components in exactly the same location. Therefore, the yellow lines representing air wires, or how the components are connected, will not be the same.