{"id":837,"date":"2017-04-24T08:00:49","date_gmt":"2017-04-24T15:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/eagle\/blog\/?p=837"},"modified":"2023-09-26T10:40:08","modified_gmt":"2023-09-26T17:40:08","slug":"pcb-layout-basics-component-placement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/pcb-layout-basics-component-placement\/","title":{"rendered":"PCB Layout Basics Part 1: How to Place Your Components"},"content":{"rendered":"

PCB Layout Basics Part 1: How to Place Your Components<\/span><\/h1>\n

So, you got that circuit on paper as a schematic design in Autodesk EAGLE, but now comes the real challenge. How are you going to translate all of that electrical theory into an actual physical design? These days engineers do it all, from schematic to PCB layout, and there\u2019s no handing it off down the line for someone else to finish it up, it\u2019s all about you. While this can present you with a new set of challenges, the PCB layout is probably one of the most exciting and rewarding parts of PCB design. It\u2019s like a giant puzzle just waiting to be solved with some original thinking and creativity. Where do you start with all of this? You\u2019ll need to place all of your components first.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some Things to Know Beforehand<\/h2>\n

There are a few things you\u2019ll want to keep in the back of your head while you go about transforming your schematic into a physical board layout, including:<\/span><\/p>\n

PCB Layout is an Art<\/h3>\n

Many engineers see the PCB layout process as more of an artform. If you give your schematic to a hundred different engineers, then chances are you\u2019ll get a hundred different board layouts back all with their unique characteristics. Unlike a schematic design, which is all grounded in the finality of mathematics, your PCB layout is a bit more fluid and flexible.<\/span><\/p>\n

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People can get pretty creative with just some mere traces and vias. (Image source)<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

Because of this, you have to remember one thing when doing your PCB layout – there\u2019s no right or wrong way to do it. How you choose to place your components and complete your routing is all a unique representation of your design perspective. For some, this might be a bit overwhelming at first, which is why we’re going to stick with a very simple design in this blog. We\u2019ve only got a handful of components to place, so you can take your time to place, replace, and probably do it all over again.<\/span><\/p>\n

Just get comfortable with the whole process.<\/span><\/p>\n

You Need to Think About Manufacturing<\/h3>\n

At the end of the day, you are likely designing a PCB to have it made physically by your manufacturer. Because of this, you need to keep several considerations in the back of your mind as you go about designing. The first is component orientation. Whenever you place like-minded components on your board, like a set of resistors or LEDs, you need to make sure they\u2019re always facing the same direction. Why? This will make your board much easier to install, test, and inspect by your manufacturer.<\/span><\/p>\n

The second point to consider is how you are placing your components in relation to each other. When your completed board gets handed off to your manufacturer, they\u2019re going to send it through a soldering oven to connect all of the parts to your bare circuit board. If you have taller components that are blocking smaller ones, then chances are you\u2019ll likely get a board back with poorly connected solder joints. When placing components, always be mindful of their size not just in your two-dimensional space, but also their height and width. For a comprehensive list of part placement tips, <\/span>check out this blog<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Be sure to place smaller components in front of larger ones for a reliable soldering process. (Image source<\/a>)<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

Think About Your Routing<\/h3>\n

It goes without saying that many beginner designers make the mistake of cramming their components too close together on their first layout only to run out of space when it\u2019s time to start\u00a0routing. This happens most commonly with integrated circuits which have lots of pins that need to be connected all over your board. If you don\u2019t give this one component enough room to breathe, then you\u2019ll likely run out of space and will have to start your layout over again from scratch. When placing components, always be thinking about how you\u2019ll route them, and leave enough room between parts to make that process easy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Define Your Process<\/h3>\n

While your component placement and routing processes\u00a0are filled with endless opportunities for creativity, we think it\u2019s good to start with a structured process in mind. This isn\u2019t meant to stifle your creativity, but to simply provide a foundation with which your creativity can grow. Once you know the limits of the walls and where you\u2019re going, then you can be free to design as you please. The process that we\u2019ll be using to complete the component placement process includes:<\/span><\/p>\n