Open App

Electronics Programming Exam > Electronics Programming Videos > PCB Design Tutorial OrCAD 17.2 How To - Copper Pour and Planes

PCB Design Tutorial OrCAD 17.2 How To - Copper Pour and Planes Video Lecture - Electronics Programming

FAQs on PCB Design Tutorial OrCAD 17.2 How To - Copper Pour and Planes Video Lecture - Electronics Programming

1. What is copper pour and how is it used in PCB design?

Ans. Copper pour is a technique used in PCB design to create large areas of copper that are not connected to any specific circuit component. It is commonly used to create ground planes or power planes, which help in reducing electromagnetic interference and improving signal integrity.

2. How do I create a copper pour in OrCAD 17.2?

Ans. To create a copper pour in OrCAD 17.2, follow these steps: 1. Select the "Place Copper Pour" tool from the toolbar. 2. Define the shape and size of the copper pour by drawing a closed polygon on the PCB layout. 3. Specify the net or nets that the copper pour should be connected to. 4. Adjust the pour properties, such as clearance and plane connect style, as per your requirements. 5. Pour the copper by selecting the "Pour Copper" option.

3. What are the advantages of using copper planes in PCB design?

Ans. There are several advantages of using copper planes in PCB design: - Improved thermal management: Copper planes can act as heat sinks, dissipating heat generated by components and reducing the risk of overheating. - Reduced EMI: Copper planes help in reducing electromagnetic interference by providing a solid ground or power reference plane. - Enhanced signal integrity: Copper planes can provide a low-impedance return path for high-speed signals, minimizing signal degradation and improving overall signal integrity. - Increased mechanical stability: Copper planes add structural strength to the PCB, making it more resistant to warping or bending. - Simplified routing: By creating dedicated copper planes for power and ground, routing traces becomes easier and less congested.

4. How can I optimize copper planes for better performance in PCB design?

Ans. To optimize copper planes for better performance in PCB design, consider the following: - Ensure proper placement: Place the copper planes close to the components they are intended to serve to minimize the length of return paths. - Use proper layer stacking: Place copper planes on adjacent layers to maximize their effectiveness in reducing EMI and providing a low-impedance return path. - Avoid gaps and voids: Make sure there are no gaps or voids in the copper planes, as they can disrupt the flow of current and compromise their performance. - Adjust pour properties: Fine-tune the pour properties, such as clearance and plane connect style, to ensure optimal performance and avoid any unintended coupling or shorting issues. - Consider thermal considerations: If thermal management is a concern, ensure that the copper planes have sufficient thermal relief connections to allow for effective heat dissipation.

5. Can I have multiple copper pours or planes on the same layer in OrCAD 17.2?

Ans. Yes, you can have multiple copper pours or planes on the same layer in OrCAD 17.2. By using different net assignments or polygon shapes, you can create multiple copper pours that are not connected to each other. This allows for more flexibility in designing and optimizing the copper planes for different sections or components of the PCB.

Text Transcript from Video

hello fellow engineers this is Kirsch
Mackey and I'm doing a short video on
how to do copper pores on your PCB so I
have a buck converter here and this is
my ground plane I'm gonna show you how I
make this ground plane and how you can
make any plane or a copper pour for any
net so I'm going to delete this and to
do your copper pour you just go to shape
ad or you can choose shape polygon and
choose the active class and subclass to
be at your top and top for the subclass
now then that name is by default set to
dummynet so just click on the ellipses
here and click on let's say zero then
okay zero is my ground plane type is
lying 45-degree and all right let's do
this I'm gonna place and click my ground
plane and there's a power side to the
board and a digital side to the board
I'm not doing this completely properly
just to show or demonstrate how this
works of course but this is how you
would you know you just click around the
board to make your shape
let's see here click here oh okay this
is fine huh it's definitely off but
that's okay all right I'm gonna zoom all
the way in to click right here all right
so that makes the ground plane and they
there's one point of connection for the
digital and the power site then right
click and choose done and this is on 0
so everything that would be connected to
ground will be connected to this ground
plane let's say you have a power plane
you want to place just do the same thing
this shortcut shape is shape add and I
will change this to something like 12
volts I'll just place the polygon just
like you would any shape oops
alright ok almost there
just make this one last connection and
there we go so that's the color for the
12 volts and you know you can change the
color just click on the shape and the
right click and then you can you do a
couple of things let's see the net
assign color so you can sign it like a
dark red if you want and notice that the
other nets there are rats Nets they
change color I change the rat neck or
connection color for my feedback output
voltage and blue is for my for my ground
so it's really convenient and also if
you have the shapes
glammo global dynamic parameters you can
update to smooth if there are
out-of-date shapes you just want to make
sure that that's checked
and then it gets updated and then you'll
see that that would fix issue where you
don't see a connection for pins or pad
stacks to the plane you just place all
right that's how you place the planes if
you want to delete them just choose the
delete or you know edit delete option
highlight it click it right-click choose
done and you get to delete it it's easy
as pie and that's all thanks for
watching

About this Video

Oct 08, 2025 Last updated

Related Exams

Electronics Programming

PCB Design Tutorial OrCAD 17.2 How To - Copper Pour and Planes for Electronics Programming2025 is part of Electronics Programming preparation. The notes and questions for PCB Design Tutorial OrCAD 17.2 How To - Copper Pour and Planes have been prepared according to the Electronics Programming exam syllabus. Information about PCB Design Tutorial OrCAD 17.2 How To - Copper Pour and Planes covers all important topics for Electronics Programming2025 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, notes, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for PCB Design Tutorial OrCAD 17.2 How To - Copper Pour and Planes.

Introduction of PCB Design Tutorial OrCAD 17.2 How To - Copper Pour and Planes in English is available as part of our Electronics Programming preparation & PCB Design Tutorial OrCAD 17.2 How To - Copper Pour and Planes in Hindi for Electronics Programming courses. Download more important topics, notes, lectures and mock test series for Electronics Programming Exam by signing up for free.

Description

Video Lecture & Questions for PCB Design Tutorial OrCAD 17.2 How To - Copper Pour and Planes Video Lecture - Electronics Programming - Electronics Programming full syllabus preparation | Free video for Electronics Programming exam.

Information about PCB Design Tutorial OrCAD 17.2 How To - Copper Pour and Planes

Here you can find the PCB Design Tutorial OrCAD 17.2 How To - Copper Pour and Planes defined & explained in the simplest way possible. Besides explaining types of PCB Design Tutorial OrCAD 17.2 How To - Copper Pour and Planes theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice PCB Design Tutorial OrCAD 17.2 How To - Copper Pour and Planes tests, examples and also practice Electronics Programming tests.

Summary

video lectures

Objective type Questions