FlowCAD Library

FlowCAD Library

Documentation

Version 2.0
February 2011

This document contains all rules we used to define the FlowCAD library. It should help you
to understand the structure and define new components.

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Content

1 Base Structure ........................................................................................................... 3

1.1 PCB Editor Structure.......................................................................................... 4
1.2 DE CIS Structure ............................................................................................... 4
1.3 OLB Structure .................................................................................................... 5
1.4 HDL Struktur ...................................................................................................... 5
2 Component Properties ............................................................................................... 6
3 Rules for PCB Footprints............................................................................................ 7
3.1 Line Width.......................................................................................................... 7
3.2 Text.................................................................................................................... 7
3.3 Labels ................................................................................................................ 8
3.4 Assembly ........................................................................................................... 8
3.5 Silkscreen .......................................................................................................... 8
3.6 Place Bound ...................................................................................................... 8
3.7 DFA Bound ........................................................................................................ 9
3.8 Symbol Origin .................................................................................................... 9
4 Padstacks .................................................................................................................. 9
4.1 Padstack Variants .............................................................................................. 9
4.2 Naming Key ..................................................................................................... 10
4.3 Drill Diameter ................................................................................................... 10
4.4 Drill Type.......................................................................................................... 10
4.5 Pad Shape ....................................................................................................... 11
4.6 Pad Size .......................................................................................................... 11
4.7 Value Order ..................................................................................................... 11
4.8 Solder Resist and Paste Mask ......................................................................... 11
4.9 Drill Character.................................................................................................. 12
4.10 Drill Symbols.................................................................................................... 13

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1 Base Structure
The FlowCAD Library is part of FlowCAD Evaluation Kit. It is implemented in a site
definition. Site support the global management of paths and rules.

In folder site you find the folder library which contains all library data.

• 3d_packages – 3D Models to connect 3D MCAD Tools. In FlowCAD Flow it’s

Nextra manufactured by Mecadtron.
• de_cis – CIS data sources and symbol files.
• de_hdl – Part Table File and cells, currently empty.
• ibis_model – Ibis Models for SI Simulation, project specific models are stored in
project folder.
• pcb_editor – Footprints, Padstacks und other Symbols
• pspice – PSpice Models from FlowCAD additional to the model libraries from
Cadence.

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1.1 PCB Editor Structure

The subfolders in pcb_editor divide the symbols in different categories.

• connector – All PCB footprints for connectors. They have the extension *.psm.
• ic – All PCB footprints for ICs. They have the extension *.psm.
• smd_misc – All PCB footprints for miscellaneous SMD components. They have
the extension *.psm.
• tht_misc – All PCB footprints for miscellaneous through hole components. They
have the extension *.psm.
• other_symbols – All mechanical and format symbols. They have the extension
*.bsm und *.osm.
• padstacks – All padstack definitions. They have the extension *.pad.
• padsyms – All shape- and flash symbols. They have the extension *.ssm und
*.fsm.
• modules – All PCB modules. They have the extension *.mdd.

1.2 DE CIS Structure

In folder de_cis you find the two data sources in Access and Excel format, two
configuration files, as well as further subfolders for datasheets and symbol libraries (OLB).

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1.3 OLB Structure

We have several different OLBs. We describe only some OLB. One OLB always contains
one or more symbols.

• FC_CONNECTOR – All connector symbols

• FC_Analog – All analog ICs
• FC_Memory – All memories
• FC_Passiv – All passive components like resistors, capacitors and inductors.
• FC_Semiconductors – All discrete components like diodes, transistors and
rectifiers.
• FC_Misc – All further component symbols.
• FC_Standard – All symbols which do not represent components like title blocks,
Offpage Connectors, Power und Ground Connectors.

There are also OLBs with FPGAs and further digital components.

1.4 HDL Structure

HDL will have the same structure like de_cis but it’s currently under construction.

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2 Component Properties
In CIS data sources and HDL Part Table Files you find property sets for the components.
Following is a like of the properties with a short description.

• Part Number – Leading unique number for BOM and other reports. Part Number
can be your material number. Part Number is a key property in HDL and unique
key for communication between CIS und data sources.
• Part Type – Sorts the components of a database table into subgroups which can
be shown in CIS Explorer. Here is an example for capacitors.
o X7R
o NP0
o TAJ
o ELEC
o Film
• Value –It can be the value of a resistor or a type like 1N4148.
• Tolerance – Tolerance value, not necessary for all components.
• Vol - It contains voltage value of components and is not necessary for all
components. The property name is Vol because Voltage is a reserved system
property for nets.
• Current – Current value is not necessary for all components.
• Rating – Power values, is not necessary for all components. The property name is
Rating because Power is a reserved system property.
• Description – Contains the description in plain language.
• Schematic Part – Is only uses in CIS and contains schematic symbol name from
OLB. If you want to use different graphical view, list the different symbols and
separate them with comma.
• Jedec_Type - Contains Footprint name.
• Height – Is more for documentation and component choice. Normally component
height is defined in the footprint because you can define different maximum and
minimum height information in one footprint. If you have no height information in
Footprint, you can use this property value to add it to the footprint during netlist
Import.
• ALT_Symbols – Contains alternate footprints to allow the board designer to
change the footprint during design process.
• Datasheet – Link to datasheet in DE CIS, a click on it opens the datasheet and
makes it easier to find the right component.
• Manufacturer Part Number – It’s used by Internet Component Assistant (ICA) in
DE CIS and contains ordering code or part number from distributor or
manufacturer.
• Manufacturer - – It’s used by Internet Component Assistant (ICA) in DE CIS and
contains distributor or manufacturer name.
• Price – Cost per piece. Makes it easier to calculate cost during development
process.
• Availability - Availability of a component.
• UL_Status – Contain witch UL status the components has.
• EDA_Status – Defines if a component is unverified or verified. The value is fixed to
these 2 entries.
• Implementation – Model name for PSpice Model.
• Signal_Model – Model name for Signal Integrity simulation.

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• Model3D – Model name for mechanical model. In our case we entered the model
names for Nextra from MECADTRON.
• Offset3D – Because origin and orientation of footprints und mechanical models are
often different, this property contains delta X, delta Y and delta rotate.
• BQR_PartNum – Contains part number of BQR database for the tools CARE,
CAME and CAfdE.
• ActivepartsID - It’s used by Internet Component Assistant (ICA) in DE CIS and
contains unique ID. ActivepartsID is a browsable property like datasheet.
• CLASS – Specifies the components for Xnet generation and simulation. Three
values are possible:
o IO for connectors
o DISCRETE for discrete components (R, L und C)
o IC for all integrated components
• PACK_TYPE – This property creates the connection between schematic symbol
and mapping to the footprint in HDL database.
• HDL_SYM – Is only used for conversion of DE CIS database to DE HDL database.

3 Rules for PCB Footprints

3.1 Line Width

The width for assembly- and silkscreen figures is 0.2mm. Place_Bound und DFA_Bound
are shapes and have line width 0.

3.2 Text
• Always place centre orientated.
• Default text height is 1.5mm
• If the figure is smaller than 2mm, make the text smaller. Minimum text height is
0.75mm.
• Place text inside in the centre of assembly or silkscreen figure. 3 up to 5 characters
should be readable. In case of very small components your may need to break this
rule.
• Default text definitions:

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3.3 Labels
Place these labels:

Property Value

Component Value Value

Device Type Device

Ref Des e.g. R* oder C* oder U*

User Part Number PartNr

Place Ref Des property on assembly and silkscreen subclass.

3.4 Assembly
• Assembly Outline is equal to the size of the component without pins.
• Poled components:
o Diode with line at cathode
o Electrolytic capacitors with + sign in one corner of the figure.
o Place a small circle near pin 1 for connectors, IC (not at BGA) and other
poled components.
o Place numbers and alphabetic characters on all pin rows and pin columns.

3.5 Silkscreen

• Silkscreen outline is equal to Bound and needs cut out around all pads with
minimum distance of 0.2mm.
• Poled components:
o Diode with line at cathode
o Electrolytic capacitors with + sign in one corner of the figure.
o Place a small circle near pin 1 for connectors, IC (not at BGA) and other
poled components.
o Place A1 near pin A1 of BGAs

3.6 Place Bound

Place Bound describes the maximum required space during assembling and includes all
pads. In case of complex components with different height values you can place several
place bounds with different values for max height. Sometimes it’s also useful to define
minimum height to define free areas under components. For standard components like
SMD chips you can use place bound specification from international standards.

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3.7 DFA Bound

DFA bound is equal to the summation of all place bounds.

3.8 Symbol Origin

Place symbol origin into the centre of components. If you have an asymmetric component,
use the physical centre to place origin.

4 Padstacks
Padstack is the layer stackup for pads. It includes copper pads; solder resist, paste mask,
antipad, thermal pad und drill definition. Padstacks are placed in footprint and allocated to
pins.

4.1 Padstack Variants

There are several different padstack variants possible, from a 15mm mounting hole up to
0,4mm small BGA pad. It’s necessary to divide the different padstacks into groups to
define classification.

• Mounting holes, non plated without copper pad

• Mounting holes, non plated with copper pad
• THT pads, round and plated
• THT Pads, square and plated
• Slots plated and non plated
• THT vias
• Blind vias / laser vias
• Buried vias
• SMD Pads without drill information

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4.2 Naming Key

The groups where used to define a naming key which allows to give a unique name to
each padstack. The naming key needs to contain Type/group, drill diameter, drill type, pad
shape and pad size.

• MNN
o Mounting Hole, Non plated, No pad
• MNP
o Mounting Hole, Non plated, Pad
• TH
o Through Hole
• SNN
o Slot, Non plated, No pad
• SNP
o Slot, Non plated, Pad
• SPP
o Slot, Plated, Pad
• Via
o Standard Via
• BB
o Blind and Buried Vias
• SMD
o SMD Pads

4.3 Drill Diameter

The drill diameter value is in mm and the decimal point should be replaced by an underline
(_). If you need to define X and Y values (Slots), separate them with a small x. The X
value is always at first place and Y value on second place.

4.4 Drill Type

In Allegro you are able to define 3 different drill types.
• C – Circle
• S – Square
• L – Slot (Long Hole)

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4.5 Pad Shape

• C – Circle
• S – Square
• O – Oblong
• R – Rectangle
• P – Octagon (Polygon)
• F – Flash
• N - Null for non plated mounting holes without pad

4.6 Pad Size

The pad size is always in mm and the decimal point should be replaced by an underline
(_).If you need to define X and Y values (Slots), separate them with a small x. The X value
is always at first place and Y value on second place.

4.7 Value Order

The different values are placed in this order:
Naming Key / Drill Diameter / Drill Type / Pad Size / Pad Shape

In this syntax you have always the change between numbers and alphabetic characters.
In case of SMD pads you don’t need to set values for drill type and size.

4.8 Solder Resist and Paste Mask

All values for solder resist and paste mask are equal to the copper pads because they are
technology controlled and should be matched by PCB manufacturer or mask manufacturer
to fit into the different bare board techniques. It’s easier for the manufacturer to match the
solder mask and paste mask pads when they are equal to copper pads.

For large mounting holes we defined solder mask circular 0.3mm larger. This is better for
manufacturing.

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4.9 Drill Character

You need 2 characters to define a unique drill character. The first character stands for the
integer and the second character for the decimal. In the following table you see the drill
character matrix.
vertical = integer
horizontal = decimal

x.0 x.1 x.2 x.3 x.4 x.5 x.6 x.7 x.8 x.9
0 AB AC AD AE AF AG AH AI AJ
1 BA BB BC BD BE BF BG BH BI BJ
2 CA CB CC CD CE CF CG CH CI CJ
3 DA DB DC DD DE DF DG DH DI DJ
4 EA EB EC ED EE EF EG EH EI EJ
5 FA FB FC FD FE FF FG FH FI FJ
6 GA GB GC GD GE GF GG GH GI GJ
7 HA HB HC HD HE HF HG HH HI HJ
8 IA IB IC ID IE IF IG IH II IJ
9 JA JB JC JD JE JF JG JH JI JJ
10 KA KB KC KD KE KF KG KH KI KJ
11 LA LB LC LD LE LF LG LH LI LJ
12 MA MB MC MD ME MF MG MH MI MJ
13 NA NB NC ND NE NF NG NH NI NJ
14 OA OB OC OD OE OF OG OH OI OJ
15 PA PB PC PD PE PF PG PH PI PJ
16 QA QB QC QD QE QF QG QH QI QJ
17 RA RB RC RD RE RF RG RH RI RJ
18 SA SB SC SD SE SF SG SH SI SJ
19 TA TB TC TD TE TF TG TH TI TJ
20 UA UB UC DU UE UF UG UH UI UJ
21 VA VB VC VD VE VF VG VH VI VJ
22 WA WB WC WD WE WF WG WH WI WJ
23 XA XB XC XD XE XF XG XH XI XJ
24 YA YB YC YD YE YF YG YH YI YJ
25 ZA ZB ZC ZD ZE ZF ZG ZH ZI ZJ

Example: Hole 1.5 mm = BF.

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4.10 Drill Symbols

Because there are only 11 default symbols as drill symbols we need to share the symbols
as good as possible and use equal symbols in different sizes to differ them.

We use the same symbol for the same decimal number and set the symbol size matching
the pad size. If the padstack has no copper pad we use drill size + 1mm for symbol size.

x.0 Circle

x.1 + Cross

x.2 Octagon

x.3 Triangle

x.4 HexagonY

x.5 Oblong X

x.6 Hexagon X

x.7 Oblong Y

x.8 Diamond

x.9 Rectangle

NDK Square

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