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Getting Started with DipTrace

Diptrace

Diptrace

DipTrace is a software that allows you to create simple and complex Printed Circuit Boards from schematic diagrams to layouts. It is a user friendly EDA software. We recommend this for electronics hobbyists, as it is a freeware allows us to design single layer and double layer PCBs upto 300 pins. You can purchase its paid version if you need more layers/pins.

If you are a beginner to PCB designing, you should be familiar with following terms before going to pcb designing.

Symbol Footprint and 3D Model

And the following image will help you to understand some commonly used PCB terms.

PCB Pad Via Trace Clearence and Copper Pour

DipTrace consists of 4 sections :

In these Component Editor and Pattern Editor allows us to create new components. Component Editor is for defining Symbol while Pattern Editor is for creating its Footprint. Circuit Diagrams can be drawn in Schematic Capture. After completing the circuit diagrams, these are converted into PCB by using PCB Layout. The PCB Layout enables us to manually / automatically place components and route conductive tracks.

Getting Started with DipTrace

In this section we will start learning DipTrace by designing a small trial PCB.

DipTrace Launcher

                       

Find Component Tool – Pattern Check
DC Jack

 

Layer Setup – DipTrace
Diptrace Route Setup – Trace Width and Clearence

                             

Use this Drop Menu to Switch Layers – DipTrace
Open DipTrace Copper Pour Tool

                                             

                   

Now you can export or print your PCBs using the options given the File Menu. Hope this tutorial will give you a quick start on DipTrace. We will post more tutorials soon, stay tuned with us.