Best recommendation on learning to design with SMD?

[eKoh]

Hello guys!

I have plans on making my own product inspired on Dave's video:)

I have been learning on how to use Altium Designer these few days, but I was wondering if I can get a recommended guide or videos to do so.

I ask this because I usually follow my method but later I find there was a more efficient way to do it for example.

P.S. I have managed Proteus and also I am an Electronic Engineer Student, made several electronic designs and analysis.

[JoeN]

Hello guys!

I have plans on making my own product inspired on Dave's video:)

I have been learning on how to use Altium Designer these few days, but I was wondering if I can get a recommended guide or videos to do so.

I ask this because I usually follow my method but later I find there was a more efficient way to do it for example.

Are you saying you already know how to do PCB layout with through-hole components and want to know what sort of mindset you need to change to do it with SMD components instead?  Not much, I think.  Use of SMD components affects manufacturing (usually in a positive way) and prototyping (usually in a negative way, to some extent, especially with leadless components) but doesn't change  PCB design or PCB manufacturing much.  Or are you just highlighting that you are going to be using SMD components as a sort of irrelevant thing here and respondents should be more focused on giving you resources on how to use Altium correctly for PCB design with both through-hole and SMD components?  And why are you focused on Altium Designer, because Dave uses it?  It's quite an expensive package for someone asking this question in this way.  There are other options and many of them are quite capable.

[eKoh]

Or are you just highlighting that you are going to be using SMD components as a sort of irrelevant thing here and respondents should be more focused on giving you resources on how to use Altium correctly for PCB design with both through-hole and SMD components?

Well, I am planning on making a little device so I guess I will need it in the future. And yes, recommendations of resources are what I am looking for, I have made a research in this forum and found actually good guides, yesterday I finished this guide. It is really good and extensive but, I feel that I spent a lot of time reading and found it kinda slow to be honest. So that's why I am asking for recommendations.

And why are you focused on Altium Designer, because Dave uses it?  It's quite an expensive package for someone asking this question in this way.  There are other options and many of them are quite capable.

Not really, it's just that I found that a lot of people use it and I made a research on what software would I use, and found that AD is widely used in the industry.


I am also worried about something else. I am looking at some Microchips that have some specifications that I am looking for but, I wonder if I can make a simulation with them. I've always been simulating with proteus but, it doesn't have a lot of components, I am wondering if somebody has any recommendation on which software would I pick to simulate. I read that AD has a simulator but haven't researched how it works and if it is a good solution for this.


Thank you by the way JoeN=)

[tautech]

Well, I am planning on making a little device so I guess I will need it in the future. And yes, recommendations of resources are what I am looking for, I have made a research in this forum and found actually good guides, yesterday I finished this guide. It is really good and extensive but, I feel that I spent a lot of time reading and found it kinda slow to be honest. So that's why I am asking for recommendations.

That's the best tutorial I've seen for Altium even with what I call routing errors. 
Essentially all you need is there, some or it you can skip for simple projects and come back to it when things get more complex or just bash on and learn as you go.....like I did.
For simple and basic SMD layout just use much the same schematic symbols as TH and select the correct PCB footprint from the folder PCB that's within the Altium Libraries main folder. Just using the Surface Mount or one of the pcblib files like this one will get you a long way: Miscellaneous Devices PCB.PcbLib. For IC's, most have multiple footprints that include SMD versions so really it's not too difficult.

Dave's PCB layout guidelines are helpful for newbies, it's in his Wiki:
http://www.eevblog.com/wiki/index.php?title=Online_Electronics_Tutorials_and_Books#PCB_layout_and_CAD

I am also worried about something else. I am looking at some Microchips that have some specifications that I am looking for but, I wonder if I can make a simulation with them. I've always been simulating with proteus but, it doesn't have a lot of components, I am wondering if somebody has any recommendation on which software would I pick to simulate. I read that AD has a simulator but haven't researched how it works and if it is a good solution for this.

Few bits about simulation here:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/circuit-simulation-(sticky)/


Edit to add:
Choosing the right SMD footprint for passives can be a bit confusing in Altium with the common sizes we all know being expressed in other yet still correct Metric units.
So in the PCB Component properties you get a Footprint description like this:

RESC2012M = SMD resistor 0805 (80 mil x 50 mil)
From Library: Miscellaneous Devices.IntLib
Description: Chip Resistor, Body 2.0x1.2mm, IPC Low Density

Have a good look at the measurements, then think 40 mil = 1mm and it starts to make sense.
For passives if I'm hand soldering an M footprint (low density) gives a slightly larger pad to form a nice fillet on.

[JoeN]

The thing that boggles me here is that the OP seems to be fairly new to this but is talking about using Altium or Proteus which are both high-end tools with a fairly steep learning curve and huge licensing costs.  How do you have access to Altium?  If this is a small board, unless it needs high-speed differential signal paths, the free version of Eagle or DipTrace might be more appropriate for this project for a new designer.   The only downside I can see to using these tools is if you are angling to become a professional PCB designer somewhere and you expect your prospective employers to be using Altium or Proteus.  But even then 90% of PCB design are skills completely unrelated to the tool you are using because they are skills that translate equally over all tools.  And who wants to be a professional PCB designer anyway?     In the end, the Gerber files that Eagle, DipTrace, Altium, Proteus, and all other tools output manufacture the same way.

[tautech]

How do you have access to Altium?

Have you never seen the cracked copies on the net ? 

[JoeN]

How do you have access to Altium?

Have you never seen the cracked copies on the net ? 

I used to be an incorrigible software pirate back in the day.  I don't think I have done any pirate software for the last 10 years, too many viruses and trojans.  I guess I could air gap a computer and do it that way.  Anymore, there is so much free software I can usually make it all work without either pirating or paying.  Infranview, VLC, YTD, DipTrace,  LTSpice, Logisim, 7-Zip, all the free browser plug-ins, all the free programming suites, free Visual Studio, even a free decent video editor in Windows Essentials.  I think all the pay software I have is Windows, Office 2010 Home And Student 3 seat edition, a few games (Fallout, Skyrim, GTA), and MakeMKV, which allows me to continue to be an incorrigible BluRay pirate.

[tautech]

How do you have access to Altium?

Have you never seen the cracked copies on the net ? 

I used to be an incorrigible software pirate back in the day.  I don't think I have done any pirate software for the last 10 years, too many viruses and trojans.  I guess I could air gap a computer and do it that way.  Anymore, there is so much free software I can usually make it all work without either pirating or paying.  Infranview, VLC, YTD, DipTrace,  LTSpice, Logisim, 7-Zip, all the free browser plug-ins, all the free programming suites, free Visual Studio, even a free decent video editor in Windows Essentials.  I think all the pay software I have is Windows, Office 2010 Home And Student 3 seat edition, a few games (Fallout, Skyrim, GTA), and MakeMKV, which allows me to continue to be an incorrigible BluRay pirate.

Sure, I can relate to all that. 

But for me a statement from the OP is key and not too far from the truth:

Not really, it's just that I found that a lot of people use it and I made a research on what software would I use, and found that AD is widely used in the industry.

[eKoh]

Dave's PCB layout guidelines are helpful for newbies, it's in his Wiki:
http://www.eevblog.com/wiki/index.php?title=Online_Electronics_Tutorials_and_Books#PCB_layout_and_CAD

Thank you so much! The PDF file in there PCBDesignTutorialRevA.PDF it's very extensive and it is all in 1 PDF!

Few bits about simulation here:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/circuit-simulation-(sticky)/

I have just read that thread, but, they say that simulating is not really needed nowadays. Other ppl recommends LTSpice since Dave uses it.


And for example if I want to use this Bluetooth Silicon (IS2023) for example, how can I check that it will do the job.

The only real functioning prototyping I've made so far is an 8 bit ALU, the process to designing it was to make it work in proteus with the correspondant ICs available in the market, once it all worked fine in the simulation, went to buy all the ICs to finally build it. And as for the example above (IS2023), how would be the process on designing a functional product utilizing it as component?

Edit to add:
Choosing the right SMD footprint for passives can be a bit confusing in Altium with the common sizes we all know being expressed in other yet still correct Metric units.
So in the PCB Component properties you get a Footprint description like this:

RESC2012M = SMD resistor 0805 (80 mil x 50 mil)
From Library: Miscellaneous Devices.IntLib
Description: Chip Resistor, Body 2.0x1.2mm, IPC Low Density

Have a good look at the measurements, then think 40 mil = 1mm and it starts to make sense.
For passives if I'm hand soldering an M footprint (low density) gives a slightly larger pad to form a nice fillet on.

Thank you, I will have this in mind in the future

[tautech]

And as for the example above (IS2023), how would be the process on designing a functional product utilizing it as component?

I have no idea of how much of this you have done and I'm in no way any expert in new design but my first port of call is always to the manufacturers website for: Datasheets, Application notes, Simulation files and CAD files (forget what they're called).
Then I look for any layout considerations that are flagged/outlined in datasheet and app notes and for the IS2023 it seems the antenna is the only main thing that need be spot on. The clock is only operating @ 16 MHz so shouldn't be too difficult to get that right and AFAICT only the serial buss (if used) needs some care taken in trace layout and termination.
All the other I/O's should be straightforward.

Seems a cool little package, datasheet:
http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/IS202x_StereoAudio_DataSheet.pdf