Creating new PBGA footprints in Ultiboard 8

I want to create a new footprint in Ultiboard 8 for a 0.8mm pitch PBGA
26x26. This one does not exist in the standard library.

I can create the footprint but can't figure out how to autonumber the
pins with A1, A2 etc. The default is just a numeric 1, 2 etc. Doing
that manually will take ages. The renumber function seems to be just
for renumbering the circuit refs does not work for footprint pad
numbers

Also having done it, how does it get visible to the circuit capture
program Multisim 8 so I can create a new circuit symbol?

Thanks.

 

[TD]

chris.wilkinson@iee.org wrote:

I want to create a new footprint in Ultiboard 8 for a 0.8mm pitch PBGA
26x26. This one does not exist in the standard library.

I can create the footprint but can't figure out how to autonumber the
pins with A1, A2 etc. The default is just a numeric 1, 2 etc. Doing
that manually will take ages. The renumber function seems to be just
for renumbering the circuit refs does not work for footprint pad
numbers

I have used Ultiboard 7 and this is how I do it. You would have used
Component wizard and entered the number of pins, dimensions, pitch etc.
In type of pad numbering (step 7) you can select Alpha numeric(A1,
A2,...)) or Numeric Alpha(1A, 2A,..) and also choose the direction of
pad numbering. If you dont find this step, i would say ask the tech
support of ultiboard. they are helpful.

Also having done it, how does it get visible to the circuit capture program Multisim 8 so I can create a new circuit symbol?

Use component wizard in Multisim and you need to enter a component
with the same footprint name as you have in ultiboard. and then use the
symbol editor to create the symbol.

ie, Component Wizard > Select Footprint > Add > Enter the pin number,
footprint, and EWB layout same as what you had entered in Ultiboard. By
this way the symbol is referenced to the footprint in Ultiboard when
you transfer the netlist to Ultiboard.

 

[TD]

chris.wilkinson@iee.org wrote:

I want to create a new footprint in Ultiboard 8 for a 0.8mm pitch PBGA
26x26. This one does not exist in the standard library.

I can create the footprint but can't figure out how to autonumber the
pins with A1, A2 etc. The default is just a numeric 1, 2 etc. Doing
that manually will take ages. The renumber function seems to be just
for renumbering the circuit refs does not work for footprint pad
numbers

I have used Ultiboard 7 and this is how I do it. You would have used
Component wizard and entered the number of pins, dimensions, pitch etc.
In type of pad numbering (step 7) you can select Alpha numeric(A1,
A2,...)) or Numeric Alpha(1A, 2A,..) and also choose the direction of
pad numbering. If you dont find this step, i would say ask the tech
support of ultiboard. they are helpful.

Also having done it, how does it get visible to the circuit capture program Multisim 8 so I can create a new circuit symbol?

Use component wizard in Multisim and you need to enter a component
with the same footprint name as you have in ultiboard. and then use the
symbol editor to create the symbol.

ie, Component Wizard > Select Footprint > Add > Enter the pin number,
footprint, and EWB layout same as what you had entered in Ultiboard. By
this way the symbol is referenced to the footprint in Ultiboard when
you transfer the netlist to Ultiboard.

 

Thanks for that help.

I get the use the component wizard in Ultiboard step OK so now I have a
footprint in Ultiboard.

The second step I don't get. At the 'Select Footprint'' step, the
Multisim component wizard asks for a footprint from the Multisim User
library. Since I don't have this in Multisim, I am stuck.

Perhaps I am misunderstanding what you meant?

 

[TD]

chris.wilkinson@iee.org wrote:

The second step I don't get. At the 'Select Footprint'' step, the
Multisim component wizard asks for a footprint from the Multisim User
library. Since I don't have this in Multisim, I am stuck.

Yeah you are right, you do not have the part in multisim and you need
to enter the details of the part that is going to be referenced in
Ultiboard.

Select Footprint > User Database > Click Add >

Now a window pops up (Add a footprint) asking you details about
Manufacturer, Footprint, EWB layout, Pins, SMT/ TH

The part you created in Ultiboard has a name for the footprint. Ok, to
be precise, you would have created the part and saved it as <some name>
in the ultiboard library.

Enter the same <some name> in the Footprint and EWB layout sections.
And enter the number of pins as same number as the part contains. And
whether its TH or SMT. After you added it, "Select" the part you just
added in the select a footprint window that had come up earlier. Now it
comes back to Step 2 of 6 of the component wizard. update the number of
pins. And I assume its a single section component. You can use "edit"
in the next step to modify the symbol. Okay good luck on it.

TD

 

[TD]

Enter the same <some name> in the Footprint and EWB layout sections.

By this way when you transfer the netlist to ultiboard it automatically
matches the footprint and displays the part correctly.

 

Great, I got it.

In the symbol editor, presumably I should edit the signal name on each
pin as per the part datasheet. The default signal name is a numeric
from 1..N.

Do I then have to map the alphanumeric pin number on the package to the
signal names in the circuit somehow?

Thanks a lot.

 

[TD]

chris.wilkinson@iee.org wrote:

In the symbol editor, presumably I should edit the signal name on each
pin as per the part datasheet. The default signal name is a numeric
from 1..N. Do I then have to map the alphanumeric pin number on the package to the
signal names in the circuit somehow?

I was'nt entirely sure of this, but there is a way to verify this. By
default, pin 1 of symbol will correspond to pin 1 of footprint ( which
may be A1) and pin 2 of symbol will correspond to pin 2 of footprint
(A2).

Once you changed the name on each pin, yes I believe, you have to
verify the symbol pins and the footprint pins are matching. since
changing pin names changes the order its assigned to the footprint
pins.

In multisim, go to Tools > Database > Database Manager > select the
component you had created and click Edit > go to Footprint tab and here
it shows you the symbol pins and the footprint pins. Previously it
would have shown

1 - 1
2 - 2
3 - 3

After you edit the names, it may show something like this,
Symbol - Footprint
Vdd - 3
Vss - 2
CLK - 1

Edit this to make sure you get what you need....

But you could do this, leave the pin numbers on the part so that they
are matched. You could add text for each pin, which is not the best way
but it works....(you could make the symbol pins hidden so that its not
seen, you only see the text at each pin )

 

You've been really helpful in getting me so far but I am still not
getting the result I need.

This default mapping of pin 1 on the symbol to A1 on the footprint does
not seem to be working. There doesn't seem to be any way to tell
capture that a signal 'abcd' on the symbol is pin Axx on the package. I
presume this relies on the default mapping but as I say this is not
working right. The edit footprint function in capture numbers the
package pins from 1-532, so I can't fix it there.

Transferring the circuit to layout results in the rats nest having no
connections to the new package. DRC in layout gives the errors below. I
only connected these 4 pins so far in capture.

Pin "531" from Component "U3"(TMS320C6416T) in Net "PWR" is missing
from shape "PBGA-26X26-0.8MM"
Pin "532" from Component "U3"(TMS320C6416T) in Net "PWR" is missing
from shape "PBGA-26X26-0.8MM"
Pin "2" from Component "U3"(TMS320C6416T) in Net "PWR" is missing from
shape "PBGA-26X26-0.8MM"
Pin "3" from Component "U3"(TMS320C6416T) in Net "GND" is missing from
shape "PBGA-26X26-0.8MM"

So presumably the netlist is causing layout to look for pin 531 etc.
but it is not there as the footprint is number A1 etc.

TIA