JP5433457B2 - Printed wiring board design and manufacturing support system and method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a printed wiring board design and manufacturing support system and method for designing a printed wiring board by combining printed wiring board modules prepared in advance.

  Conventionally, when designing a printed wiring board for an electronic circuit, a work called artwork design is performed using a printed wiring board design CAD (Computer Aided Design) which is a dedicated tool for designing the printed wiring board. The circuit pattern (conductive pattern) formed on the printed wiring board was designed. As this type of technology, for example, those described in the following documents are known (see Patent Document 1). With the technology described in this document, the customer creates design CAD data using the design parameter data used by the board manufacturer from the design stage of the printed wiring board, taking into consideration the manufacturing rules such as manufacturing capability and parts information. doing.

  The design data of the printed wiring board on which the circuit pattern is designed is submitted to the printed wiring board manufacturing company and ordered in the form of a known Gerber file, for example. A printed wiring board manufacturing company draws a mask film based on the Gerber file, and manufactures a printed wiring board designed by a customer using the drawn mask film.

JP 2002-163111 A

  When an engineer who develops and designs a circuit prototypes the circuit for the purpose of confirming the operation of the circuit, a board for performance confirmation called a breadboard may be manufactured by hand wiring without using a printed wiring board. In this case, however, manual wiring has become difficult due to recent downsizing of the envelope (package) of electronic devices. In addition, with the recent increase in operating speed of electronic devices, there has been a problem that desired performance cannot be obtained with a breadboard.

  Therefore, engineers who develop and design circuits need to make prototypes of printed wiring boards. At this time, engineers themselves do artwork design without asking a CAD operator or an outside contractor who specializes in artwork design. May be performed. However, artwork design requires a lot of time and requires a thorough understanding of how to operate a dedicated CAD. Many engineers who develop and design circuits do not know the operation method because artwork design is not their original work. For this reason, when an engineer who designs and designs a circuit performs an artwork design, it takes time and effort for the artwork design, resulting in a delay in the circuit design and evaluation work that should be performed, and the circuit development design. There was a risk of hindering the original work to be performed.

  In addition, since there is a lot of design know-how in the design of artwork on printed circuit boards for analog circuits, if an unskilled person performs the work, the design cannot be performed properly, and the circuit mounted on the printed circuit board There is also a risk of causing a problem that the performance of the above cannot be fully exhibited.

  Therefore, there are cases where a CAD operator who specializes in artwork design is commissioned or outsourced to an external specialist. However, in such a case, there is a possibility that it takes time for delivery, a desired printed wiring board intended by the development designer cannot be obtained, or a development cost increases.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to simplify a printed wiring board design work and to obtain a desired printed wiring board at a low cost and in a short time. It is to provide a printed circuit board design and manufacturing support system.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention selects one or a plurality of printed wiring board modules from a plurality of types of printed wiring board modules prepared in advance and prepared, and a plurality of selected printed wiring board modules. by combining the designed form one printed wiring board, a printed circuit board is manufactured, printed wiring board module is characterized that you have been provided are the magnification with respect to its size reference size.

  According to the present invention, a printed wiring board module is selected from a plurality of types prepared in advance by a selection component means, and a single printed wiring board is designed and configured by combining the selected printed wiring board modules. The printed wiring board design work can be simplified, and the printed wiring board design effort can be significantly reduced.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the printed wiring board design manufacture support system which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the standardized size of a printed wiring board module. It is a figure which shows the structure of a printed wiring board module. It is a figure which shows the example of a combination of a some printed wiring board module. It is a figure which shows an example of the design data of the printed wiring board designed and configured by the customer. It is a figure which shows a series of flows from the design structure of a printed wiring board to manufacture. It is a figure which shows the mode of rewriting of the offset information in a Gerber file.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a printed wiring board design and manufacturing support system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In the system of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a business provider 2 that provides a design / manufacturing support service for a printed wiring board provides a design / manufacturing support service to a customer 1 such as a circuit design engineer who intends to design the printed wiring board. Then, the customer 1 designs a desired printed wiring board using the design and manufacturing support service provided by the business operator 2, and then sends the designed printed wiring board design data to the business operator 2. Based on the design data sent from the customer 1, a mask film for producing the printed wiring board is drawn, and the printed wiring board designed by the customer 1 is manufactured in the printed wiring board manufacturing factory 3 based on the drawn mask film. The

  The customer 1 is required when designing the printed wiring board desired by the customer 1 by selecting and configuring means from among a plurality of types of printed wiring board modules provided by the operator 2 through the printed wiring board design and manufacturing support service. One or a plurality of printed wiring board modules are selected, the selected plurality of printed wiring board modules are combined and laid out, and designed and configured as one printed wiring board. The customer 1 sends the design data of the printed wiring board designed and configured by the sending means to the business operator 2 as electronic data.

  As the selection configuration means, a simple CAD (Computer Aided Design) provided by the operator 2 and operated on a computer terminal such as a personal computer and having a function of combining and displaying a plurality of types of printed wiring board modules. In addition, it is mainly composed of application software that performs spreadsheets, a Web page provided by the business operator 2 on the Internet, and the like, and has a function of selecting and combining a plurality of types of printed wiring board modules.

  The sending means has a function of sending design data converted into electronic data, such as an electric communication line such as the Internet or electronic mail, or mail, to the business operator 2.

  The business operator 2 prepares many types of printed wiring board modules to be provided to the customer 1 through the design and manufacturing support service in advance, and stores the prepared various types of printed wiring board modules as a library in a file of a Gerber file format. It has a registered database (operator DB) 4. The printed wiring board module stored and registered in the database 4 is provided to the customer 1 by the presentation means together with the method of using the design and manufacturing support service. The presenting means is configured on the Internet on the Internet, distribution of electronic data programs, and paper.

  The printed wiring board module is a modularized printed wiring board considering that it can be used in combination, and the vertical and horizontal sizes are standardized. When the horizontal size of the printed wiring board module is X and the vertical size is Y, the vertical and horizontal sizes are scaled with respect to the minimum size (reference size = 1 unit). That is, X = 1 unit × n (n = 1 (reference size), 2, 4...), Y = 1 unit × n (n = 1 (reference size), 2, 4,...) Is standardized. . As a result, when a plurality of printed wiring board modules are combined, the shape of the printed wiring board formed after the combination can be easily formed in a rectangular shape.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, for a printed wiring board module 21 having a reference size (X = 1 unit, Y = 1 unit, 1 × 1 size) as shown in FIG. The printed wiring board module 22 of 2 units and Y = 2 units (2 × 2 size), and the printed wiring board module 23 of X = 4 units and Y = 4 units (4 × 4 size) as shown in FIG. Etc.

  The printed circuit board module of each size is preset with the size and function of the circuit constructed according to the size and the size and number of ICs (integrated circuits) to be mounted. For example, the 1 × 1 size printed wiring board module 21 shown in FIG. 2A is a module for mounting a relatively small IC with a small number of pins, such as an OP amplifier, or constructing a small scale circuit. Prepared as. The 2 × 2 size printed wiring board module 22 shown in FIG. 2B is mounted on a medium-sized IC (reference size printed wiring board module 21) such as an A / D converter or a D / A converter. It is prepared as a module for mounting an IC larger in size than an IC) or constructing a medium-scale circuit. The printed wiring board module 23 of 4 × 4 size shown in FIG. 2C is mounted on the above FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B such as a CPU, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), and the like. It is prepared as a module for mounting an IC having a relatively large size with a larger number of pins than that of the IC to be constructed or constructing a large scale circuit. Here, the size of the circuit is determined by, for example, the number of mounted components to be mounted, and the number of mounted components that are mounted in the order of small-scale, medium-scale, and large-scale circuits increases.

  As the printed wiring board modules of various sizes, general-purpose universal types that do not specify electronic devices to be mounted are mainly prepared.

  The printed wiring board module whose size is standardized in this way is configured, for example, as shown in FIG. 3A shows the front side of the printed wiring board module having a single layer structure, FIG. 3B shows the back side of the module, and the printed wiring board module 31 shown in FIG. This is an SOP (small outline package) type 8-pin IC 32 that can be surface-mounted with lead pins (terminals) arranged in parallel on both sides. The printed wiring board module 31 has a pad 33 to which a lead pin of the IC 32 is soldered at a place where the IC 32 to be mounted on the surface side is placed, and a plurality of through holes (through vias) 34 are arranged and formed around the pad 33. Has been. Each pad 33 is connected to a land 36 made of a copper foil for soldering in a circular or square shape formed around the surface of the through hole 34 through a conductor pattern 35.

  Axial components such as resistors and capacitors and radial component lead terminals are inserted into the through holes 34 and soldered as necessary, and surface mount components such as chip resistors and chip capacitors are soldered to the lands 36. The wiring member such as a lead wire is connected by soldering. The conductor pattern 35 is configured to be appropriately cut as necessary, and the adjacent lands 36 are set at intervals so that they can be electrically connected to each other by soldering as necessary. Arranged configuration. In addition, the through-hole 34 disposed on the relatively outer periphery of the printed wiring board module 31 can be connected to a wiring member such as a lead wire, and the printed wiring board module 31 is connected to the peripheral module or the like through the wiring member. It is configured to be electrically connected to the outside.

  On the other hand, a conductor pattern (ground pattern) 37 serving as a ground (ground potential) is formed on the back side of the printed wiring board module 31. The ground pattern 37 is laid out so as to surround the periphery of the through hole 34 so that it can be electrically connected to the land 36 provided around the back surface of the through hole 34 by soldering. The ground pattern 37 is formed with a plurality of convex connection portions 38 toward the outer peripheral end in the outer periphery of the printed wiring board module 31. As a result, when the printed wiring board module 31 is combined with another printed wiring board module adjacent to each other, the distance between the ground patterns 37 of both adjacent modules is compared with the other portions at the location of the connecting portion 38. It will be close enough to allow soldering. Therefore, by electrically connecting the connection portions 38 of both modules with the solder 39, the ground pattern 37 between adjacent modules can be electrically connected when the printed wiring board modules are combined. Become.

  Furthermore, although not shown in the figure, when an analog circuit is constructed, an artwork design is made so that the performance of the analog circuit is sufficiently exhibited, and when the analog circuit and the digital circuit are mixedly mounted, a module is used. The ground pattern can be designed so that the ground pattern for the analog circuit and the ground pattern for the digital circuit can be separated by not electrically connecting the ground patterns therebetween. Also, a module in which connectors for connecting motherboards are arranged and formed so that they can be connected to connectors of various standard motherboards on which various circuits are constructed and mounted is also prepared.

  In addition, although the structure of the single layer printed wiring board module was demonstrated in FIG. 3, even if it is a printed wiring board module laminated | stacked by laminating | stacking an insulator and a conductive pattern in wafer shape, it can be comprised similarly. .

  Such a printed wiring board module is not prepared corresponding to a specific integrated circuit specified by a model number or the like, but for example of an IC to be mounted such as a QFP (quad flat package) or a PGA (pin grid array). Many types are prepared for each mold form, pin structure, IC size, number of pins, pin arrangement, and various functions (for example, amplification function and calculation function) and for different applications (for example, computer-related and image processing devices). . Therefore, the printed wiring board modules are configured so that the same printed wiring board modules can be used in common as long as they have the same pin arrangement and the same size even if the functions are different.

  The customer 1 selects an optimum printed wiring board module necessary for designing a desired printed wiring board from the printed wiring board modules prepared as described above, and combines the selected printed wiring board modules. . For example, as shown in FIG. 4, four printed wiring board modules Item1-1, Item1-2, Item1-3, Item1-1 having a reference size (1 × 1 size) shown in FIG. A 2 × 2 size printed wiring board module Item 2-87 shown in FIG. 2B and a 4 × 4 size printed wiring board module Item 3-112 shown in FIG. 2C are selected, and each printed wiring board module is illustrated. As shown in FIG. 4, the layout is combined and designed as a single printed wiring board.

  The numbers following the items of the printed wiring board module are given as an example, and are identification symbols for distinguishing each printed wiring board module from others. For example, the first number represents the size of the printed wiring board module. The following numbers represent a series of registered Gerber file names.

  In addition to this, Gerber files that are designed and designed by the customer 1 so as to conform to this standard can be drawn on the same film when the design data is sent from the customer 1 to the operator 2. It can be registered as a new printed wiring board module in the library of the database 4 of the business operator 2 as required, and can be provided to other customers 1.

  The design data of the printed wiring board designed and configured in this way is sent as electronic data from the customer 1 to the business operator 2 via the sending means described above. The design data sent from the customer 1 to the operator 2 is composed of an identification symbol for identifying a Gerber file stored and registered in the database 4 described so far and offset information. The offset information is coordinate information (X offset, Y offset) indicating drawing positioning of each printed wiring board module when the selected printed wiring board modules are combined.

  For example, Item #, which is an identification symbol of each printed wiring board module that is the design data of the printed wiring board shown in FIG. 4, and offset information are shown in FIG. 5 when the origin of the offset information is the left corner of the completed printed wiring board. Configured as shown.

  When the business operator 2 receives the design data composed of the identification symbol and the offset information from the customer 1, the business operator 2 acquires the offset information from the design data sent from the customer 1 as shown in FIG. Based on the database 4, the Gerber file of the selected printed wiring board module is acquired. The acquired offset information of the Gerber file is rewritten and converted to an actual value at the time of drawing a mask film that becomes a mask at the time of manufacturing a printed wiring board. Such processing is repeated as many times as the number of selected printed wiring board modules (the number of gerber fills of each printed wiring board module) to form Gerber files of all the selected printed wiring board modules. Thereafter, a mask film is drawn based on the Gerber file by a conventionally known method.

  Here, a Gerber file that is designed and designed by the customer 1 so as to conform to this standard is also drawn by the customer 1 as necessary.

  The drawn mask film is sent to the printed wiring board manufacturing factory 3, and a printed wiring board is manufactured based on this drawing film by a conventionally known technique. The manufactured printed wiring board is delivered from the printed wiring board manufacturing factory 3 to the customer 1.

  For example, in the design data shown in FIG. 5, for example, the offset information in the Gerber file of the printed wiring board module Item1-1 of index4 and Item2-87 of index5 is rewritten as shown in FIG. In FIG. 7, if the actual value of one unit described above is 20 mm, for example, X offset = 1 of index4 printed wiring board module Item1-1 is converted to 1 × 20, and Y offset = 1 is converted to 1 × 20. In the Gerber file in which the control command for creating the mask file of the printed wiring board module Item1-1 of index4 is described, the value of A indicating the X offset is rewritten from 0 to 20, and similarly the B indicating the Y offset. The value of is rewritten from 0 to 20. Thereby, the mask film of the printed wiring board module Item1-1 of index4 is drawn at the position of X = 1U (1 unit) and Y = 1U (1 unit).

  On the other hand, the X offset = 0 of the index 5 printed wiring board module Item 2-87 in the design data is converted to 0 × 20 and the Y offset = 1 is converted to 2 × 20, and a mask file of the index 5 printed wiring board module Item 2-87 is created. In the Gerber file in which the control command is described, the value of A indicating the X offset remains 0, and the value of B indicating the Y offset is rewritten from 0 to 40. As a result, the mask film of the printed wiring board module Item2-87 of index5 is drawn at the position of X = 0U (1 unit) and Y = 2U (1 unit).

  As described above, in the above-described embodiment, by selecting one or a plurality of printed wiring board modules from a plurality of types of printed wiring board modules preliminarily formed, and combining the selected printed wiring board modules, One printed wiring board can be designed and configured.

  As a result, an engineer unfamiliar with artwork design can design and configure a desired printed wiring board easily and in a short time without learning complicated CAD operations. Further, even an IC of a small envelope (package) can be easily soldered, and the IC can be reliably mounted. By selecting and combining printed circuit board modules for analog circuits, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of problems peculiar to analog circuits such as noise during performance evaluation after the analog circuit is mounted. In addition, this enables mechanically and electrically stable circuit operation as compared with the case where one electronic circuit is configured by electrically connecting on a general purpose printed circuit board called a universal printed wiring board via lead wires. Can be realized.

  Since the printed wiring board module is prepared with its size scaled with respect to the reference size, when the printed wiring board is designed and configured by combining a plurality of printed wiring board modules, the printed wiring board is rectangularly shaped. It becomes easy to form into a shape.

  Printed wiring board modules are prepared according to the size of the mounted IC, pin structure, number of pins, and pin arrangement, and can be used in common for multiple ICs with the same configuration. Can be improved.

  Since the printed wiring board module has a connection part for connecting the ground patterns of both printed wiring board modules by soldering when combined with other printed wiring board modules, the connection between both adjacent printed wiring board modules is possible. By electrically joining the parts with solder, the ground patterns of both printed wiring board modules can be easily electrically connected.

  Plural types of printed wiring board modules are stored and registered with unique identification symbols for distinguishing them from others, so each printed wiring board module can be easily distinguished and selected by this identification symbol. It becomes. In addition, since the identification symbol includes information indicating the size of the printed wiring board module to which the identification symbol is given, the module size can be determined by simply referring to the identification symbol when selecting the printed wiring board module. It becomes possible to recognize.

  The design data of the printed wiring board is composed of an identification symbol of the selected printed wiring board module and offset information indicating an arrangement position of each printed wiring board module when a plurality of selected printed wiring board modules are combined. As a result, the amount of design data can be significantly reduced as compared with the prior art that does not employ the present invention, and the design data can be easily transmitted. In addition, when drawing a mask film from design data, the mask film is drawn simply by referring to the Gerber file of the printed wiring board module based on the identification symbol and rewriting the offset information of the Gerber file based on the design data. It is possible to form a Gerber file. Thereby, the drawing work of the mask film can be simplified and the working time can be shortened.

  By allowing the customer 1 to register a Gerber file that has been designed and designed by the client 1 in conformity with this standard into the database 4 as a Gerber file of a new printed wiring board module, the operator 2 can live the printed wiring board module. The rally can be presented in a diversified manner, and the printed wiring board design and manufacturing service provided by the system of this embodiment can be improved.

  By presenting a plurality of types of printed wiring board modules via an electric communication line such as the Internet, it is possible to present a plurality of types of printed wiring board modules to a wide range of customers 1 quickly and reliably.

  By transmitting the design data of the printed wiring board converted into electronic data via an electric communication line such as the Internet, the design data of the printed wiring board can be transmitted quickly, surely and simply.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Customer 2 ... Operator 3 ... Printed wiring board manufacturing factory 4 ... Database 21, 22, 23, 31 ... Printed wiring board module 32 ... IC
33 ... Pad 34 ... Through hole 35 ... Conductor pattern 36 ... Land 37 ... Ground pattern 38 ... Convex 39 ... Solder

Claims (11)

A database in which a plurality of types of printed wiring board modules prepared in advance are stored and registered as a library;
Presenting means for presenting the printed wiring board module stored and registered in the database;
Selection for selecting one or a plurality of printed wiring board modules from a plurality of types of printed wiring board modules presented by the presenting means, and combining the selected plurality of printed wiring board modules to design and configure one printed wiring board Configuration means;
Sending means for sending the design data of the printed wiring board designed and configured by the selection constituting means;
The receiving design data of a printed wiring board was sent by the sending means, possess a film drawing means for forming a drawing data for drawing a mask film in manufacturing the printed wiring board on the basis of the design data,
The printed wiring board module, printed circuit board design and manufacturing support system characterized that you have been prepared are magnification its size with respect to the reference size. 2. The printed wiring board design / manufacturing support system according to claim 1, wherein the printed wiring board module is prepared according to a size, a number of pins, and a pin arrangement of an integrated circuit to be mounted . The said printed wiring board module is provided with the connection part which connects the ground pattern of both printed wiring board modules by soldering, when it combines with another printed wiring board module. The printed wiring board design and manufacturing support system described. The printed wiring board according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each of the plurality of types of printed wiring board modules is stored and registered with a unique identification symbol for distinguishing from the others. Board design manufacturing support system. 5. The printed wiring board design and manufacturing support system according to claim 4, wherein the identification symbol includes information indicating a size of a printed wiring board module to which the identification symbol is given . The selecting arrangement means, printed wiring board design production support system according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in you to select the printed circuit board module on the basis of the identification code. Design data of the printed wiring board, in said identification symbol of the printed wiring board module selected, the offset information indicating the position of each printed wiring board module when a combination of a plurality of printed circuit board module selected printed circuit board design and manufacturing support system according to any one of claims 4-6, characterized that you have been configured. The selection configuration unit printed wiring board, which is designed with, the customer to meet the specifications of the printed wiring board modules themselves artwork designed configured Gerber file also as design data constituting one printed circuit board printed circuit board design and manufacturing support system according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized that you form a drawing data. In the printed wiring board designed by the selection configuration means, the Gerber file that is designed and designed by the customer to meet the standard of the printed wiring board module is registered in the database as a new printed wiring board module. by the printed wiring board design production support system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein Rukoto. Said presenting means, the printed wiring board according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in Tei Rukoto is configured to include a telecommunications line that presents a plurality of kinds of printed circuit board modules electronic data Design manufacturing support system. Said sending means, printed wiring board according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it is configured to include a telecommunications line to send the design data of the electronic data were print wiring board Design manufacturing support system.

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