PCB Creator: PCB Design Software Tools

DESIGN CUSTOM PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS IN RECORD TIME

Bay Area Circuit’s free PCB design, layout, and schematic capture software is quick and easy to use. 

PCB Creator printed circuit board design software features an integrated pricing and ordering system for creating 2 to 4-layer custom PCBs. PCB Creator (Printed Circuit Board Creator) is simple to use; all you need to do is follow our step-by-step tutorial. You can create custom PCB designs within just a couple of hours. Our printed circuit board design software is compatible with manual and auto-routing tools and component and pattern editors. That gives users the ability to design unique components and footprints. You can import and export custom PCB designs and libraries with other EDA tools. You use Schematic Capture to preview designs in 3D.

Our PCB layout tool, powered by the popular DipTrace platform, provides a 4-in-1 design environment enabling the creation of fully customized printed circuit boards (PCBs), including Schematics, PCB Layouts (with Autorouter), 3D PCB previewing, and Component and Pattern Editors. Check your custom PCB design for compatibility with our DRC to get an instant quote before ordering your custom-printed circuit boards.

This updated version of our free PCB Schematic Capture and Printed Circuit Board Layout software features many expansions to the already user-friendly tools and training materials, as well as new additions that will make creating custom PCB designs even simpler by adding more options.

Key Advantages of Our PCB Tool

• Simple to Learn User Interface
• Multi-sheet and Hierarchical Schematics
• Built-in Shape-based Autorouter
• Integrated Design Environment
• High-speed Differential Pair Routing
• Multiple Verifications with Real-time DRC
• Wide Import & Export Capabilities
• 3D PCB Preview & Export
• 130,000 Components in Library

Unique custom PCBs created for you

Are you interested in designing a custom PCB but are hesitant about starting the process? PCB Creator is the perfect software solution to create circuit boards for three simple reasons:

• It’s free
• It’s easy-to-use
• It is simple to upgrade if you need to design more complex PCBs.

You can order customer PCBs for manufacturing directly from the PCB software itself. Simply download and install our printed circuit board design software.

COMPREHENSIVE FEATURES

Friendly & Reliable:  Intuitive user interface and high flexibility means there’s no steep learning curve to navigate.

Our dedicated PCB software allows you to design PCBS in hours without extensive and expensive training.  You can access our free step-by-step tutorial and video guides.

Intelligent Project Structure:  PCB Creator is convenient for simple and complex projects. The PCB creator divides nets into classes with user-defined parameters and class-to-class rules. Via styles help you to organize your work with options for through and blind / buried vias. Using design rules allows users to apply the same design for multiple boards to save time.

Integrated Environment: All software modules have a single PCB design environment with cross-module library management and easy access to the previous/next design stage. Convert schematics to PCBs, renew PCBs from Schematics, and Back Annotate.

Multi-Level Hierarchy:  Hierarchy blocks can be inserted into schematics or grouped when required. Users can arrange components into hierarchy blocks directly on the board and apply placement and routing rules from one block to another with a PCB Layout.

3D Preview:  Rotating board designs in three axes, zoom in/out in real-time, and adjust color templates in the preview. Import *.wrl, *.3ds, *.step, and *.iges 3D component models (with more than 6,500 free models in the PCB Creator 3D library). Exporting boards to STEP or VRML 2.0 formats supported by mechanical CAD systems.

Placement Features: Components can be placed manually or automatically with optimized distancing between pads. You can even combine both methods for more complex boards.

Manual Routing:  Route nets following 15, 30, 45, and 90-degree angles, freeform, via arcs and curves, or by shape-based copper pouring. Change route modes, current segments, trace widths, and other parameters with customizable hotkeys on the go, plus choose from various trace highlight options.

Built-in Autorouter:  PCB Creator shape-based autoroute with advanced settings suits complex multi-layer boards with through and blind/buried vias and features a DSN/SES interface for external routing.

High-speed PCB Design:  Smart differential pair routing tools for high-speed transmission lines with length and phase constraints for signal integrity. Choose between standard and free single-track editing modes with real-time DRC feedback routing.

Fanout:  Customizable fanout for nets, components, and pads. Connect SMD pads to inner layers with vias of the selected style. Instant use templates for BGA, SOIC, and QUAD components with full Autorouter support.

Import / Export:  Exchange schematics, layouts, and libraries with other EDA and CAD packages (DXF, OrCAD, P-CAD/Altium, EAGLE, PADS). Import and export netlists of Accel, Allegro, Mentor, PADS, P-CAD, OrCAD, Protel, and Tango formats.

Advanced Verification:  Electric Rule Check (ERC) and Check Hierarchy features are available in Schematics. PCB Layout’s Design Rule Check (DRC) verifies correct object clearances/sizes, differential pair lengths, and dynamic phase parameters. Real-time DRC proactively displays errors before creation. Net Connectivity Checks report broken or merged nets to highlight the differences between PCB and schematics, complete with verification. Benefit from full descriptions and simple localization of errors and design constraints.

Manufacturing Output:  Export industry-standard files accepted by PCB manufacturers, including Gerber RS-274X, Gerber X2, N/C Drill, ODB++, IPC-D-356A, Pick and Place, and DXF files (requires an upgrade to DipTrace – see below). Support for Vector and TrueType (Unicode) fonts, as well as raster image exporting and choice of Milling method.

Comprehensive Libraries:  PCB Creator has over 130,000 electronic components and Component and Pattern Editors packed with other design templates for single and multi-part component management.

Have questions about designing PCBs that scale quickly and easily? Contact our team for consultation regarding your next PCB project.

DOWNLOAD NOW

PCB Creator is a free PCB layout and schematic capture solution for commercial and non-profit purposes. PCB Creator can design 2 to 4-layer PCBs with 1000 pins or less and includes a 4-in-1 design environment including Schematics, PCB Layouts with Autorouter, Components and Pattern Editors, and 3D PCB Previewing. We offer an upgrade path for the popular DipTrace software that unlocks unlimited PCB design capabilities for those who need to go beyond the 4-layer/1000-pin capability of PCB Creator.

Version 3 of our PCB Creator Software includes many enhancements, including support for differential pairs (both double and single-track routing modes, as well as real-time verification of differential pair rules), Mac OS X compatibility support, real-time 3D preview and exporting, updated component and pattern editors, plus customized hotkeys that enable fast navigation. 

To start designing your custom printed circuit boards, download the appropriate software version below and follow our step-by-step tutorial that walks you through the entire design process.

PCB Creator

3D Libraries

3D models are NOT included into PCB Creator installation packages. Download and install them to ensure correct operation of PCB Creator Layout 3D Preview module. How to Install 3D Models.

Component Libraries

These libraries are already included in the latest PCB Creator installation package. How to Install Libraries.

UPGRADE

Do you need to design beyond the 1000 Pin / 4 Signal Layer capability of PCB Creator? Upgrade to DipTrace to receive added pin and signal layer capability along with full export functionality (Gerber RS-274X, Gerber X2, ODB++ & more!). Designs created with PCB Creator (.BAC format) are fully compatible with DipTrace Standard, Extended and Full versions.

Commercial

For Commercial Volume Licensing (more than 5) please contact us for details.

Non-Profit / Academic

For Academic Volume Licensing (more than 10) please contact us for details.