Organize your part data better with CIS: CIS-2

In the last post, we discussed that OrCAD Capture can directly place parts from your corporate parts database and those databases can be configured with CIS.

Even if you don’t have a corporate library database, you can create one even in MS-Excel to organize your parts better. We have sometimes seen that for every unique part, engineers make a new symbol in the library (.olb file). For example, if you want three resistors with three different values, you have three resistor symbols in your library.

All these three parts have the exact same graphics, the same pin configuration, etc. The only thing changing is property values. With this methodology, over time, you might end up creating hundreds of duplicate symbols just for varying property values.

Instead of this, create a parts database. Assign a unique part number for every unique part, but all these parts will use the same symbol. And every part number can have different values for properties like value, tolerance, footprint, etc. This methodology also saves the effort of adding properties on the symbol when you create it in the library. Just create the symbol graphics in the library and manage all properties through the database.

A database table will look like this:

See that all the part rows are utilizing the symbol resistor and then, some are using analog/R.

Once you have the database, configure it with Capture CIS. Use the CIS Explorer to place parts in the design. One database can be shared with multiple engineers as well. With this setup, for any new part, you just need to add a row in your database, and you are done.

Using CIS for part placement further offers additional advantages which we will discuss in the next post on CIS