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ORCAD 9.1 Software

When installing the software, you may be given an option of which features to install. Pick both
Capture and PSPICE.
When saving files to a floppy disk, be sure to create a folder on the disk to store the project.
Without a folder, some of the required files created by ORCAD seem to get lost and you may have
trouble re-opening the file.
Run the software by selecting Start - Programs - ORCAD - Capture

Basic steps in creating and analyzing a circuit using PSPICE

1) Create a project
• Select File – New – Project from the main menu
• When the New Project box appears, specify the following:
o Assign the project a Name (any name is fine)
o Create project using Analog or Mixed-Signal Circuit Wizard
o Pick the Location (be sure to use a folder if on a floppy)

• If asked to use an existing hierarchical template or begin a blank project, pick a blank
project.
• If asked to Add Libraries, add the EVAL.OLB library

2) Draw the schematic

3) Create a simulation profile (select PSPICE – New Simulation Profile from the main menu)
4) Run the simulation (select PSPICE – Run from the main menu)
5) View the results (select PSPICE – View Output File from the main menu)

Demonstration topics
• Menu overview
• Parts libraries - overview
• Inserting components (use Parts - Insert or use icon on toolbar)
• Rotating components (R or Ctrl + R) – about the positive terminal
• Flipping components (F or Ctrl + F)
Alternate method: right click on component and select rotate or flip options
• Editing properties (Edit – Properties or double-click on the component)
• Editing a component’s value or name by double-clicking on the item
• Wiring a schematic: use Place – Wire or use the wire icon on the toolbar
• Including a ground:
– PSPICE is based on nodal analysis so a ground is required
– Always use the ground named 0 (or 0/SOURCE indicating which library it is in)
– Insert the ground by selecting Place – Ground – 0/SOURCE (or use the GND symbol
shown on the toolbar)
– If the 0/SOURCE ground is not shown, select Add Library, then open the PSPICE
folder, then double-click on the SOURCE library
• PSPICE is not case-sensitive
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Allowable prefixes are shown in the table below

• When PSPICE reads a component value:

• No space is allowed between the value and the prefix or unit name
• PSPICE essentially only looks at the first letter after the value to see if it is a valid prefix.
All other letters are ignored, so unit names can be entered in a variety of ways. Several
examples of specifying a 100 kΩ resistor are shown below:

• Labeling nodes (use the N1 tool on the toolbar). It is a good idea to label all nodes except
the ground node (which is already labeled as node 0).
• Displaying properties: Some properties are automatically displayed, but others are not. In
general, display any property that you set or change.
• Adding text to a schematic: Select Place – Text from the main menu

Analysis available includes:

– Bias Point
• Automatically finds all node voltages and places the results in the .OUT file.
• Current, voltage, and power values for each component can also be printed
on the schematic by selecting the following from the menu:
• PSPICE - Bias Points - Enable
• PSPICE - Markers - (Select quantity to be displayed)
– DC Sweep
• No spaces allowed between value and unit for starting & ending value in
sweep (similar to specifying values of components)
• If the starting and ending values are the same, use an Increment of 1
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Voltage printers & current printers
– use their (DC =) property and display it
– use a DC sweep (analysis type) or the printer is ignored!
– Insert current printers like an ammeter (break the circuit and place in series)
– Insert voltage printers like a voltmeter (across the component (in parallel))
– Look for the negative sign on the printer for correct polarity
– Forms for voltage: V(R2), V(A), V(A,B)
– The results are printed in the .OUT file

• Dependent sources
– Located in the analog library (analog.olb)
– Use E, F, G, and H (not EPOLY, FPOLY, GPOLY, and HPOLY)
– Each source has a round symbol that can be thought of as the source. The other
terminals are for the control variable.
– Double click on the source to set the GAIN property (default value = 1). Be sure to
change the property settings so that the GAIN is displayed.
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ORCAD CAPTURE (PSPICE)

GETTING STARTED

1. Click on start  program 

OrCAD release 10.5 
capture CIS

2. Orcad Capture window will

appear as shown.

3. Click file  new  project

4. Make sure Analog or Mixed

A/D button is chosen

5. Fill in name with a filename

(ex. RC AMPLIFIER )

6. Select location where you

will store your project

7. Click OK

8. Create PSpice Project will

| appear.
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9. Make sure you click Create a

blank project

10. Click OK

Menu bar

Schemati
c window
Project
Manager
Window

Log of events or
errors (not used
by this text)

11. An empty schematic page and a project window will appear

• The Project Manager window shows the Design Resources, Outputs and PSpice
Resources. We will use this window to organize all of our project designs. It is
especially useful in complex, multi project environments
• The Schematic window represents the “protoboard” onto which the circuit will be
drawn. After circuit analysis, additional windows will be opened to display result.
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12. Click the Place Part button

Place Part
button

13. Click Add Library

14. Select all the libraries in

Pspice folder only. Program file 
Orcad  Capture  Library 
PSpice

15. Click Open

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Part List

16. Type the component name

at the part list

Click Ctrl + A, 17. Click OK

to select all
18. The symbol that you chose
will appear at the bottom right
Layout column.

19. The value shown is the

default value, you can change it
Simulatio later.
n

Components that already 20. Drag the part to the desired

used can select here. location.

21. Right click on the mouse 

end mode, or click Esc.

22. Repeat process for other

components.
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23. There are several
components that have more then 1
part per pack. Ex. 7404, Not gate
have 6 parts per pack.

24. Every gate label by different

label. Ex.

U 1 A U 1 B
1 2 3 4
Have 6 parts per 7 4 0 4 7 4 0 4
pack

U 1 C
5 6
7 4 0 4

CHANGE THE COMPONENT

POSITION
2

R 1
1 k
1. Click Rotate and the component
1 will turns clockwise 90o.

2. Or click “r”

U 1 A
2 1
7 4 0 4

3. Click Mirror Horizontally or

Mirror Vertically to flip the part
about the horizontal (X) or vertical
(Y) axes.

2 N 4 2 2 2 A
Q 1
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TO PLACE GROUND

1. Click the icon on the right

side of window

2. Select 0/source.

Put the value here TO CHANGE COMPONENT

VALUE

1. Double click at the component

value.

2. The display properties window

will appear.

3. Put the correct value and click

OK.

Before EDIT PART

editing
1. If the IC pins need to change,
click right  edit part.

2. Change size or pins position as

you like.
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3. After editing choose close edit

part window and the window shown
will appear.

4. Choose update current if to

change one component only and
choose update all to change all the
same components.
U 2
4 5
R E S E T C O N T R O L
3 6
5. Click yes at the warning window.
O U T P TU H T R E S H O L D
2 7 After editing
T R I G G D E I SR C H A R G E 6. The new IC graphic after editing.
1 8
G N D V C C
5 5 5 a lt

WIRING

C 1 Q 2 1. Select the icon

3
1 n
2 Q 2 N 3
2.9 Click
0 4
at the component end node.
R 4 R 5
2 1 k
1
3. Drag to the other or suitable
1 The component component end node.
end node.

T i t le
< T it l e >

S i z e D o c u m e n t N u m b e r R e v TITLE BLOCK
A < D o c > < R e v C o d e >

D a t e : W e d n e s d a y , M a S y h 3e 1e ,t 1 2 0 o0 f 6 1
1. Double click the <Title> word.
before
2. Change it to the suitable title..

Title 3. Same process for change <doc>

RC-coupled audio amplifier and <rev code>
Size Document Number Rev
A V1.0
Schematic Diagram 1 1
Date: Wednesday, May 31, 2006 Sheet of

after
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ANNOTATE

1. Click the icon

2. Project window manager will

appear.

3. Click to highlight the design file

(*.dsn).
Step 5
4. Click tools  annotate or icon

5. At the annotate window click

“Reset…” then click yes at the
warning window. The component
part name will change into “?”

6. Repeat step 1 to 4. This time click

“Incremental..”. The component
change to suitable part name.

Step 6
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DESIGN RULES CHECK (DRC)

1. Click to highlight the design file

(*.dsn).

2. Click tools  design rules check

or icon

3. Click Ok and Yes at the warning

window.

Example of log session if have

warning or wrong connection at the
circuit
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Examples of log session have no

warning.

SPECIFYING THE TYPE OF

CIRCUIT ANALYSIS

1. Click the icon

2. New Simulation window will

appear.

3. Fill in the name then click

“Create”.

4. Simulation setting window will

appear.

5. Change the “run to time” to 5m

(milli)

6. Click OK.
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OUTPUT TEXT
Display the progress of the
simulation
If error encountered in circuit
schematic:
a brief error message will appear Monitor the values of
- simulation parameters that may change
cannot continue until as the simulation progress.
errors are fixed
No such parameters in
simple bias example.

7. Click PSpice  Run or icon

8. PSpice A/D window will appear a shown.

9 . 0 0 0 V
2 2 2 2
3 5 1 . 7 u A 4 . 1 5 6 m A 2 2 2 . 6 u A 9 . 4 2 4 m A
R 2 R 3 R 5 R 8
21 .8 2 k 2 7 m W 11 k7 . 2 7 m W 13 .3 6 k 3 6 m W 45 69 .0 7 3 m W
C 2
1 1 1 1
4 . 8 4 4 V 3 . 7 2 3 V V 1
9 V d c- 1 2 7 . 4 m W
C 1 2 . 6 6 9Q V 3 2 5 u F Q 4
R 9 4 . 1 5 6 m A 1 . 6 95 .3 4 V 2 4 m A
1 1 . 9 8 m W C M A X 2 6 . 1 9 m W
1 0 W 2
2 . 0 00 A0 V 2 . 0 0 0 V 2 6 . 2 6 u A 5 7 . 3 8 u A 1 4 . 1 5 m A
1
Q 2 N 3 9 0 4 Q 2 N 2 2 7 0
2 5 u F - 4 . 12 8 2 m A - 9 . 4 9 8 4 1 8 2m . 1 A m V
2 . 0 0 C0 VM A 2 2
0V A 2 X3 2 5 . 5 u A 4 . 1 18 .2 9 m 6 6AC V 4 1 6 5 . 3 u A 9 . 4 8 1 mC 3A
V O F F 0= W 2 R 1 R 4 1 0 0 u F R 6 R 7 1 0 0 u F
V A M P L = 1 0 88 6. 2 8 k . 6 u W 84 .7 2 0 2 1 m C WM A X 21 70 3k . 1 u W 81 .0 9 0 8 C9 mM AW X
F R E Q = 1 k
1 1 1 1 0 V

BIAS VOLTAGE AND CURRENTS

1. Click the icon for enable bias voltage, for enable bias current and for enable
bias power to display.
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OUTPUT GRAPH
1. Select trace  add trace or click icon

2. The add traces window will appear.

3. At simulation output variables column select which point you want to have the output graph.
For example V(V2:+). Mean Voltage at point + for V2.

4. Click OK.
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5. The output data will display.

6. Go back to add trace and select V(Q4:C)

7. The output data will display as shown.

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ADDING TEXT

1. Click Plot  Label  Text

2. Or click the icon

3. The text label window will

appear.

4. Insert “INPUT”  OK

5. Put at the location that you need.

ADDING ARROW

1. Click Plot  Label  Arrow

2. Click the location you want to

show.
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2 2

R 2 R 3
I V +
1 8 k 1 k C 2
1 1

C 1 Q 3 V - 2 5 u F
R 9
1 2 C M A X
1
V
Q 2W N 3 9 0 4
2 5 u F
2 2
V 2 C M A X C 4
V O F F = 2 R 1 R 4 1 0 0 u F
V A M P L = 1 0 8 . 2 k 4 7 0 C M A X
F R E Q = 1 k
1 1

OUTPUT GRAPH USING MARKER

1. Click the icon for voltage/level marker, for voltage differential marker, for
current marker and for power dissipation marker.

2. Put the marker at the point you want. Then click . The output graph output will appear.

ADD PLOT

1. Click Plot  Add plot to window

2. Other plot window will appear as

shown, “SEL” means select plot.
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3. Then you can separate the output

graph.

ADDING MARK LABEL

1. Click Trace  Cursor  Display

2. Or click icon

3. The cursor mark will appear. To

label the mark click the icon .