L-C Filter design to component layout software overview.

New Windows version 4.0

LCLAYOUT is a simple inexpensive program that allows L-C filters designed by PCFILT or S/FILSYN which are to be built using air wound inductors and single layer capacitors cut from alumina or duroid substrate materials to be drawn and laid out to scale using AutoCadd or Generic CADD. The software assigns physical sizes to each component in the design file, then generates a macro (script) file which will draw each component to scale for manual manipulation. Why learn an entirely new drawing program when you already have AutoCadd an know how to use it? LCLAYOUT simply makes up a parts list and draws all the capacitors and inductors to scale with each part labeled.

Inductors are designed using the same multiple iteration scheme used by PCAIRL / WAIRL to generate coils with an integral number of turns to a high degree of accuracy. Automatic or manual selection of form diameter and winding pitch make starting the process quick and easy. Starting default parameters start the design of each inductor for quick operation.

Single layer capacitors are sized for length and width using data from menu files that you can easily create yourself for the substrate materials you normally use. The menu sizes itself on screen to diaplay your menu file in it's entirity. Each menu file can contain up to 18 different materials and you can have any number of menu files. Substrate thickness and dielectric constant for every material in your file is available from this menu.

Optional sizes may be displayed for each material on your menu making it easy to select the proper material to allow capacitors to be stacked one on top of the other as needed.

If you would like to see AutoCadd draw all the parts for the following example on your own CADD station, the actual script file generated by LCLAYOUT for this example may be downloaded. All you have to do is start a new drawing and type SCRIPT at the command line, then specify the path and file name (FILTER.SCR). AutoCadd will do the rest!

Script example

A Sample L-C filter: 

  0 ,- Termination -,            50 Ohms  
  1 |------ C ------|           27 pFd.  
  2 |------ C ------|       7.0122 pFd.  
    |               |
  3 |               L        73.21 nHy.  
    |               |
  4 |------ C ------|       8.6572 pFd.  
    |               |
  5 |               C       2.4161 pFd.  
    |               |
  6 |------ C ------|       23.198 pFd.  
  7.|--- C --- L ---|        24.65 pFd.       48.807 nHy.  Fx = 145.1 MHz.
    |               |
  9 |               C       3.7801 pFd.  
    |               |
 10 |------ C ------|       8.0065 pFd.  
    |             ,-'-,
 11.|             C   L     10.122 pFd.       39.533 nHy.  Fx = 251.6 MHz.
    |             `-,-'
 13 |------ C ------|       7.2998 pFd.  
    |               |
 14 |               C       4.4868 pFd.  
    |               |
 15.|--- C --- L ---|       21.055 pFd.       48.807 nHy.  Fx = 157 MHz.
 17 |------ C ------|       28.212 pFd.  
    |               |
 18 |               C       4.6743 pFd.  
    |               |
 19 |------ C ------|       10.089 pFd.  
    |             ,-'-,
 20.|             C   L      8.635 pFd.       39.533 nHy.  Fx = 272.4 MHz.
    |             `-,-'
 22 |------ C ------|       12.343 pFd.  
    |               |
 23 |               C       2.4202 pFd.  
    |               |
 24 |------ L ------|       48.807 nHy.  
 25 |------ C ------|       6.5564 pFd.  
    |               |
 26 |               C       4.6976 pFd.  
    |               |
 27 `---- Source ---'           50 Ohms  
 28  Fc = 199.75 MHz.

The parts list generated: 


C1    27.00 pFd.  0.110 x 0.110 x 0.110 In.  100 cube
C2     7.01 pFd.  0.150 x 0.105 x 0.005 In.  A-5  
C4     8.66 pFd.  0.150 x 0.130 x 0.005 In.  A-5  
C5     2.42 pFd.  0.080 x 0.068 x 0.005 In.  A-5  
C6    23.20 pFd.  0.250 x 0.209 x 0.005 In.  A-5  
C7    24.65 pFd.  0.250 x 0.222 x 0.005 In.  A-5  
C9     3.78 pFd.  0.080 x 0.106 x 0.005 In.  A-5  
C10    8.01 pFd.  0.200 x 0.455 x 0.025 In.  C-25 
C11   10.12 pFd.  0.150 x 0.152 x 0.005 In.  A-5  
C13    7.30 pFd.  0.200 x 0.166 x 0.010 In.  B-10 
C14    4.49 pFd.  0.080 x 0.126 x 0.005 In.  A-5  
C15   21.06 pFd.  0.150 x 0.316 x 0.005 In.  A-5  
C17   28.21 pFd.  0.250 x 0.254 x 0.005 In.  A-5  
C18    4.67 pFd.  0.103 x 0.103 x 0.005 In.  A-5  
C19   10.09 pFd.  0.200 x 0.229 x 0.010 In.  B-10 
C20    8.63 pFd.  0.150 x 0.130 x 0.005 In.  A-5  
C22   12.34 pFd.  0.200 x 0.280 x 0.010 In.  B-10 
C23    2.42 pFd.  0.074 x 0.074 x 0.005 In.  A-5  
C25    6.56 pFd.  0.200 x 0.149 x 0.010 In.  B-10 
C26    4.70 pFd.  0.103 x 0.103 x 0.005 In.  A-5  
L3    73.21 nHy.
  0.115 x 0.154 In.   7.0 turns #26 AWG on 0.100 dia. (#39 Drill) Qu=195
L8    48.81 nHy.
  0.115 x 0.104 In.   5.0 turns #26 AWG on 0.100 dia. (#39 Drill) Qu=157
L12   39.53 nHy.
  0.094 x 0.145 In.   6.0 turns #26 AWG on 0.079 dia. (#47 Drill) Qu=178
L16   48.81 nHy.
  0.115 x 0.104 In.   5.0 turns #26 AWG on 0.100 dia. (#39 Drill) Qu=157
L21   39.53 nHy.
  0.094 x 0.145 In.   6.0 turns #26 AWG on 0.079 dia. (#47 Drill) Qu=178
L24   48.81 nHy.
  0.115 x 0.104 In.   5.0 turns #26 AWG on 0.100 dia. (#39 Drill) Qu=157

LCLAYOUT draws all the parts to scale, like this:

With all the parts drawn to scale, the final layout is up to you:

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