L-C Filter design to component layout software overview.

New Windows version 6.0

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 General CADD Pro. 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:


Date / time = Fri Mar 06 14:49:15 2009
user = Al K
Design file: LCL_EXAMP ... Schematic diagram
  0 ,- Termination -,           50 Ohms
    |               |
  1 |               C       3.0307 pFd
    |               |
  2 |------ C ------|       3.0181 pFd
  3 |------ L ------|       23.815 nHy
    |               |
  4 |               C       1.2267 pFd
    |               |
  5 |------ C ------|       5.5272 pFd
    |               |
  6 |               L        47.63 nHy
    |               |
  7 |------ C ------|       5.3079 pFd
    |               |
  8 |               C        1.446 pFd
    |               |
  9 |------ C ------|       4.8623 pFd
 10.|--- C --- L ---|       4.5299 pFd        59.538 nHy   Fx = 306.46 MHz
    |               |
 12 |               C       1.1165 pFd
    |               |
 13.|--- C --- L ---|       6.5891 pFd        59.538 nHy   Fx = 254.1 MHz
 15 |------ C ------|       3.0204 pFd
    |               |
 16 |               C      0.76813 pFd
    |               |
 17 |------ C ------|       2.9636 pFd
    |               |
 18 |               L       52.922 nHy
    |               |
 19 |------ C ------|       9.7737 pFd
 20 `---- Source ---'           50 Ohms
 21  Fc = 398.87 MHz

 

The parts list generated:

C1     3.03 pFd.  0.171 x 0.171 x 0.005 In.  E-5
C2     3.02 pFd.  0.432 x 0.432 x 0.032 In.  G-32
C4     1.23 pFd.  0.154 x 0.154 x 0.010 In.  F-10
C5     5.53 pFd.  0.585 x 0.585 x 0.032 In.  G-32
C7     5.31 pFd.  0.573 x 0.573 x 0.032 In.  G-32
C8     1.45 pFd.  0.167 x 0.167 x 0.010 In.  F-10
C9     4.86 pFd.  0.549 x 0.549 x 0.032 In.  G-32
C10    4.53 pFd.  0.300 x 0.935 x 0.032 In.  G-32
C12    1.12 pFd.  0.147 x 0.147 x 0.010 In.  F-10
C13    6.59 pFd.  0.500 x 0.816 x 0.032 In.  G-32
C15    3.02 pFd.  0.432 x 0.432 x 0.032 In.  G-32
C16    0.77 pFd.  0.122 x 0.122 x 0.010 In.  F-10
C17    2.96 pFd.  0.428 x 0.428 x 0.032 In.  G-32
C19    9.77 pFd.  0.778 x 0.778 x 0.032 In.  G-32
L3    23.82 nHy.
  0.121 x 0.180 In.   4.0 turns #22 AWG on 0.096 dia. (#41 Drill) Qu=406
L6    47.63 nHy.
  0.145 x 0.189 In.   5.0 turns #22 AWG on 0.120 dia. (#31 Drill) Qu=360
L11   59.54 nHy.
  0.166 x 0.194 In.   5.0 turns #22 AWG on 0.141 dia. (#28 Drill) Qu=352
L14   59.54 nHy.
  0.166 x 0.194 In.   5.0 turns #22 AWG on 0.141 dia. (#28 Drill) Qu=352
L18   52.92 nHy.
  0.161 x 0.220 In.   5.0 turns #22 AWG on 0.136 dia. (#29 Drill) Qu=431

LCLAYOUT draws all the parts to scale, like this:

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


Like PCFILT, LCLAYOUT is now public domain and free to download:

LCLAYOUT Windows version


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