How Does Cadence PCB Spacing Constraints Work?

Cadence PCB spacing constraints are like rules for how close your toys can be on a play mat.

Imagine you're playing with building blocks on a big floor. You don't want them too close or they might fall over. Cadence helps you set rules about how far apart the wires and parts on a printed circuit board (PCB) need to be so they work well without touching each other.

Think of the PCB like your play mat, and the wires are like toy cars or blocks moving across it. If two toy cars get too close, they might bump into each other, just like wires that are too close can mess up the electricity flow.

You can tell Cadence: “These two blocks need to be at least 2 inches apart.” That’s a spacing constraint, it tells the system how much room things need.

Some toy cars or big blocks take more space. So, sometimes you need different rules for bigger parts. Cadence lets you set these rules clearly so your circuit board stays neat and works well, just like your play mat stays tidy when you follow the rules.