Wiring connections between components in PCB Design - Real Business Scenario

Scenario Mode

👤 Your Role: You are a PCB design analyst at an electronics manufacturing company.

📋 Request: Your manager wants a report showing the wiring connections between components on a new circuit board design to ensure all connections are correctly mapped and optimized.

📊 Data: You have a dataset listing components, their pins, and the nets (wires) connecting these pins. Each row shows a component, pin number, and the net it connects to.

🎯 Deliverable: Create a dashboard that visualizes the wiring connections between components, showing which components connect through which nets, and a summary of the number of connections per component.

Sample Data

Component	Pin	Net
U1	1	NET_A
U1	2	NET_B
R1	1	NET_A
R1	2	NET_C
C1	1	NET_B
C1	2	NET_D
U2	1	NET_C
U2	2	NET_D
R2	1	NET_E
R2	2	NET_F

1

Step 1: Load the dataset into your BI tool with columns: Component, Pin, Net.

Import the data as a table named 'WiringData'.

Expected Result

Data table 'WiringData' with 10 rows loaded.

2

Step 2: Create a calculated measure to count the number of connections per component.

ConnectionsCount = COUNTROWS(FILTER(WiringData, WiringData[Component] = SELECTEDVALUE(WiringData[Component])))

Expected Result

Measure 'ConnectionsCount' shows correct counts, e.g., U1 has 2 connections.

3

Step 3: Build a matrix visualization with Rows = Component, Columns = Net, Values = Count of Pins connected.

Configure matrix: Rows = WiringData[Component], Columns = WiringData[Net], Values = COUNT(WiringData[Pin])

Expected Result

Matrix shows which components connect to which nets with counts.

4

Step 4: Create a network diagram visualization to show wiring connections between components via nets.

Use a custom visual or tool that maps Components as nodes and Nets as edges connecting them.

Expected Result

Network diagram displays components connected by nets, visually showing wiring.

5

Step 5: Add filters to allow selecting a specific component or net to focus on its connections.

Add slicers for Component and Net fields.

Expected Result

User can filter dashboard to see wiring connections for selected components or nets.

Final Result

Network Diagram Visual

↓

Component

✓U1 and R1 share NET_A, indicating a direct wiring connection.

✓C1 and U2 are connected through NET_D and NET_B, showing multiple wiring paths.

✓R2 is isolated with connections only on NET_E and NET_F, no shared nets with other components.

✓The dashboard allows quick identification of wiring paths and potential design issues.

Bonus Challenge

Create a measure that identifies nets connecting more than two components and highlight them in the network diagram.

Show Hint

Use a DAX formula to count distinct components per net, then filter nets with count > 2.