PCB circuit board design software generally includes two major modules: schematic design and PCB design. The mainstream and powerful circuit board design software basically includes these two modules. The current mainstream circuit board design software are: Protel, PowerPCB, OrCAD, Viewlogic, ExpeditionPCB, Cadence PSD, MentorGraphices, ZukenCadStart, Winboard/Windraft/Ivex SPICE, PCBStudio, TANGO, PCBWizard (PCB production software package supporting LiveWire), ultiBOARD7 (PCB production software package supporting multiSIM2001) and so on.
Following I will introduce the 6 common used software to you.
1. AltiumProtel Series
Protel is a circuit board design software launched by PROTEL (now Altium) in the late 1980s.
Protel99 is a plate-making system based on pure 32-bit circuit design under the Windows operating system. It provides an integrated design environment, including schematic design and PCB routing tools, integrated design document management, and supports collaborative design functions for workgroups through the network.
PCB Design Software – Protel99 Working Interface
The Main Features of Protel99
- Protel99 design system is stable and efficient;
- Smart Tool technology integrates all design tools in a single design environment;
- Smart Doc (smart document) technology stores all design data files in a single design database, and uses the design manager for unified management. The design database uses ddb as the suffix and is managed uniformly in the design manager. The document unified management using the design manager is newly proposed in Protel99, which is not available in the previous version;
- Smart Team (smart work group) technology allows multiple designers to safely design individually through the network. And then integrate each part into the design manager through the work group management function;
- The composite option of PCB automatic wiring rules greatly facilitates the design of wiring rules;
- Support integrated PCB wiring with online rule checking function;
- The integrated PCB automatic routing system uses the latest artificial intelligence technology,. Such as artificial neural network, fuzzy expert system, fuzzy theory and fuzzy neural network, etc., Even for very complex circuit boards, the wiring results can reach expert level s level;
- Two different layout methods are adopted for the automatic layout of printed circuit board design. They are Cluster Placer (group type) and statistical-based method (Statistical Placer).
- In the previous version, it provided a layout based on statistics;
- Protel99 has newly added the automatic layout rule design function. The Placement tab is newly added in Protel99, which is used to set the items of automatic layout rules;
- Enhanced interactive layout and routing mode, including “Push and shove”.
Because the Protel99SE software is simple and easy to use, it is very suitable as an introductory textbook for beginners to learn schematic and PCB design. So it is welcomed by the majority of electronic workers.
2.Altium Designer 6.0
At the end of 2005, Altium(the original manufacturer of Protel software) launched the latest high-end version of the Protel series-Altium Designer 6.0. Altium Limited announced the release of Altum Designer 6.0, the next version of a fully integrated electronic product development system. Altium Designer is the industry’s first product that integrates design flow, integrated PCB design, programmable device (such as FPGA) design, and processor-based embedded software development functions.
PCB Design Software – Altium Designer Working Interface
This latest high-end version Altium Designer6. In addition to fully inheriting the functions and advantages of the previous series of versions including Protel99SE and Protel2004. It also adds many new high-end features. It is the industry’s first and only complete board-level design solution. Altium Designer 6.0 broadens the traditional boundaries of board-level design and fully integrates FPGA design functions and SOPC design implementation functions. And it allows engineers to integrate FPGA and PCB design in system design.
Features of Altium Designer 6.0
- Support schematic input and HDL hardware description input mode;
- Support VHDL-based design simulation, mixed-signal circuit simulation and layout pre/post signal integrity analysis;
- The layout and routing of Altium Designer 6.0 adopts a completely rule-driven mode, and the grid-free SitusTM topology logic automatic routing function is used in PCB routing. It combines the editing of complete CAM output functions;
- It greatly reduces the design time for packaging devices with a large number of pins on high-density boards, and simplifies the design navigation functions of complex boards. Designers can effectively process high-speed differential signals, especially for large-scale programmable A large number of LVDS resources on the device;
- It makes full use of the available board space and modern packaging technology. With more effective process design and lower manufacturing costs, shortening the time to market;
- It integrates the functions of FPGA and board-level design, so it is very suitable for the design of programmable FPGA devices on the circuit board. The users do not need to use third-party software provided by FPGA manufacturers to perform HDL programming and design separately. This greatly reduces In the development cycle. Because of its more complete wiring system, it is also more suitable for the design of complex high-speed circuit boards.
3. Allegro System Interconnection Design Platform
The Cadence Allegro system interconnect design platform achieves cost reduction and faster time to market through constraint-driven collaborative design between IC, package and PCB.
PCB Design Software – Cadence Allegro Work Interface
Features of Cadence Allegro
- Using the platform’s collaborative design method, engineers can quickly optimize the system interconnection between the I/O buffer and IC, package and PCB, avoiding hardware re-projection. Therefore it reduces hardware cost and design cycle;
- Constraint-driven Allegro process includes advanced functions of design input, signal integrity and physical PCB design;
- From high-speed, high-performance product design to the daily necessities market, Cadence provides easy integration with existing technology. It allows users to substantially improve the existing design process. And it supports all market areas through the latest and most advanced technology;
- With the support of Cadence Encounter and Virtuoso platform, Allegro collaborative design method can realize effective design chain integration.
The Allegro system is an excellent software for PCB design. It is widely used in high-speed PCB design fields such as communications. Its signal integrity analysis function is very suitable for the design of 10 Gigabit products.
4. Mentor Graphics PADS Series
The PADS EDA system includes four parts: Power Logic, Power PCB, CAM350 and Hyper Lynx.
PowerLogic7.1 and PowerPCB7.1 are excellent EDA design software launched by Mentor Graphics, which are deeply loved by users.
PCB Design Software – PADS EDA PowerPCB7 Working Interface
PowerPCB Features
- Integrated design environment, all functions are easy to use;
- Use PADS printed circuit board PCB design plan;
- From simple to complex printed circuit board design process, achieve high ROI;
- Improve production efficiency and shorten design cycle time;
- Use minimal analysis and simulation tools to maintain design integrity.
The Mentor Graphics PADS series have similar functions to the Protel series. It is with a complete design system from schematics to PCBs. And it has a wide range of applications.
5. P-CAD2006PCB Design Software
P-CAD2006 provides a large number of new functions and enhancements. It expands the design capabilities of PCB professionals. From design entry to manufacturing, P-CAD2006 includes all the necessary tools to quickly and efficiently handle board-level design tasks.
PCB Design Software – P-CAD2006 Working Interface
CAD2006 Features
P-CAD2006 is a board-level design system for PCB design engineers. This version provides more than 50 new functions and enhanced functions, technical updates for layout, automatic routing and interactive routing. It improves CAM file editing and circuit simulation and many additional functions for better control the entire PCB design process.
Another important function of P-CAD2006 is Altium’s CAMtastic2006 file editor. It can edit the complete manufacturing file data before the circuit board is sent for manufacturing. And it can provide enhanced SPICE3f5/XSpice mixed-signal circuit simulation.
P-CAD2006 is a full-featured design system. It covers the entire process from circuit design to signal simulation to manufacturing. It is very suitable for integrated circuit board design.
6. Cadence OrCAD
Cadence OrCAD 10.5 full-featured enhancement kit with time-keeping verification function and new OrCAD technology. It is the most powerful version of OrCAD by far
Cadence OrCAD Working Interface
Cadence OrCAD 10.5 brings PCB design into a more detailed stage. It can be applied on the Allegro platform in combination with PSpice. This system is a complete process covering front-end to back-end, using the Microsoft Windows platform. Which can be used by PCB designers to improve productivity and shorten the time to market through tool integration and program automation. OrCAD Unison Suite integrates 4 newly enhanced products that can provide all the tools needed by designers in a single package software.
OrCAD10.5 includes Orcad CaptureR for design input, PSpiceRA/DBasics for analog and mixed signal simulation, OrcadLayoutR for circuit board design, and SPECCTRAR4U for automatic winding of high-density circuit boards. The newly added SPECCTRA is used to support the increasingly complex high-speed, high-density printed circuit board designs. SPECCTRA provides designers with a shape-based, powerful winding device that can complete various complex designs with reduced user intervention.
