Welcome to our site! EDAboard.com is an international Electronics Discussion Forum focused on EDA software, circuits, schematics, books, theory, papers, asic, pld, 8051, DSP, Network, RF, Analog Design, PCB, Service Manuals... and a whole lot more! To participate you need to register. Registration is free. Click here to register now.
The list will be endless, unless you are more specific,what kinda design you will be doing and ur future designs.
Each tools has its advantages and disadvantages,nevertheless its upto the endusers decision to choose.
I really dunno what to say for the people calling "Allegro a user friendly tool(in above reply)",the person need to check other tools before writing in this thread.
This are the comparison and popularity list found in some forum...
PADS Layout
PADS Layout is cheaper and easy to learn and has a ton of 3rd party resources.
PADS Layout is good for PCB layout with boards that are simple to medium complexity with less than 10,000 pins. This includes about 80% of all PCB designs.
PADS autorouter and design rules are good for medium complexity.
Cadence Allegro
Cadence Allegro is expensive and takes slightly more time to learn how to use.
Allegro is used for complex PCB layout and works well with PCB layouts that have higher pin counts (above 10,000 pins) and higher layer counts, this includes about 20% of the toughest PCB designs, but it can also do small designs just as good as PADS Layout.
The Cadence autorouter is more complex with constraint driven rules and the Specctra autorouter been around longer (more mature).
Underneath are the list of software to its popularity,
Here are the CAD Tools in order of popularity (Number of Seats installed) and design complexity -
Mentor Expedition
Cadence Allegro
Zuken CR5000
Mentor Board Station
Mentor PADS Layout
Altium Designer
Zuken CADSTAR
Altium P-CAD
OrCAD Layout
Electronics Workbench Ultiboard
Intercept Pantheon
Pulsonix
CADInt
Eagle
I think one should also meniton the type of work he has done with the software. I was looking for software easy to make simple RF boards with ground (isolation to pads). The copper fill should be simple.
Easiest to work with is traxmaker. Just few hours to learn but not suitable for my RF PCB. I am looking for simple pcb tool with RF ground/copper fill facility.
Its ok to call orcad,pads,protel,allegro and cadstar a good PCB DESIGN software,but then somebody calls Edwinxp from visionics the Best,i strongly feel the person is representing that company.
People don't even give second thought if provided for free....
One need to justify before posting the reply here....
It depends upon what type of pcb u want to make. Every software hv it's positive & negative points. there is very much different requirement of everybody. Above all the software which suits ur requiremt & easy to learn/work is the best.
For Rf pcb upto 2 layers i found sprint layout to be most easy without much learning.
I've been doing PCB Design for more than 30 years and have been through some of these Schematic_Pcb tool platforms and I must say, Mentor Board Station package is probably the most favorable I have used so far. Of course should you decide to have the Expedition part of it then, it is the better. You have to consider having this platform, the Database part of it though....because everything have to sync in here. You need a catalog file where you inter the parts that points to a schematic symbol that maps to a geometry file for that part.....This process is a little bit tidious to me that I think a dedicated assigned LIBRARIAN is necessary. And lately, Pads seemed to have the same capability as that of the first system I mentioned and is easier to use. Creating a database is not as complicated....
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
