What software is better for PCB layout? Cadence or AD?
PCB layout is a printed circuit board.
Printed circuit board, also called printed circuit board, is a carrier that allows various electronic components to be connected regularly.
PCB layout is translated as printed board layout in Chinese. Traditionally, circuit boards use printed and etched circuits, so they are called printed or printed circuit boards. By using printed boards, people can not only avoid wiring errors during the installation process (before the advent of PCBs, electronic components were connected through wires, which were not only complicated but also posed safety hazards). The first person to use PCB was an Austrian named Paul. Eisler, first used in radio in 1936. Widespread use emerged in the 1950s.
PCB layout characteristics
At present, the electronics industry has developed rapidly, and people’s work and life are inseparable from various electronic products. As an indispensable and important carrier for electronic products, PCB also plays an increasingly important role. Electronic equipment is trending toward high performance, high speed, and thinness. As a multidisciplinary industry, PCB has become one of the most critical technologies for electronic equipment. The PCB industry occupies a pivotal position in electronic interconnection technology.
PCB layout design process
Conventional PCB design includes several steps such as library creation, netlist adjustment, layout, wiring, and file output. However, the conventional PCB design process is far from meeting the increasingly complex high-speed PCB design requirements.
Since SI simulation, PI simulation, EMC design, single board technology, etc. all need to be closely integrated into the design process, and at the same time, in order to achieve quality control, review links must be added at each node, and the actual PCB design process is much more complicated. The picture shows a typical PCB design process of PCB design company Yibo Technology, which can better solve the problems caused by high-speed design.
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What are the commonly used PCB layout software?
1. Cadence Allegro
The Cadence Allegro system interconnect platform enables co-design of high-performance interconnects across integrated circuits, packages and PCBs. Applying the platform’s co-design approach, engineers can quickly optimize system interconnections between I/O buffers and across integrated circuits, packages and PCBs. This approach avoids hardware rework and reduces hardware costs and design cycles. The constraint-driven Allegro flow includes advanced capabilities for design capture, signal integrity and physical implementation. Because it is also supported by the Cadence Encounter and Virtuoso platforms, the Allegro co-design approach makes efficient design chain collaboration a reality.
2.MentorGraphics PADS
Mentor Graphics is a leading manufacturer of electronic design automation technology. It provides complete software and hardware design solutions, allowing customers to launch powerful electronic products on the market in a short time and at the lowest cost. Today’s circuit boards and semiconductor components have become more complex, and with the in-depth application of deep sub-micron process technology in system single-chip design, the difficulty of converting a creative idea into a product on the market has increased significantly; for This Mentor provides technologically innovative products and complete solutions to enable engineers to overcome the design challenges they face.
3. MentorGraphics WG, EN
MentorGraphics WG, EN is a high-speed circuit simulation tool.
4.AlTIum designer
AlTIum Designer is an integrated electronic product development system launched by AlTIum, the original Protel software developer. It mainly runs on the Windows operating system. This software provides designers with a new design solution by perfectly integrating schematic design, circuit simulation, PCB drawing and editing, topological logic automatic wiring, signal integrity analysis and design output, allowing designers to easily Designing and using this software proficiently will greatly improve the quality and efficiency of circuit design.
5. Zuken CR
In addition, you need to understand the basic knowledge of circuits, the principle analysis of circuit diagrams, the performance and functions of commonly used components, and be able to read Rules and make settings.
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PCB layout development trend
Driven by Moore’s Law, the electronics industry is becoming more and more powerful, with higher integration levels, faster signal speeds, and shorter product development cycles. As electronic products continue to become miniaturized, sophisticated, and high-speed, PCB design must not only complete the circuit connections of various components, but also consider the various challenges brought about by high speed and high density.
PCB design is no longer an accessory to hardware development, but has become an important part of “front-end IC, back-end PCB, SE integration” in product hardware development.
IC companies not only complete the development of chips, but also provide typical design references.
System engineers complete IC selection and function definition according to product functional needs, and complete schematic diagram development according to the IC company’s principle reference design; the circuit development work of traditional hardware engineers gradually decreases, and circuit development work gradually shifts to IC engineers and PCB engineers.
Based on the principle plan provided by the system engineer, and with the cooperation of the structural engineer, the PCB engineer completes the PCB design based on the processing technology and capabilities of the current PCB factory, taking into account SI, PI, EMI, structure, and heat dissipation as a whole.
