PCB designers who require state-of-the-art functionality, performance, and productivity have long relied on the Cadence expert series. That same technology is now available to designers interested in creating complex production-level PCBs, but who are constrained by budget concerns, with the PCB Design Studio, a complete, end-to-end PCB design flow environment.
Without leaving the design environment a project can be taken from its inception in design capture, through component placement and routing, all the way to finished manufacturing output. PCB Design Studio includes: design capture, librarian tools, PCB editor, an auto/interactive router, as well as interfaces for manufacturing, mechanical CAD, and even translators for other PCB systems.
Scalability
Unlike other 'affordable' PCB solutions, PCB Design Studio has the capability to grow with needs and technology challenges. Studio options allow add-on capabilities for high-speed constraint-driven design, system-wide constraint management, scripting language, advanced physical rules support, and variant design. Based on the market-leading Allegro Expert technology, PCB Design Studio provides industry-proven capability in that whatever the current or future design challenge; there is the ability to scale to meet those challenges.
Supplied with an interactive multimedia tutorial, the tool is an easy-to-use system. Also PCB Design Studio's focus is on an intuitive use model. For example, every input dialogue has a browser and all design tasks are 'wizard' driven, making tasks easy to understand while remaining productive. Design synchronisation boosts productivity through concurrent design by providing the ability to analyse the schematic and PCB, and then highlight differences by category. One can then decide which changes are to be observed and the appropriate system will automatically be updated.
PCB design tools
PCB Design Studio is stocked with many tools required for PCB design. These include:
* PCB Librarian for library part creation and management; and a choice of design entry tools.
* Concept HDL schematic capture for schematic entry, design re-use, and collaborative engineering.
* Capture CIS schematic entry with integrated component management.
* Allegro PCB layout for board-level placement, routing, and manufacturing output.
* SPECCTRA placement and route editors for constraint-driven, shape-based board layout.
* SPECCTRA autorouter for constraint driven, shape-based routing.
SPECCTRA autorouter is a market-leading solution for automatic and interactive interconnect routing. Designed to handle high-density printed circuit boards that require complex design rules, SPECCTRA uses powerful shape-based algorithms to make the most efficient use of the routing area.
In addition to the standard toolset, optional upgrades for higher performance and extra features include:
* Allegro Performance option for physical constraint-driven high-speed PCB layout. It offers system-wide constraint management, design re-use, 'Skill' extension language, and testability analysis.
* SPECCTRA Performance option for complex physical rules and support.
* SPECCTRA upgrade to 256-layer routing.
* PSpice A/D for analog and mixed-signal simulation.
* Variant Design for multiple design configurations from a single design master.
* Rules Checker option (Checkplus) for advanced and custom schematic design rule checking.
* SPECCTRAQuest Signal Explorer for pre- and post-route topology exploration and signal integrity analysis.
Parts management
PCB Librarian assembles the tools necessary to tackle the three critical areas of part management: creation, packaging, and qualification.
* Creation - can create, edit, and test logical component data (schematic symbol, physical pin data, and part number).
* Packaging - Allegro Librarian is for generating the physical package, board outlines, and detailed dimension drawings. For 'complex' devices, the Package Design Editor creates graphical definitions of large, high pin-count components, such as BGAs and PGAs. Design constraints, drawing details such as cross-sections, and other manufacturing output parameters can also be established. The Allegro Padstack Editor is a completely graphical environment for defining, reviewing, and editing multilayer padstacks.
* Qualification - Library Explorer ensures parts are created correctly and qualified in a systematic, consistent manner. It sets up one area strictly for the parts being created/modified and another area for the parts fully-qualified for production. Comprehensive error checking routines help ensure new parts actually work.
Design entry tools
PCB Design Studio offers two design entry solutions, each with unique strengths and approaches. Choose the one solution that best suits one's needs and work style: Capture CIS for fast turnaround and database part management; or Concept HDL for advanced methodologies and full customisation.
Allegro PCB
At the heart of PCB Design Studio is Allegro PCB, a leading interactive environment for creating and editing complex, multilayer printed circuit boards. An extensive feature set includes complete floorplanning and pre-floorplanning capabilities. With Intelliuse Interactive Routing, 'controlled automation' maintains user control while maximising productivity. It provides realtime, shape-based, any angle, push/shove routing, which enables one to choose between 'shove-preferred' and 'hugpreferred' options. The realtime, embedded, shape-based routing engine optimises the route by either pushing obstacles or contour-following obstacles while dynamically avoiding vias or component pins. Custom, controllable, on-the-fly smoothing automatically tunes the route for manufacturability during routing or route editing.
Allegro PCB has an intuitive, efficient user-interface. The fully Microsoft-compliant GUI includes configurable toolbars, and using the advanced scripting language, the toolset can be integrated and customised to suit particular needs and preferences.
SPECCTRA complements the layout facilities of PCB Design Studio. This technology provides two powerful tools for interconnect implementation, SPECCTRA Route Editor and an Autorouter. And both interlock seamlessly with Allegro PCB creating a fully integrated, highly productive PCB layout environment.
For more information contact Cadshop, 011 789 3910.
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