Mentor Graphics recently announced the availability of the next-generation PADS flow with the introduction of PADS 9.0.
This enhanced release adds new levels of functionality, scalability and integration, enabling designers to leverage many of Mentor’s technologies for design, analysis, manufacturing and multidisciplined collaboration. With the scalable PADS 9.0, flow users can cost-effectively design products from basic to highly complex, high-performance and dense PCBs.
New functionality includes the addition of manufacturing and collaboration tools, and powerful thermal, signal and power integrity analysis, as well as many core design entry and layout enhancements.
Consistent with PADS 9.0 scalable flow strategy, Mentor now offers a series of pre-configured PADS suites that address designer’s technology needs cost-effectively. A typical suite configuration includes:
* Design entry including DxDesigner, variant management and data import/translators from competitors’ PCB design systems.
* HyperLynx pre-and post-layout signal integrity simulation, thermal analysis and analog simulation.
* PADS layout with powerful auto-routing, high-speed rule adherence, unlimited database and layers and design reuse.
* Advanced manufacturing rules.
* 3D viewer and integration to multi-disciplined collaboration solutions.
The DxDesigner tool provides complete system design capability in a single user environment. The environment integrates schematic, HDL, analog and PCB design disciplines to accelerate the design process. A 3D viewer has been introduced to the PADS flow which allows users to get a true 3D representation of their design in the PCB environment. The 3D models of components – mechanical parts, such as brackets and enclosures – can be imported to identify mechanical conflicts earlier in the design.
Several enhancements for high-speed design have been made, including routing accordion patterns with arcs, accordion keep-outs, and differential pair tuning to ensure each trace is exactly the same length. Pad stack creation has been enhanced to allow rounded and chamfered corners. New outputs have been introduced in PADS 9.0 including IPC356 netlist and a new ‘flat’ DXF file. Other enhancements include new layer visibility commands, and additional automation objects and methods.
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