Re: What is your favorite PCB software?

Joseph H Allen wrote:

In article <pOidnUGOS6oVsGfanZ2dnUVZ_ramnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Joel <joelbenway@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Just curious about what everyone uses. I've been using Orcad PCB editor.


PADS Power PCB 3.5.1 (version from around 2000) and started with PADS for
DOS. I would have started with DOS OrCAD PCB tool, but it was more
expensive than PADS at the time. I have the Specctra auto-router for it
(withdrawn when Cadence bought it). Never tried the Blaze auto-router. Oh,
I used this with DOS OrCAD and Viewdraw.

I've since used Cadance tools: Allegro and Concept. They annoy me.

Actually that brings up another question: do people actually use
auto-routers anymore?

Yes, and they give quite good results, used correctly.
On large layercounts, they can pull ahead of manual design easily.

They are so fast on modern PCs, they can be used as
a) fast prototype-generation. The SW team (often much larger than the
PCB divn), often cannot start detailed work, until they have a
functional lash-up.
b) as Placement checks. You can trial half a dozen placement
combos, and choose the best one for clean-up, in a morning.

I used Specctra successfully on a bunch of PCB
projects. Everyone who uses Allegro seems to hand-route everything. Perhaps the setup work to use the auto-router for high speed signals is as
much as just hand routing them.

That can happen, but there are also the Steerable-Shove routers.
Not sure if you call those auto-routers or not ?
They allow the operator to direct the path, and the router does the detail-maths. PADS has two of these.


Either that or the PCB contractor wants more billable hours :-)

That comes into it as well :)

-jg


.

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