The Basic PCB Design and Circuit Layout Tools You Need A great CAD module forms the foundation for designing your next PCB, regardless of the application. A rules-driven design engine in your circuit CAD software will automatically show you when you’ve created a rules violation, allowing you to fix any problems before you send your board off for manufacturing. These design rules govern the function of your routing features, simulation tools, and features for generating manufacturer deliverables. The best CAD software will interface with a comprehensive set of design rules. Modern CAD tools give you a full view of your device and allow you to approach your design holistically. The best CAD tools create a link between multiple layers on your board, allowing routing through vias and within the inner layers.

Working with more advanced board configurations like rigid-flex design takes CAD tools that link multiple boards into a single device.

PCB CAD tools should not be limited to component layout in 2D board designs. Simpler circuit CAD software will give you these capabilities, but not much else. The Role of Circuit CAD Tools in PCB DesignĬAD circuit design tools in your PCB design software do more than just allow you to place components on a board outline. From your initial schematic capture to your final manufacturing output data, all the tools you need for printed circuit board design are available in Altium Designer. Altium Designer is a complete CAD software design system that will give you the resources you need for your greatest design challenges. When all your design and production planning tools are integrated into a single application, you won’t have to worry about incorporating a third-party application into your design workflow. Too often in the past designers were forced to choose between settling for lesser quality tools, or mixing together tools from different systems in order to get the job done. The challenges of today’s complex designs require professional quality computer-aided design software tools. Later, you’ll need to turn your schematic into a layout, and then you’ll need to turn your layout into an actual PCB. If you’ve got a great idea for a new electronic device, you’ll need to turn it from a circuit diagram into a schematic. Compared to a new piece of software, building a new piece of hardware takes several iterations of building a proof of concept, prototyping, testing, retesting, and redesigning, not to mention any of the other aspects of marketing a new product. It’s true what they say: hardware is hard work.

The most powerful, modern, and easy-to-use PCB design tool for professional use.

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