ECAD/PCB Layout Programs
ECAD/PCB Layout Programs
(OP)
I was wondering if any of you out there had experience or could recommend software for PCB layout and design. My company currently uses OrCAD, but several of the EEs are unhappy with the program. Since there are no discussion forums that apply to this subject at Eng-Tips and since I respect the collective knowledge on this forum, I thought I would ask. In my brief investigation, Mentor Graphics has come up a few times. What are your opinions on this subject, how do you mesh this information with SolidWorks, and how do you typically manage the data. I also know of Circuit Works, but that is really just a translation tool. These questions are probably loaded ones, but sock it to me.
Thanks
Pete
Thanks
Pete
The pessimist says the glass is half empty. The optimist says the glass is half full. The engineer says the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.






RE: ECAD/PCB Layout Programs
RE: ECAD/PCB Layout Programs
Regards,
Scott Baugh, CSWP

3DVision Technologies
http://www.3dvisiontech.com
http://www.scottjbaugh.com
FAQ731-376
When in doubt, always check the help
RE: ECAD/PCB Layout Programs
Do you use data from OrCad to construct Solid Models of your electronics? I was wondering what method you use. Also, how do you manage the information that OrCad puts out. We have PDM/Works here and I wanted to manage the info in the vault. I was thinking of creating a project for each board/combination of boards, checking in the SolidWorks Model for it, and then associating OrCad files to it by cchecking them in with references to the SolidWorks Model. According our guys, we need the .dsn, .max, and gerber files from OrCad. I was thinking of zipping the gerber files into one manageable zip file (since there can be many of them) and attaching a reference to the Solid Model. This way, the .dsn, .max, and Gerber.zip files will be children of the SolidModel, just like a drawing is of a model. Every PCB would be managed this way. Do you forsee any donwsides to this plan? Scott, thanks for the tip on CircuitWorks. I have checked it out, but don't think my company would be intersted. I've mentioned it a few times around here.
The pessimist says the glass is half empty. The optimist says the glass is half full. The engineer says the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
RE: ECAD/PCB Layout Programs
We only do this maybe 2-4 times a month. Good luck and please let us know the outcome.
ctopher
The glass is half empty in process of being drank, half full in process of being filled.
RE: ECAD/PCB Layout Programs
Does anyone have info on the Orcad tree structure and how to output it? I am assuming there is one. Being mechanical, I am unfamilar with Orcad. The electrical guys need a way to vault and rev their data. At other companies, we simply zipped it. This does not work at my current company?
PDM/Works 2005 has API to check files into the vault. This could help. I don't think it will handle references, so the Orcad tree structure is lost. We are looking at a product called DBWorks which should allow me to do thru programming, provided I could easily access the Orcad tree structure.
Bill Schnoebelen
william_schnoebelen@yahoo.com