Board schematic layout programs recommendation 3

[Teebet]

I am searching for a new software program for me to design schematics and board layouts. I have been using EZ-route for the longest time and I have tried a demo of Smartdraw, which I hated. Plus I am currently trying a demo of Designworks. Any recommendations?
Thanks in advance.

 

[itsmoked]

I tried this. Seemed okay.

http://www.cadsoft.de/eagle41e.pdf

I went back to my original custom package developed by my layout guy for ease of dealing with him.

 

[felixc]

The performance goes in straight line with the price. You seem to be at the low-end of the spectrum. Take a look at

http://www.freepcb.com.

 

[itsmoked]

felix; I agree with that comment with regard to routers, not with the layout/schematic capture. Good auto routers => $$$$$$$$$$

Who's nutty enough to use an autorouter??

 

[walker1]

Well, autorouters can be nice, but the results are usually not.
If time is a bigger issue than the number of vias, then ...

If nothing else, you do get a runing start with one.

However, if 85% of the tracks take 5% of the routing time using an autorouter, then the last 15% usually takes 399% of the time doing manual routing (or should it have been :-(

 

[richs]

Hi-

I've had good luck with PCB a GNU freebie layout package that works with many varients of X11 (unix/linux). The output is either in postscript (which is nice for doing home layouts) and gerbers (which is nice for shipping the design to fab houses).

The design library of parts is quite extesnive, although I've had a couple of problems with hole size. Fortunately, there is a tool to adjust hole sizes fairly easily. Depending on the fab house, you should see what their design rules are and in the case above, plating variences. Just a word to the wise.

The software, although free, seems to be actively maintained.

Hope this helps. The link is:

http://pcb.sourceforge.net/

Cheers,

Rich S.

 

[Teebet]

Thanks for all your input and I will be checking out some of these software programs.

I too never use autorouter!

I understand that you get what you pay for and that I will have to spend some coin$$$ for something better than what I have been using.

If there are any more recommendations please let me know.

Thanks again.

 

[itsmoked]

Well put walker!

 

[felixc]

It also depends on how complex your design is. The more complex the design becomes, in the thousand of nodes, the more you will be interested in an integrated package where you can interactively do pin and gate swaps between schematic and pcb, to optimize your layout. In this area, pulsonix has a nice integrated package at a reasonable price if your pin and node count isn't too large.

 

[cbarn24050]

I wouldn't use a system that doesn't have a good router. But then I need to get the job done this week. Most routers fail because the component placement is wrong with the router you can quickly rearrange things untill you get an acceptable result you cant do that if you route manually.