ECAD/PCB Layout Programs

[pdybeck]

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

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.

 

[ctopher]

We use OrCad and it works pretty good for us. We use to use Mentor Graphics, but has gone away...they have no more support. I think there is a SolidWorks PCB program, contact your VAR or SolidWorks.com. Good luck

 

[SBaugh]

Try looking at Circutworks... can be found at the SW website under partners.. I think its a gold partner too.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376
When in doubt, always check the help

 

[pdybeck]

ctopher,

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.

 

[ctopher]

We store all OrCad and SolidWorks files in directory folders on the network server. Gerber files are created and stored in a seperate folder. If we need a PCB in SW, we export DXF from OrCad and import into SW then extrude it...then place elect components onto it. I am hoping to someday move to CircuitWorks (or ?) someday so we can create PCB's in 3D. But for now it is working fine.
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.

 

[WillySnowMan]

Any update on how these are handled?

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