OrCAD PCB Designer Professional mit PSpice

Product Features

Schematic Entry with OrCAD Capture

OrCAD Capture schematic entry tool for circuit diagrams is one of the world's most widely used software for entering and documenting electrical circuits. OrCAD Capture uses flat or hierarchical schematics. Via the navigation window the different pages of the schematic can be selected and thematically managed according to functional blocks. By using the integrated interface, it is also possible to use parts from Ultra Librarian and SamacSys, which offer millions of components. The electrical connections between the component pins can be established quickly and rules can already be defined on schematic level.
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PCB Editor for Physical Layout

PCB Editor is the canvas to perform PCB layout. With many automated functions the designer can efficiently implement the physical design with traces, planes, component footprints, drill holes, etc. While working with automated assistance, design rule checks in real time help to follow design rules and implement the design intent ready for PCB production quickly. Interactively working in 2D and 3D offers advantages depending on the task.

SPECCTRA auto router

The SPECCTRA auto router can help to complete the routing of a PCB without a limit in layers. To influence the layout several parameters can be adjusted, such as fanout and routing direction. The auto router in OrCAD Professional also takes high speed rules like propagation delay into account. A router might not do the complete board, but when used wisely it supports the PCB designer to finish digital elements with constraints faster. Feasibility studies are done in minutes and give an indication, if the board is routable with this number of layers. Auto-interactive routing commands support the user in manipulation the automatically done routing.

OrCAD Scalability

OrCAD PCB Designer is based on Allegro PCB design technology and both (OrCAD and Allegro) use the same design database. The difference in the licenses is the feature set how to automatically edit and verify the design. The number of design rule checks varies by the type of license. The big advantage is, that you only pay for the functionality you need. When working in a team with multiple licenses, you can check out and use the license you need to perform a certain task or check. All information is stored in the same database.

Online Design Rule Check DRC and DFM Checks

During routing, the tool checks whether design rules are violated in real-time. When errors are caused, e.g. by placing a component in an unauthorized location, the tool will highlight a design rule violation. All rules defined in Constraint Manager can be checked. Unique for PCB layout tools are the more than 250 integrated DFM checks, which check against specifications of the PCB fabricator, assembly service provider or test facility, by automatically reading in their rules sets.

Constraint Manager

The central Constraint Manager makes it easy to define design rules and assign topologies. The rules are hierarchically defined and can be assigned to a number of nets at the same time. With design rule sets as constraint sets (CSet), several rules can be summarized and reapplied in subsequent designs. Physical, spacing and DFM rules are spported but also electrical rules for high speed signals like impedances, min/max length and numbers of vias. more

Signal Integrity (SI) Simulation

Clicking on a net in the schematic can open the simulation for signal integrity. By changing the length or impedance, the signal quality can be analysed. IBIS models can be used for driver and receiver components when available, otherwise Cadence default models can be used with parameters from the datasheet. You can extract routed layouts and, i.e., simulate crosstalk of coupled lines. By swapping drivers you can test robustness of the layout for placement alternatives.

Electrical Rules Check (ERC)

Based on the geometry of routing and stackup of the printed circuit board an electrical rule check can be performed without any simulation models. Impedance discontinuities and coupling of parallel traces are discovered and can be assessed in table form or highlighted with a color overlay directly in PCB Editor canvas. This helps the designer to identify critical hotspots in minutes with no extra setup.

High-Speed Constraints

High-speed signals have to follow the design rules for transmission lines. This extra set of design rules can be defined in the Constraint Manager and will be verified during PCB layout by real time design rule checks. These DRCs cover parameters like: impedance, min / max length, differential impedance, matched length for groups of nets, routing layers, diff pair necking, and more.

PSpice for Reliability Simulation

OrCAD PCB Designer Professional includes a full version of PSpice A/D incl. Smoke option. With this feature set you can perform a stress analysis of components and ensure you have components reliability as needed. Maximum de-rating of components can be determined and thus make a statement about the component load. The load can be specified in percent via model parameters. The developer is interested in statements about the types of load: thermal at maximum current and highest possible voltage, conduction of junction temperature in °C or thermal contact resistances jC and jA, as they occur in the circuit.
PSpice Feature comparison

	OrCAD PCB Designer Standard	OrCAD PCB Designer Professional	OrCAD PCB Designer Professional with PSpice
OrCAD Capture	✓	✓	✓
PCB Editor	✓	✓	✓
SPECCTRA auto router	-	✓	✓
Scalable to Allegro	✓	✓	✓
DFM rules checks	250	250	250
Constraint Manager	basic	✓	✓
SI simulation	basic	✓	✓
Electrical Rule Check (ERC)	-	✓	✓
High-speed DRC	-	✓	✓
PSpice simulation	basic	basic	PSpice A/D + Smoke

OrCAD PCB Designer Professional with PSpice