Circuit Board Design Software

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Comparison of electronic design automation (EDA) software

Circuit Board Design Software

The first 3D electromagnetic (EM) simulation software platform that completely integrates 3D EM simulation and the ADS circuit simulation software. RF/Microwave Synthesis and Simulation High accuracy, easy-to-use RF/microwave synthesis and simulation software created for circuit board, subsystem, and pcb design. Free CAD Software. Start by downloading our NEW free CAD software ExpressPCB Plus! It includes ExpressSCH Classic for drawing schematics and ExpressPCB Plus for circuit board layout. Both programs are completely free, fully functional and easily installed with a single InstallShield setup program.

Free

Comparison of EDA packages[edit]

Board
Application and developerLatest version/release + dateSchematic?Simulation?PCB editing?Runs on POSIX style systems?Runs on Windows?Other platforms?Open
source?
User Interface Language(s)ImportsExportsScripting support
Advanced Design System by Keysight EEsof EDA2019
15 November 2018
(6 months ago)
[1]
YesYesYesYes[2]Yes[2]SuSE, RHEL[2]NoenHSPICE, SPICE, Spectre netlists; Gerber, Excellon, ODB++, artwork; moreHSPICE, SPICE, Spectre netlists; Gerber, Excellon, ODB++, artwork; morePython, Application Extension Language (proprietary; 'AEL')
Active-HDL by Aldec10.3
16 March 2016
(3 years ago)
YesYesNoNoYesNoNoenEDIF, Viewlogic, morePDF, HTML, Verilog, VHDL, EDIF, Zuken, more
Altium Designer (former Protel) by Altium19.0.15
18 April 2019
(41 days ago)
YesYesYesNoYesWineNoMultilingualOrCAD, Allegro, PADS Logic, PADS PCB, Expedition, DxDesigner, EAGLE, Gerber, STEP, Solidworks, IDF, more3D PDF, Gerber, Gerber X2, Excellon, ODB++, DXF, STEP, OrCAD, EAGLE, moreDelphi, JS, VB
CADSTAR, Board Designer, and Visula by Zuken18
30 June 2017
(22 months ago)
YesYes, SpiceYesNoYesNoNoenPADS, OrCAD, P-CAD, Protel, DXF, IDFPDF, Gerber, Excellon, ODB++, DXF, IDF more
CircuitLogix by Logic Design Inc.Release 9.1
January 2013
(6 years ago)
YesYesYesNoYesNoNoenSPICE, Gerber, DXFSPICE, PDF, Gerber, DXF
CircuitMaker by Altium1.3.0.119
August 2016
(2 years ago)
YesNoYesNoYesWineNoenAD09, AD10, AD12, PADS, P-CAD, OrCAD, Protel, EAGLE, DXFGerber, Excellon, DXF, STEP, more
CircuitStudio by Altium1.5.1.13
25 May 2018
(12 months ago)
YesYesYesNoYesWineNoenAD09, AD10, AD12, PADS, P-CAD, OrCAD, Protel, EAGLE, DXFGerber, Excellon, SPICE, DXF, STEP, more
CR-5000 by Zuken13
17 May 2011
(8 years ago)
YesYes, SI & PIYesYesYesUnix, LinuxNoen, jpEDIF, DXF, IGES, IDF, BSDL, STEP, ACIS, Gerber, Excellon, morePDF, Gerber, Excellon, ODB++ (must request[3]), DXF, STEP, IPC D-356, IPC-2581, EPS, ACIS
DipTrace by Novarm3.3.1.0
29 November 2018
(6 months ago)
YesExternal
(Spice netlist export)
YesYesYesMac, WineNo21 languagesEAGLE, Altium, P-CAD, PADS, OrCAD, Gerber, N/C Drill, DXF, BSDL Pinlist, NetlistsGerber, Gerber X2, Excellon, ODB++, DXF, P-CAD, PADS, OrCAD, IPC-D-356, STEP, VRML, Pick and Place, CSV, BOM
DesignSpark PCB from RS Components8
16 June 2016
(2 years ago)
YesYes, SpiceYesNoYesNoNoVariousEAGLE, DXF, EDIFGerber, Excellon, ODB++, DXF, IDF, PDF, LPKF
EAGLE by Autodesk/CadSoft Computer9.3.2
21 March 2019
(2 months ago)
YesNgspiceYesYesYesLinux, MacNode, en, zh, hu, ruEAGLE (XML), ACCEL (P-CAD, Altium, Protel), ULTIBOARD, Netlists, BMP, CustomEAGLE (XML), Protel, Netlists, Images, Gerber, Gerber X2, Excellon, Sieb & Meyer, HPGL, PostScript/EPS, PDF, Images, HyperLynx, IDF, CustomProprietary User Language Programming (ULP)
EasyEDA5.4.12
7 May 2018
(12 months ago)
YesNgspiceYesYesYesLinux, MacNoen, fr, de, pl, jp, ru, es, se, ua, zh ...Altium, EAGLE, KiCad libraries, LTspice .asc/.asy files, JSON, SpicePDF, PNG, SVG, JSON, Gerber, Excellon, Pick and Place CSV file, CSV-formatted drill chart, Bill of Materials CSV file, Altium netlist, FreePCB netlist, PADS Layout Netlist, Spice netlist.JSON
Fritzing0.9.3b[4]
3 June 2016
(2 years ago)
Yes, + breadboardNoYesYesYesLinux, MacYesen, de, nl, es, it, fr, pt, ru, zh, jp, ...gEDA symbols, KiCad symbols, SVGGerber, DIY etching, BOM, SVG, PDF, EPS
gEDA1.8.2[5]
25 September 2013
(5 years ago)
YesYesYesYesYesLinux, MacYesengschem netlists, image as backgroundGerber, Excellon, SVG, PDF, EPS, PNG, GIF, JPEG, Specctra, XYRSyes
KiCad5.0.2[6]


9 December 2018
(5 months ago)

YesInternal:
Ngspice
External:
SPICE netlist export
YesYesYesLinux, MacYeszh_CN, de, en, es, fr, it, pt, ru, ja, pl, czTinyCAD net lists, OrCAD EDIF, EAGLE (XML)PDF, Gerber, Gerber X2, Excellon, netlist, VRML2, STEP, IDFv3Python
OrCAD17.2
October 2016
(2 years ago)
YesYesYesNoYesNoNoenEAGLE, PADS, Altium, STEP, DXF, IDF, IDX, OrCAD SDT, OrCAD Layout,OrCADPDF, Gerber, Gerber X2, Excellon drill/route, netlist, ODB++, DXF, IDF, IDX, STEP,3D PDF, IPC2581Tcl/TK, SKILL (Lisp)
pcb-rnd2.0.0[7]
6 June 2018
(11 months ago)
NoNoYesYesNoLinux, MacYesengschem netlists, Protel Autotrax, KiCad (legacy & s-expr layouts), EAGLE (XML & v3,4,5 binary layouts), eeschema netlists, mentor netlists, TinyCad netlists, LT-Spice, MUCS, Specctra, Mentor Graphics Hyperlynx, BMP, JPG, GIF, HPGL, image as backgroundGerber/[Excellon format drill],SVG, PDF, EPS, PNG, GIF, JPEG, Specctra, Protel Autotrax, KiCad (legacy & s-expr), DXF, FidocadJ, Mentor Graphics Hyperlynx, template configurable XYRS/BOMMultiple languages
Upverter
10 May 2019
(19 days ago)
YesNoYesYesYesWeb applicationNoenAltium, OrCad, PDF, OpenJSON, EAGLEPDF, Gerber, Excellon, netlist, PADS Layout Netlist, Tempo Automation, Pick and Place CSV, High-Res PNG, STL, CSV-formatted drill chart, CSV-formatted list of all parts
Micro-Cap by Spectrum Software11.0.2.0
3 September 2016
(2 years ago)
YesYesNoNoYesWineNoen, jpHSPICE, PSPICE, SPICE3, netlists, Images, IBIS, TouchstoneSPICE text file, netlist, BOM, Protel, Accel, OrCad, PADS netlists, Schematic and Analysis Plots Images, Numeric Output Text, Excel
Pulsonix by WestDev Ltd10.0
1 October 2018
(7 months ago)
YesYesYesNoYesWineNoenAllegro, Altium, CadStar, EAGLE, OrCAD, PADS, P-CAD, Protel, Gerber, STEP, DXF, IDF, moreGerber, Gerber X2, Excellon, ODB++, IPC-2581, PDF, DXF, STEP, IDF, BOM, moreProprietary language, ActiveX
TARGET 3001!20.3.0.64
29 April 2019
(30 days ago)
YesYesYesNoYesNoNoen, de, frEAGLE, DXF, Gerber, XGerber, Excellon, BMP, CXF, STEP 3DXGerber, Excellon, EAGLE, HPGL, G-Code (Milling), CXF, STEP 3D, Excel BOMs, Pick&Place, GenCAD, FABmaster, IPC D-356, Test points, Netlists, OBJ, POV-Ray, PDF
NI Ultiboard and Multisim by National Instruments14.1
1 March 2017
(2 years ago)
[8]
YesYesYesNoYesWeb application[9]NoenMS*, MP*, EWB, Spice, OrCAD, UltiCap, Protel, Gerber, DXF, Ultiboard 4&5, CalayBOM, Gerber, Excellon, IGES (3D), DXF (2D & 3D), SVG
123D Circuits by AutodeskN/AYes, + breadboardYesYesYesYesWeb applicationNoenEAGLEGerber
Application and developerLatest version/release + dateSchematic?Simulation?PCB editing?Runs on POSIX style systems?Runs on Windows?Other platforms?Open
source?
User Interface Language(s)ImportsExportsScripting support

Note: ODB++ support is drawn partly from lists by Artwork Conversion Software[3] and Mentor Graphics[10]

Free software[edit]

NameArchitectureLicenseAutorouterComment
Electric*BSD, JavaGPLYesVLSI circuit design tool with connectivity at all levels. Can also be used for schematic entry and PCB design.
FreePCBw32GPLYesA printed circuit board design program for Microsoft Windows. FreePCB allows for up to 16 copper layers, both metric and US customary units, and export of designs in Gerber format. Boards can be partially or fully autorouted with the FreeRouting[11] autorouter by using the FpcROUTE Specctra DSN design file translator.
FritzingWindows, Mac, LinuxGPLYesProtoboard view, schematic view, PCB view, Code (firmware) view. Includes customizable design rule checker. Includes common shaped boards like Arduino and Raspberry Pi shields. Allows spline curve traces. Only two layers (top and bottom). Outputs gerbers.
gEDA*BSD, Linux, MacGPLYesschematic, simulation, PCB editor, gerber view
Gnucapany (C++98)GPL3Mixed-signal circuit simulator
Icarus Verilog*BSD, Linux, MacGPLVerilog simulator
KiCadLinux, Mac, WindowsGNU GPLBuilt-in, or FreeRoutingFull package for schematic and board design, etc. Design rule checking. User-defined symbols and footprints. Gerber/ drill file creation. Graphic interface. Active user community.
KTechLabLinuxGPLn/aKTechLab is a schematic capture and simulator. It is specifically geared toward mixed signal simulation of analog components and small digital processors.
MagicLinuxBSD licensenoA popular very-large-scale integration layout tool
NgspiceLinux, Solaris, Mac, NetBSD, FreeBSD, w32BSDSPICE + XSPICE + Cider
OreganoGPLnoSchematic capture + spice simulation
Quite Universal Circuit Simulator (QUCS)Linux, Solaris, Mac, NetBSD, FreeBSD, w32GPLSchematic capture + Verilog + VHDL + simulation
pcb-rnd*BSD, Linux, MacGPLyesCircuit layout program with extended file format support, DRC, parametric footprints, query language, and GUI and command line operation for batch processing and automation
VerilatorPosixGPLVerilator is the fastest free Verilog HDL simulator. It compiles synthesizable Verilog into cycle accurate C++ or SystemC code following 2-state synthesis (zero delay) semantics. Benchmarks reported on its website suggest it is several times faster than commercial event driven simulators such as ModelSim, NC-Verilog and VCS, while not quite as fast as commercial cycle accurate modeling tools such as Carbon ModelStudio and ARC VTOC.
XCircuitUnixGPLUsed to produce netlists and publish high-quality drawings.

Circuit Board Design Software Download

See also[edit]

Circuit Board Design Software

  • SPICE, a general purpose analog circuitsimulator.

References[edit]

  1. ^Advanced Design System – ADS Software - Current Version
  2. ^ abcADS Supported Platforms
  3. ^ ab'PCB tools supporting ODB++'. Artwork.com. Artwork Conversion Software Inc. Retrieved 2011-09-25.
  4. ^http://blog.fritzing.org/2016/06/03/new-fritzing-release-0-9-3b/
  5. ^http://wiki.geda-project.org/geda:download
  6. ^'KiCad 5 - a new generation'. 2018-10-14. Archived from the original on 2018-07-29. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  7. ^http://repo.hu/projects/pcb-rnd/news.html
  8. ^'Latest Multisim Release'.
  9. ^'Multisim Web App'.
  10. ^'ODB++ Data Exchange'. Mentor.com. Mentor Graphics. Archived from the original on 2012-10-06. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  11. ^Wirtz, Alfons (2014-03-08) [2004]. 'FreeRouting - Printed Circuit Board Routing Software from FreeRouting.net'. Archived from the original on 2017-09-24. Retrieved 2017-09-24.
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