Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange
Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [eda]

Electronic design automation (EDA) tools are software packages to assist with electronic design. Common examples include schematic capture, PCB design, circuit anaylsis and chip level design tools.

Electronic design automation (EDA or ECAD) is a category of software tools for designing electronic systems such as printed circuit boards and integrated circuits. The tools work together in a design flow that chip designers use to design and analyze entire semiconductor chips.

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Good tools for drawing schematics

I was going to add a bit of information to my post on a previous day using schematics and some instructions. What programs are being employed for this purpose? I mostly want to see what others are using and that I can easily use to give descriptive…
Kortuk
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Why is there such a strong preference for 45 degree angles in PCB routing?

I've always wondered this: every single modern PCB is routed at 45 degree angle increments. Why does the industry prefer this so much? Doesn't any-angle routing offer more flexibility? One plausible theory would be that the existing tools only…
Roman Starkov
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How do I facilitate keeping multiple grounds, (i.e. AGND, DGND, etc...) separated in the layout when using Eagle?

I've designed several PCBs where I needed to keep the ground returns of different parts of the circuit separated, i.e. analog, digital and high power. I use Cadsoft Eagle for schematic capture and layout. It is easy enough to define different ground…
Dave.Mech.Eng
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What is the meaning of the term "schematic capture"?

I have been trying to understand what the term "schematic capture" means, what it involves and what it doesn't involve. Does it mean being capable of understanding or perhaps drawing some complex electronic circuits expressed in a schematic? There…
cesar
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PCB design using code instead of clicking a mouse?

I'm just getting into PCB design and I generally have trouble learning how to use GUIs with menus and mouse clicking. Do some engineers use something more like code to generate PCBs?
guidoism
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Circuit board without EDA

For me there is no doubt that one of the most time consuming tasks when it comes to produce a new board is going from a ratsnest to the final layout. I must admit I am not an expert, but to me it takes days, and I would never ever be able to do it…
Enrico
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Schematic capture/PCB layout program recommendations

I'm still using PCAD2006 for my schematic capture and PCB layout. I'm not very happy with this; it is rather buggy, but it's a leftover for which I have an extensive library. Due to the problems I'm having with PCAD and the fact that it is no longer…
stevenvh
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Import Gerber files into Altium

Question I would like to import Gerber files into an Altium Designer PCB document for re-using an in-PCB spiral inductor but the importer fails to interpret the Gerber files in a correct way. Has anyone here knowledge on how to import Gerber files…
Mattias Johansson
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What method do you suggest for prototyping asynchronous circuits?

I got surprised and to a degree shocked by finding that there is no proper established tool for designing and prototyping asynchronous circuits. I keep searching using google and other means to find a good method to design VLSI asynchronous…
Dr. Ehsan Ali
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What's the meaning of the "key" symbols in Altium?

I'm routing a PCB board with Altium. Today I find when my mouse hover on the pads, it shows some shadowed "key" symbols. What's the meaning of them?
diverger
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Are there good free software analog filter design tools? If not, why?

I'm finding myself needing to do a fair bit of analog filter design. Mostly passive LC ladder filters. I honestly don't know much about how to design them by hand, I've been using the Genesys tool. I'm also getting into using a lot of free…
RJTK
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KiCAD assign multiple footprints to one symbol

What would be the best way to connect multiple pads of a module (footprint) to a single pin (node) in the schematic in KiCAD? Do I have to edit the module and set the same pin name for the pins I want to connect or is there a designated way to…
Simon
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Incrementing net name for group in Eagle

I want to make 50 copies of the block below, but I need incrementing numbers on each of the net labels (these will go to a connector). I do not want each block connected to the other blocks. It would also be nice if I could do the same with the AVD…
novastorm
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PCB design software with ability to use PCB 'components'

IS there any PCB design software where I can design & route common part of design (like DCDC with support circuitry), and make it some kind of 'component' - so that I can always drop it to my new project, and it will appear already routed. There…
BarsMonster
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Use sheet entries on Altium

I am trying to make a sheet entry to use ports to connect devices in different sheets as explained in this image: But I am getting an error from Altium saying: Sheet Entry RB[0...7] Warning: Nets whit multiple names Error: Nets whit possible…
Andres
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