Best PCB Design Software
PCB (printed circuit board) design software helps electronic engineers to design, build, and make circuits. It lets them adjust and arrange electronic parts in a 3D layout, acting as a virtual model of electronic devices.
Key features include:
- 3D layout design
- Part assembly and arrangement
- Signal quality checks
- Heat and pressure testing
- Power control
- Schematic drawing tools
- Working with CAD and PLM software
- 2D and 3D viewing
- Access to part libraries
PCB design software works with mechanical computer-aided design (MCAD) software, general-purpose CAD software, electronic computer-aided design (ECAD) software, and CAD and PLM software to improve design and testing workflows.
To qualify for the PCB category, a product must:
- Change PCB layouts and circuitry
- Have a components library
- Offer schematic editing tools
The main benefit is boosting electronic device design productivity by offering a complete platform to simulate circuits, arrange components, and test. This reduces mistakes and improves manufacturing processes.
Featured Software
List of 0 Best Softwares
FAQs of PCB Design Software
Top 10 PCB Design Software:
- Altium PCB Designer: Packs a punch for detailed layouts.
- Siemens PADS: Covers all bases for design and analysis.
- Cadence Allegro: Offers cutting-edge tools for complex designs.
- Eagle: Easy to use with a big library.
- ORCAD: Solid choice for schematic capture and layout.
- KiCAD: Free and open-source option.
- Fritzing: Great for beginners.
- Upverter: Works in the cloud with team-friendly features.
You can make your own PCB layout with good PCB design software. Eagle Layout Editor stands out as the best, in my experience, but Microsoft PowerPoint can serve as a simpler alternative.
The Basic PCB Design and Circuit Layout Tools You Need
- Schematic Editor: This tool gives you the ability to design the circuit by placing and connecting components.
- CAD Circuit Tools: These tools help with detailed circuit layout and design.
- SPICE-Based Simulator: This tool checks your circuits’ functionality to ensure they work as intended.
Altium Designer Review
Comments: I’ve had a good experience with Altium Designer. It was pretty easy to switch from another big schematic capture/PCB layout software. Both programs had good and bad points, but Altium costs less, which is a big plus.
It takes 6 to 8 months to become good at PCB design, but to master it can take much longer. To become an expert, you need to know a lot about electronics and the basics of circuit design.