Jim Marten's PADS Blog
Jim Marten's PADS Blog RSSPADS Tips and Tricks: Pin Swapping
This tip comes from Bill Tkachuk in CSD.
Do you want to do pin swapping in a PADS Logic/PADS Layout flow? Take a look at Technote 575205 for the easy to follow steps to follow.
Jim
PADS Tips and Tricks: Via Shielding
Here’s another Tip from Yan Killy, Technical Marketing Engineer:
It is a common practice to use vias to shielding high noise traces. It involves using multiple vias connected to a ground net around the entire high noise trace.
The designer can use “Add Via” command after selecting Ground Net and add them one by one. Doing this manually is time consuming, especially when the trace has a lot of corners and arcs. At the same time the designer needs to make sure that spacing from trace to via, and from via to via is constant.
To automate this process PADS has a command, in “Options Via Patterns” setup that control all of the parameters I have outlined above. All the designer needs to do is select a trace that needs shielding, and RMB (Right Mouse Button) select ‘Add Via Shield’ and all of the vias will be added around the trace at once. This can be done to a single trace or multiple traces, for example, a differential pair.
For more information on via stiching and via shielding, see the video on SupportNet at http://supportnet.mentor.com/reference/tutorials/index.cfm?product=C115%2DS153%2DG192%2DP10548
Jim
Tags: PADS, PADS 9.4, PADS Tips & Tricks, PADS Tips and Tricks, PCB, PCB design
PADS Tips and Tricks: Sense Lines
This weeks tip comes from Yan Killy, technical marketing engineer:
Many times you need to route high current traces. Almost always these wide traces have sense lines that are going to control the circuit.
In Design Rules, setup minimum trace width for the high current net. However, when you start routing the sense line, you want this trace to be thinner. With Advanced Rule Set (ARS option) in PADS, you can select a pin pair for the sense line and set an appropriate trace width. Doing so will route the trace for the high current net as a thick trace and sense line as thinner route.
Tags: PADS, PADS 9.4, PADS Tips & Tricks, PCB design
PADS Tips and Tricks – Downloading New License File
This weeks Tip comes from Andrew Audova in the environmental support group:
What do you do when you launch PADS and get the following message stating “The following product options expire in fewer than 30 days” 
This message means that one or more of your licenses will expire in the next 30 days. If you are running on a local/nodelocked license (also known as “mobile compute”), it’s possible there is an updated/extended license file available on SupportNet that needs to be downloaded and installed:
- Download the most current license file for your Site(s) from SupportNet:
Start Menu > Programs > Mentor Graphics SDD > PADS Licensing Assistance > Download License File
Install the license file (select the “Replace” option to ensure only the new licenses are used)
Start Menu > Programs > Mentor Graphics SDD > PADS Licensing Assistance > Install License File
For more details and a complete demonstration, refer to TechNote MG243083.
Tags: PADS, PADS 9.4, PADS Tips and Tricks, PCB, PCB design
PADS Tips and Tricks: Differential Pairs
Today’s tip is from Bill Tkachuk in CSD. It’s a great way to speed the definition and rule assignment for differential pairs. Give it a try and add any comments for tips you may have for working with diff pairs.
Defining Differential Pairs within PADS Router
Using PADS Router, you can define your Diff Pairs and assign the same rule set to multiple Diff Pairs at once. Using a trick with the Project Explorer you can define the Diff Pairs much more quickly than is possible in PADS Layout. Please follow the steps below:
- Open PADS Router and load your design file.
- Make sure your Project Explorer window is open. Go to View > Project Explorer to toggle it on/off.
- Right mouse click in the Project Explorer window and choose Vertical Split. Two identical instances of the Project Explorer will appear
- Expand the widow by dragging the right edge of the window to the right.
- Drag the window split to the right as well so there are two equal column widths.
- In the first column expand Net Objects and expand Nets.
- In the second column expand only Net Objects.
- Ctrl+select the two nets of the first Diff Pair in the left column.
- Release the Ctrl key.
- Click the left mouse on the selected nets in the Project Explorer, do not release the mouse button, drag your mouse over the “Differential Pairs” text in the right column and release the mouse button.
- A plus sign should now appear next to the Differential Pairs, expand it to see the Diff Pair that was just created.
- Repeat this process to define more Diff Pairs. Be sure to continue dragging the mouse onto the “Differential Pairs” text to create more.
- Ctrl+Select or Shift+Select multiple Differential pairs once they are created, right mouse click and choose Properties. You can revise the rules for all of the selected Diff pairs at once.
Note: Creating and routing Differential Pairs in PADS Router requires the Advanced Rules Set option and either the High-Speed Routing (Manual) or High-Speed Routing (Auto) options.
Tags: PADS, PADS 9.4, PADS Tips and Tricks, PCB, PCB design
Great Things in Small Packages
I visit many customers throughout the year, and read press releases from many of them. I’ve seen some of the largest, toughest designs completed with PADS. But sometime I see great designs that are small. One of the constant business drivers for many customers is miniaturization – getting the same, or usually more functionality in a small size.
One such design that came across my desk recently came from RTX in Denmark, which recently designed the world’s smallest Wi-Fi device with PADS software. See the press release at http://elek-data.dk/artikler/rtx-klar-med-ultrakompakt-wifi-modul.
Designing tough, large design with complex high-speed constraints requires specific features from your design tools, so does designing smaller designs where space is at a premium.
To learn more on how PADS can help you with all of your design challenges, check out our PADS 9.4 Evaluation at http://www.mentor.com/products/pcb-system-design/design-flows/pads/.
If you’ve designed a unique product with PADS, please share with us. Post a link to information about it here!
Jim
Tags: PADS, PADS 9.4, PADS Evaluation, PCB
PADS Tips and Tricks – Installation and Licensing
Hello,
With the release of PADS 9.4, many of you are getting ready to move to this new release. With that in mind, this week’s tip & trick is help with installation of licensing, and comes from Andrew Audova in the Environmental Support team.
If you are looking to upgrade to PADS 9.4, and have questions about installing the software, how to update your license, and best practices for installing this software, check out TechNote MG58662.
Here you’ll find lots of useful information, and many video snippets to help you through the process.
Jim
Tags: PADS, PADS 9.4, PADS Tips & Tricks, PCB, PCB design
PADS 9.4 Released with Unique Technology
PADS 9.4 was released earlier this week – take a look at the press release here: http://www.mentor.com/company/news/mentor-release-pads-dfm-high-speed-interactive-routing
The new features listed include:
- DFM Analysis
- Associated Nets
- ODB++ Inside
- CAM Compare
- New advanced licensing controls
- Follow Route
- New 2D line styles and snap controls
- And more…
A couple of these are truly unique to the desktop PCB market. The first is DFM Analysis. Design for manufacturing has been a “talking point” for many years, and there is no doubt designers keep in mind that the product they layout has to be built. But for the first time, advanced design for manufacturing analysis is embedded within a PCB design tool – PADS Layout. Now, this analysis can be run prior to ever sending the design out, and many problems can be detected before a prototype is built, saving huge dollars and time! In addition, DFMA is based on Valor technology, the undisputed leader in design for fabrication and analysis in the industry. Since 80% of all fabricators use Valor DFM analysis, you can be in perfect sync with your supply chain and the tools they will use to verify your design!
Another unique new feature in PADS 9.4 in the desktop market is associated nets. This allows engineers and designers with advanced technologies like DDR to define associated, or combined nets, where a signal going through a discreet component such as a series resistor, or even an active component, must be combined into one net, with constraints defined for that new “combined” net. Design rules can be now assigned, and the interactive and auto router will adhere to these new rules.
If you are a current PADS customer, PADS 9.4 is available for download now on Support here http://supportnet.mentor.com/downloads/index.cfm?id=201203049&product=C115-S153-G192-P10548&redirected=true&reason=0.
If you are not a current user, download the free evaluation kit at http://supportnet.mentor.com/downloads/index.cfm?id=201201028&product=C115-S153-G192-P10548&redirected=true&reason=0.
For a closer look at DFMA, contact your sales person for an evaluation license. If you’re not sure who that may be, go to http://www.mentor.com/products/pcb-system-design/design-flows/pads/resellers.
Jim
Tags: ODB++, PADS, PADS 9.4, PCB, PCB design
PADS Tips and Tricks – Cross Probing
This weeks tip comes from Yan Killy, Technical Marketing Engineering, talking about cross probing between your schematic and PADS Layout or Router.
Cross probing from schematic to layout/router can save a lot of time and during the design cycle. It help’s during the placement of components, especially when components on a schematic sheet need to placed near one another on the board. You can select individual components in the schematic and in layout/router the same component is selected, and you can then place it. Also, you can select multiple components in schematic, and in layout use ‘Move Sequential’ command which will attach the first component to your cursor. Once you place first selected component, next component automatically will be on your cursor for placement.
Cross probing is also is very useful for when routing and reviewing critical signals. For example, as soon as you start routing Clock net in layout or router, same net will be highlighted in schematic. This same function is helpful during design reviews and debugging. If you want to see how a certain net is routed in layout or router but you do not know where it is in the finished board, just select it in schematic and it will be highlighted in layout or router.
For a short video showing placement with Cross Probing visit: http://www.mentor.com/products/pcb-system-design/multimedia/player/component-placement-in-pads-21c4c2cd-e278-4d61-a57e-1f681e359f07
Tags: PADS, PADS 9.0, PADS Tips & Tricks, PCB, PCB design
2012 U2U Meetings
Mentor is getting ready to kickoff this year’s regional USER2USER meetings – I hope you can find time to attend, and participate!
These meetings give you the opportunity to learn from Mentor experts, but more importantly, from other users. You will hear other user’s present: other design professionals that face the same challenges that you do every day. Many engineers and designers have told me they get more out of these user presentations and the networking opportunities at U2U meetings than any other conference or tradeshow.
Ready to get involved? Do you have a topic you could present at these meeting? Think about doing a presentation at one of these meetings. We are currently looking for presentations/papers for the Boston U2U meeting scheduled for May 16 at Bentley University in Waltham. The topic could be a design challenge and how you overcame it, how to get the most out of your Mentor tools, a process that has worked for your company, etc. If you find it interesting, chances are someone else will as well!
These are user group meetings. They are most successful when users are doing the talking, not us Mentor folks! I urge you to attend these meetings, and think about presenting.
For more information, and a schedule of other U2U meetings, go to http://user2user.mentor.com/, or feel free to contact me.
Jim
Tags: PADS, PCB, PCB design, user group
About Jim Marten's PADS Blog
Discussions on the present and future capabilities and value of the PADS PCB flow.
Latest Posts
- PADS Tips and Tricks: Pin Swapping
- PADS Tips and Tricks: Via Shielding
- PADS Tips and Tricks: Sense Lines
- PADS Tips and Tricks – Downloading New License File
- PADS Tips and Tricks: Differential Pairs
- Great Things in Small Packages