PC-Board Design Suite Nudges Competition Aside

June 9, 2005

With the Ultiboard 8 pcb layout tool and Ultiroute 8 pcb router, Electronics Workbench completes its Series 8 Design Suite. The suite can take a pc-board design from initial concept through final layout. Integration between the layout tool and

David Maliniak

Integration between the layout tool and router has been enhanced so users can nudge components even after they've been connected to copper. This is accomplished by automatically rubber-banding the existing traces through real-time calls to the autorouting engine.

Ultiboard supports forward and backward annotation with Multicap schematics, allowing changes to schematics during layout. Ultiboard is fully compatible with Multicap's design variant functionality.

Ultiboard can selectively dim inactive layers. Users can also choose to "turn off" the rat's nest for selected nets if desired. It also provides realistic 3D rendering of complete, populated boards, including components, traces, pads, and silkscreen.

Ultiroute 8 provides a "progressive routing" algorithm that routes on grid whenever possible, switching to gridless routing as needed to complete a trace. Users can choose to route a net with a specified topology and set limits for minimum and maximum lengths.

Ultiboard 8 and Ultiroute 8 are each priced from $1495. A free trial edition can be downloaded from the Electronics Workbench Web site.

Electronics Workbenchwww.electronicsworkbench.com

About the Author

David Maliniak | MWRF Executive Editor

In his long career in the B2B electronics-industry media, David Maliniak has held editorial roles as both generalist and specialist. As Components Editor and, later, as Editor in Chief of EE Product News, David gained breadth of experience in covering the industry at large. In serving as EDA/Test and Measurement Technology Editor at Electronic Design, he developed deep insight into those complex areas of technology. Most recently, David worked in technical marketing communications at Teledyne LeCroy. David earned a B.A. in journalism at New York University.