CADSTAR PCB Placement and Routing Tools

The advanced Activ-45 router provides the ultimate in speed and precision for manual routing, offering single-click ‘follow me’ routing with automatic completion, using push-aside, spring-back and segment break options to tackle even the most complex layout challenges.

The Activ-45 router makes space for itself by pushing existing routes and vias aside, while always obeying design rules. Where necessary, it will flip existing routes over pins and pads to create even more space, such as when creating a BGA fan-out. At any point before completing the route, if the cursor is moved back towards the starting point, the routes will spring-back to their original position.

Prior to routing, power pins can be intelligently connected to full or partial planes, and the fanout router used to create intelligent breakout patterns for high pin-count SMT devices, using geometric or spiral via patterns to simplify routing on inner layers.

Optimization of the layout to minimize overall track length, reduce the number of vias and improve manufacturability. Testpoints for clamshell fixtures or flying-probe testers can be allocated to existing design features if allowed or inserted as user-defined testpoint elements.

With enhanced Topology support, CADSTAR Constraint Browser provides a fast and effective way for design engineers to add rules and net constraints to the Schematic at the initial design phase.

Learn more about CADSTAR Constraint Browser

The Dragon Routing Platform moves away from traditional settings-based autorouting to an alternative methodology that combines artificial intelligence with a strategy-driven approach to solve your routing requirements.

Learn more about CADSTAR DRAGON Router

For High-speed designs, Place & Route Editor XR 5000HS obeys a wide range of fast circuit rules including min/max length, skew, delay and crosstalk limits to meet tight timing and noise margins. Manual and automatic editing tools enable nets to be tuned precisely for track length or flight-time to achieve optimum timing characteristics.

Learn more about CADSTAR P.R.Editor

The Rules-by-Area package is a powerful extension to the CADSTAR P.R.Editor XR 2000 tool. It enhances Zuken’s routing technology by allowing the association of different design rules to different areas of the design. With Rules-by-Area, tracks can be reduced in width according to the rules defined by the area they are routed through. Rules also include via sizes and the use of blind or buried via technology.

Learn more about Rules-by-Area