Data Exchange Options

A smooth industrial design flow demands a push-button solution for importing PCB designs from common EDA software into a simulation tool. Regardless of whether you are dealing with designs from Altium, Cadence, Mentor Graphics or Zuken, you only have to select the desired input file(s) and CST PCBS starts conversion automatically. An important feature during the import is the detection and auto-healing of geometric errors in order to prevent problems in subsequent simulations.

The 8-layer board design on the right was imported from Cadence® Allegro®. The highlighted nets were selected by using a feature that auto-detects signal lines on the opposite side of R-, L-, C-components or R-, L-, C-packs. Time consuming search of net names in the net list or schematic is not required anymore, thus shortening the process of simulation setup. In this example, the user just had to select the known nets with name “ADDR(5)”…”ADDR(9)”; the unknown nets between the resistor packs and the microcontroller on the left are then auto-selected.

CST PCBS creates SPICE-equivalent simulation models that are usually used within CST DESIGN STUDIO™ (CST DS) for time or frequency domain analyses. These models can also be easily exported into various formats e.g. for PSpice, HSpice, or Saber, thus providing you with great flexibility. Just decide on the desired format and the export will be started by a simple mouse click.

Data exchange options now include:

EDA Import:

• Altium P-CAD
• Altium Protel 99SE
• Cadence Allegro
• Cadence OrCAD
• Mentor Graphics BoardStation
• Mentor Graphics Expedition
• Mentor Graphics PADS
• Mentor Graphics HyperLynx
• Zuken Visula
• Zuken CR-5000

Model export:

• PSpice
• HSpice
• Saber
• SPICE 2G.6
• Spice3