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???
08/25/10 19:54
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#178317 - re: Autorouters
Responding to: ???'s previous message
Contrary to popular belief, autorouters DO work.
The tricks are:

a) buy a real autorouter. As Joseph points out, real EDA software includes a real autorouter.
b) spend a lot of time developing the constraints with which the autorouter does its thing. The better your constraints, the better your results.

At my previous job, the layout folks regularly used the autorouter (Specctra, and later Mentor) to do very complex 22-layer boards with multiple high-speed PCI, memory and processor buses, all of which required impedance-controlled and length-matched traces. The tool worked well, and I'm pretty convinced that without it, those boards could not have been routed by hand in the lifetime of the layout person.

Of course these boards were all digital, so they didn't have to worry about keeping sensitive analog away from all of the digital buses. However, with proper constraining, there's no reason to believe that it wouldn't work with mixed digital/analog.

Natch, real autorouters cost real money. TANSTAAFL.

-a

List of 122 messages in thread
TopicAuthorDate
Free PCB design software...            01/01/70 00:00      
   re: Designspark            01/01/70 00:00      
      Yes, indeed.            01/01/70 00:00      
         RS vs Farnell            01/01/70 00:00      
            RE:            01/01/70 00:00      
               EEEEEK!!            01/01/70 00:00      
                  re: EEEEEK!!            01/01/70 00:00      
                     Well, now ...            01/01/70 00:00      
                        Wrong.            01/01/70 00:00      
                           It depends on where the data originated            01/01/70 00:00      
                           I'm not sure I get what you mean            01/01/70 00:00      
                              Sorry...            01/01/70 00:00      
                        Richard!!!            01/01/70 00:00      
                           did I say that?            01/01/70 00:00      
                              Yes            01/01/70 00:00      
                                 Hard to explain ...            01/01/70 00:00      
                                    Still no explanation to the "answer is wrong" vote            01/01/70 00:00      
                                       wasn't me, just curious            01/01/70 00:00      
                                          Richards            01/01/70 00:00      
                                       Ehh???            01/01/70 00:00      
                                       This site isn't equipped, and perhaps properly so ...            01/01/70 00:00      
                                          Linked in previous post by me            01/01/70 00:00      
                                             Yes, I got that ...            01/01/70 00:00      
                                          which is why            01/01/70 00:00      
                                             Re: Italics            01/01/70 00:00      
                           Yep! It must 'ave been the whiskey ...            01/01/70 00:00      
               But...            01/01/70 00:00      
                  Evaluation            01/01/70 00:00      
                     fortunately, many small projects can be "free"            01/01/70 00:00      
                     Oh.            01/01/70 00:00      
                        Maybe the rotate contents of upper-left box            01/01/70 00:00      
   took a peek and ...            01/01/70 00:00      
      Try...            01/01/70 00:00      
         looks good, what's the catch            01/01/70 00:00      
            Not Farnell!            01/01/70 00:00      
               can live with that and whats that            01/01/70 00:00      
                  Rebranded            01/01/70 00:00      
   One thing to keep in mind ...            01/01/70 00:00      
      This is *not* Eagle!            01/01/70 00:00      
         EasyPC            01/01/70 00:00      
            Is it true, then?            01/01/70 00:00      
         I'm merely pointing out ...            01/01/70 00:00      
            Errrm.            01/01/70 00:00      
               Maybe, but why would you switch then?            01/01/70 00:00      
                  Because...            01/01/70 00:00      
                     Yes, and that's really the only "good" version            01/01/70 00:00      
            Of course it is!            01/01/70 00:00      
               Well, my complaint is ...            01/01/70 00:00      
                  gentlemen, PLEASE            01/01/70 00:00      
                  EDA tools component libraries            01/01/70 00:00      
                     It's just not worth the bother ...            01/01/70 00:00      
                        per-design CPLD/FPGA symbols            01/01/70 00:00      
                           Ouch.            01/01/70 00:00      
                              Some companies likes few customers but large bills            01/01/70 00:00      
                              re: Ouch            01/01/70 00:00      
                           You're right on target            01/01/70 00:00      
                              FPGA pin swapping            01/01/70 00:00      
                                 What I've found ...            01/01/70 00:00      
                  Changing packages            01/01/70 00:00      
                     Depends on the number of pins, doesn't it?            01/01/70 00:00      
                        Because...            01/01/70 00:00      
                           In one of these posts ...            01/01/70 00:00      
                              Oh, Richard!            01/01/70 00:00      
   Thanks            01/01/70 00:00      
   demo??            01/01/70 00:00      
      Great...seems free..            01/01/70 00:00      
         Yes, it is Free            01/01/70 00:00      
            Free but..................            01/01/70 00:00      
               No, that's not true            01/01/70 00:00      
   Richard - is this where you're getting confused?            01/01/70 00:00      
      Isn't RS just another vendor?            01/01/70 00:00      
         Whatever happened to your principle...            01/01/70 00:00      
            Isn't this about free PCB software?            01/01/70 00:00      
               It was about a certain *specific* software            01/01/70 00:00      
                  Perhaps, but my point was ...            01/01/70 00:00      
      But subject line seems to indicate all free software            01/01/70 00:00      
         I'm just a little p*ssed off ... since it cost $1500 ...            01/01/70 00:00      
            Definitely penalty box            01/01/70 00:00      
               Had we not been "sucked in" by the "free" version ...            01/01/70 00:00      
                  How did you not notice??            01/01/70 00:00      
                  So you don't like Eagle-CAD - we have got the point            01/01/70 00:00      
                     Maybe Richard knows what he wants            01/01/70 00:00      
                        Dislike doesn't mean a product is worth zero            01/01/70 00:00      
                           Software is supposed to increase productivity            01/01/70 00:00      
                              So - you taping your boards?            01/01/70 00:00      
                                 Nope ... I don't do that either            01/01/70 00:00      
                                    Still bogus claim            01/01/70 00:00      
                                       Keep in mind what I do for a living            01/01/70 00:00      
                                          Now that *is* a good idea            01/01/70 00:00      
                                             Price of bandwidth - or simplicity of use            01/01/70 00:00      
                                                Viewing Schematics and Diagrams            01/01/70 00:00      
                           Software is not a car.            01/01/70 00:00      
                              Eagle            01/01/70 00:00      
                                 re: Eagle            01/01/70 00:00      
                                 Hobbyists like it because it's cheap, not because it's good            01/01/70 00:00      
                        The choice often isn't mine            01/01/70 00:00      
                           I gotta say, why haven't you told the makers?            01/01/70 00:00      
                              You think I was silent about that?            01/01/70 00:00      
   About DesignSpark PCB ...            01/01/70 00:00      
      EasyPC.            01/01/70 00:00      
         Autorouters            01/01/70 00:00      
            re: Autorouters            01/01/70 00:00      
         RE: Andy says            01/01/70 00:00      
            Andy Says ...            01/01/70 00:00      
               RE: Your "real" software            01/01/70 00:00      
                  "Real" Software            01/01/70 00:00      
      Has anyone worked with the schematic editor?            01/01/70 00:00      
   not related but.....            01/01/70 00:00      
      Placement            01/01/70 00:00      
         autorouter            01/01/70 00:00      
            autorouter - placing parts on both sides of the board            01/01/70 00:00      
               This looks like a classic example...            01/01/70 00:00      
                  And another thing...            01/01/70 00:00      
               Colour??            01/01/70 00:00      
                  It depends - RTFM            01/01/70 00:00      
                  Color of pads depends on surface mount or PTH components            01/01/70 00:00      
                  Layers            01/01/70 00:00      
                     got the point...            01/01/70 00:00      
   At Design Spark            01/01/70 00:00      
      There's a forum for that!            01/01/70 00:00      
      There's a Menu for that            01/01/70 00:00      
         OK..            01/01/70 00:00      

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