Electrical PCB design software is required for designing & optimizing printed circuit boards (PCBs) utilized in a wide range of electronic devices.
These tools support schematic capture, layout creation, simulation, and validation, allowing engineers to create efficient and dependable circuits.
Popular Electrical PCB Design Software
- Altium Designer
- Eagle (Autodesk)
- KiCad
- OrCAD (Cadence)
- Allegro PCB Designer (Cadence)
- Proteus (Labcenter Electronics)
- DipTrace
- EasyEDA
Altium Designer
- Altium Designer features a unified design environment, powerful routing tools, extensive library management, and simulation capabilities.
- Advanced tools for professional-grade PCB design, substantial community support, and frequent upgrades.
Eagle (Autodesk)
- Schematic editor, PCB layout editor, autorouter, and large component libraries.
- User-friendly, extensively used in school and by hobbyists, and tightly integrated with Autodesk Fusion 360.
KiCad
- Open-source, schematic capture, PCB layout, 3D viewer, and electrical rule checker.
- Free to use, active development community, appropriate for both beginners and professionals.
OrCAD (Cadence)
- OrCAD (Cadence) includes schematic capture, PCB layout, signal integrity analysis, thermal analysis, and simulation tools.
- Robust for large & complex designs, with integrated simulation tools. Widely used in industry.
Allegro PCB Designer (Cadence)
- The features include high-speed design, enhanced routing, power integrity analysis, and complete design rule checks.
- Ideal for sophisticated and high-performance designs, with a powerful feature set suitable for professional use.
Proteus (Labcenter Electronics)
- Schematic capture, PCB layout, SPICE simulation, and 3D visualization.
- Strong simulation capabilities, suitable for instructional purposes, user-friendly interface.
DipTrace
- DipTrace has features such as schematic capture, PCB layout, autorouter, 3D modeling, and library building.
- Simple interface, decent balance of features and usability, ideal for small to medium-sized projects.
EasyEDA
- Web-based platform with schematic capture, PCB layout, collaborative tools, and component libraries.
- Free to utilize with premium alternatives, cloud-based for simple access and communication, and interacts with LCSC for component procurement.
Choosing the appropriate PCB design software is determined by your individual requirements, levels of experience, and budget.
Whether you are an enthusiast, a professional engineer, or an educator, there is a tool accessible to meet your needs.