Schematic Capture
Board Layout Tools
Autorouters
Translators
Design Bundles
Special Libraries
WEB Home Page: http://www.McCAD.com
All McCAD products for MS-Windows are designed to run from
either of the operating systems mentioned. The software automatically
compensates for the differences.
Windows
Product List
revised 5-30-2000
Schematic Capture
Board Layout Tools
Autorouters
Translators
Design Bundles
Special Libraries
Please note that we have made Full Screen size images available for some of the applications. These are larger files and will take more time to access.
McCAD Schematics is a sophisticated engineering database management
system that allows the electronic designer to easily create and
revise electronic circuit designs (digital or analog) directly
on a Windows 98/ME/2K/NT/XP OS system.
It can access thousands of standard or custom on-line libraries
in seconds, retrieving the necessary information to support the
current design task at hand. It is principally an on -line system
that constructs the databases as the design is created. This process
differs from many other CAE systems that require the user to first
create the complete schematic and then use post-processing utilities
to describe the circuit. As a result, McCAD Schematics makes editing
easy and provides absolute data extraction.
The user has at his disposal a large work surface that allows
the creation of designs up to engineering "E" size (34"
x 44"). McCAD Schematics also permits the designer to work
on many independent drawings simultaneously. A sophisticated auto-interconnect
routing engine facilitates rapid schematic interconnects. McCAD
Schematics generates a variety of output formats which also includes
a standard SPICE list output. McCAD Schematics fully integrates
with our McCAD PCB-ST layout module.
Remember, whether your designs are analog or digital, if your looking for a quality design application that provides flexibility and productivity with ease of use and high-powered, interactive automation, McCAD Schematics for Windows is the answer.
For a listing of key features and specifications found in the McCAD Schematics package select the More Facts Button.
McCAD PCB-ST
(Integrated PC Board Artwork Generation)
McCAD PCB-ST is an integrated PCB layout design environment
for the board designer who does serious layout work and requires
the availability of powerful design and edit tools at his fingertips.
McCAD PCB-STs' numerous automated features allows you to quickly
and easily complete your board design.
McCAD PCB-ST is net list driven and supports full forward and
backward annotation of all net and component attributes passed
to and from our McCAD Schematics. Cross checking is a snap. PCB-ST
contains many intelligent features such as auto via insertion,
design rule checking, dynamic place, auto ground plane creation,
and auto thermal dispersion, which simplify and assist the designer
with his work.
A number of routing options are provided. Included within these
options is an internal point to point router which assists the
user who wishes to do line by line routing. This method of assisted
routing has proven to be very effective for many analog designers.
McCAD PCB -ST also easily links into McCAD Tracker and McCAD Trailblazer
which are optional full featured autorouting engines, employing
"push and shove technologies", providing superior routing
performance. Up to 16 layers can be routed at breakneck speeds.
McCAD Trailblazer provides the user with a flexible interactive
routing mode.
McCAD PCB-ST contains features such as; an on-line library editor,
user definable design libraries, custom SMT Macro generator, net
and part query and editing, auto labeling and much ,much more.
A Gerber translator for generating Gerber text plot files is
also included with each PCB-ST package .
Remember, whether your designs are analog or digital, if your
looking for a quality design layout application that provides
flexibility and productivity with ease of use and high-powered,
interactive automation, McCAD PCB-ST for Windows is the answer.
For a listing of the key features and specifications found in PCB-ST please select the More Facts button below.
Windows
The McCAD Gerber Translator is a utility that quickly and easily
converts McCAD PCB-ST design databases into a standard Gerber
text photo-plot file. The appropriate Gerber translation utility
is provided at no charge with the purchase of the PCB layout tool.
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Windows
An Integrated Design Bundle
McCAD EDS-1 is an integrated Electronic Design System for the professional printed circuit designer. The EDS system is a bundling of our individual standalone software modules into a single package providing the electronic designer with the necessary tools to manage a complete design project. The EDS-1 package consists of three modules;
1) Schematics,
2) PCB Layout (PCB-ST),
3) Gerber Translator
1) The McCAD Schematics module is
a sophisticated engineering database management system that allows
the electronic designer to easily create and revise electronic
circuit designs (digital or analog) directly on a Windows
98/ME/2K/NT/XP OS system. It can access thousands of standard
or custom on-line libraries in seconds, retrieving the necessary
information to support the current design task at hand. It is
principally an on -line system that constructs the databases as
the design is created. This process differs from many other CAE
systems that require the user to first create the complete schematic
and then use post-processing utilities to describe the circuit.
As a result, McCAD Schematics makes editing easy and provides
absolute data extraction.
The user has at his disposal a large work surface that allows
the creation of designs up to engineering "E" size (34"
x 44"). McCAD Schematics also permits the designer to work
on many independent drawings simultaneously. A sophisticated auto-interconnect
routing engine facilitates rapid schematic interconnects. McCAD
Schematics generates a variety of output formats which also includes
a standard Spice list output. The McCAD Schematics module fully
integrates with the McCAD PCB-ST layout module.
2) The PCB-ST module is an integrated
PCB layout design environment for the board designer who does
serious layout work and requires the availability of powerful
design and edit tools at his fingertips. PCB-STs' numerous automated
features allows you to quickly and easily complete your board
design.
PCB-ST is net list driven and supports full forward and backward
annotation of all net and component attributes passed to and from
our McCAD Schematics. Cross checking is a snap. PCB-ST contains
many intelligent features such as auto via insertion, design rule
checking, dynamic place, auto ground plane creation, and auto
thermal dispersion, which simplify and assist the designer with
his work.
A number of routing options are provided. Included within these
options is an internal point to point router which assists the
user who wishes to do line by line routing. This method of assisted
routing has proven to be very effective for many analog designers.
The PCB -ST module also easily links into McCAD Tracker and McCAD
Trailblazer which are optional full featured autorouting engines,
employing "push and shove technologies", providing superior
routing performance. Up to 16 layers can be routed at breakneck
speeds. McCAD Trailblazer provides the user with a flexible interactive
routing mode.
In addition, the PCB-ST module contains features such as; an on-line
library editor, user definable design libraries,custom SMT Macro
generator, net and part query and editing,auto labeling and much
,much more. For a detailed listing of the key features found in
the PCB-ST module please select the MORE FACTS button below.
Remember, whether your designs are analog or digital, if your
looking for a quality design layout application that provides
flexibility and productivity with ease of use and high-powered,
interactive automation, PCB-ST is the answer.
3) The Gerber Translator (II) module
converts the PCB-ST designs into a standard format Gerber photo-plotting
text command file. This allows the user to produce the highest
possible accuracy fabrication tools automatically. The generated
format is universally accepted world-wide.
For a listing of key features and specifications of the primary modules the McCAD EDS-1 bundle select the "MORE FACTS" button.
McCAD Trail Blazer's incredibly efficient Autorouter will bring
your McCAD PCB Design System to the forefront of today's design
tools. Based on the principals of PUSH, SHOVE and INSERT, McCAD
Trailblazer closely emulates the approach taken by professional
board designers. This approach results in the most efficient use
of board area with a minimum of vias thus producing the highest
quality boards.
McCAD Trail Blazer employs unique routing algorithms that deliver
unprecedented performance, even on boards with today's complexity
and sophisticated technology.
A UNIQUE APPROACH
McCAD Trail Blazer employs a routing strategy traditionally used
by senior designers: route the most difficult areas first then
the board will always be completed! To accomplish this, Trail
Blazer 's incredibly effective Sweep Router concentrates on each
routing area -- individually -- in order to find the optimum path
for each connection. Because the Sweep Router devotes it full
power to analyzing specific areas of the board in meticulous detail,
it can complete the routing for a given area very quickly and
then move onto the next area.
COSTED WAVE FRONT & SHOVE ALGORITHMS
McCAD Trail Blazer's Sweep Router is supported by two major algorithms:
Costed Wave Front and Shove. The Costed Wave Front Algorithm analyzes
routing paths in waves, from both the source and target of a connection.
Once the ideal path is determined, the shove algorithm takes over
and moves aside obstructing routes. The McCAD Trail Blazer is
specifically written for extremely fast shove calculations to
optimize routing paths. Other Trail Blazer algorithms include:
FULL Windows OS INTERFACE
The Trail Blazer has been implemented to take full advantage of
its intuitive human interface. Through easy to use dialogues and
menus the user has full control of this powerful routing environment.
The user can choose from automatic, semi-automatic, or interactive
modes. No longer are you restricted to the limitations of conventional
routing technologies.
Un-Like Conventional Routers
Conventional routers typically start out very fast. They can route
the first 60 to 80% of a board very quickly. However they bog
down as they approach 90%. Typical autorouters lay in thousands
of connections, but each one is slightly less than optimal. As
a board becomes crowded, each new connection requires more and
more vias and uses more and more valuable board space. On a difficult
board this method results in a nearly complete board with every
routing channel used. There is no room left to finish the board.
Even if the board is 98% complete how is the last 2% to be finished??
Trail Blazer seldom finds itself in this situation since it uses
its Shove algorithms from the start before any of its other available
algorithms are implemented. This results in trace connections
of higher quality with fewer vias thus leaving more available
routing channels at later stages of routing. Furthermore the most
difficult areas are tackled first, not last.
Unique Inter-Active Mode
Both manual design and autorouting have their advantages. The
designer is better at recognizing patterns, planning ahead, and
adapting to new rules. The autorouter is faster on simple operations,
doesn't mind repetitive operation and is accurate at clearance
checking. The Trail Blazer with its shove technique provides the
ideal union within the Windows environment. In the Interactive
Mode the router acts as the designer's assistant. The designer
chooses the path and the autorouter clears it and installs it.
The designer can concentrate on the overall plan while the router
tends to the tedious details.
Using an autorouter based on Shove can save the user money on
complex designs by requiring fewer layers to complete a design.
Frequently boards that require 6 layers on conventional rip-up
and retry routers (which claim 100% completion) can usually be
done in about 4 layers on the Trail Blazer's shove router thus
lowering production costs.
TRAILBLAZER FEATURES INCLUDE:
For additional information and comparison specifications on
McCAD Autorouters please select the "More Facts" button.
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McCAD Tracker is an intermediate level quality autorouter which
full fills the needs of PCB Designers specializing in single and
doubled sided PCB board layouts. This router incorporates multiple
routing technologies including some Push and Shove capabilities
and is intelligent enough to handle complex layouts with typical
completion percentages from 90 to 100 percent depending on user
set parameters. This router is capable of routing a board in two
layers that might require 3 or 4 layers on other autorouting systems.
McCAD Tracker represents an economical autorouting tool which
addresses the needs and budgets of many PCB designers. McCAD Tracker
is also PCB-ST/ EDS compatible.
A McCAD Trail Blazer vs. McCAD Tracker Feature Comparison Chart
is provided to assist the user in selecting the appropriate router
for his needs. Select the More Facts button.
In general, users who expect to route more than two signal layers,
or a very dense and complex board, or a dense surface mount design
should consider selecting the McCAD Trailblazer.
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IMPORT TRANSLATION UTILITY
The McCAD OrCAD Translator allows the user to convert schematic sheets and libraries created in the OrCAD Schematic Design Tools (SDT) environment into files that can be read by McCAD Schematics. Standard OrCAD Schematics documents are converted to McCAD ASCII format documents. OrCAD documents must be in SDT386+ format in order to be converted. The Translator works with the McCAD Schematics 3.6 version series and up. Existing McCAD Schematics users with older versions would be required to update in order to use the translator.
The McCAD DXF translator produces AutoCAD DXF files directly from
either McCAD PCB-ST or McCAD Schematics documents. The DXF format
files which are produced are standard ASCII files which can readily
be transferred to other hardware platforms. The McCAD DXF Translator
preserves full line resolution without any degradation.
The translator works with McCAD Schematics version series 3.6
and up and with McCAD PCB-ST version series 2.3 and up.
The McCAD RatsNets is a utility which converts between the
McCAD PartsList & NetList format documents and about 70 other
formats. This would be used when you need to either import or
export such data with foreign design environments.
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VAMP Inc. provides custom logic macro libraries for use with its
McCAD Schematics design module. The entire Xilinx family of PLD
libraries and Device libraries consisting of the 2000, 3000, 4000,
5200, 7000, and 9000 series are available on disk. Custom logic
designers desiring to utilize Xilinx tools can now avail themselves
of the premier schematics design package on the Windows OS.
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