PCB News - Conversion and design suggestions among AD, Pads, Allegro, Mentor

Regarding the inter-conversion of these softwares, everyone has asked some conversion methods and problems in the conversion process. As there are many involved in this aspect, I summarize some experience and share with you; I also hope that you will discuss with me.

1. For the conversion method: basically the conversion is in order

AD-Pads: PADS conversion tool, AD version is 5.0

Pads-Allegro: Pads export asc files, also 5.0, not too high, allegro has its own pads translator tool for import

Allegro-Mentor: First use a DFL conversion skill program provided by mentor, and then use the conversion tool altoexp.exe (not easy to find) developed by mentor to convert. The main difference between DFL mode and normal PCB mode is whether the file can be exported, etc.

Pads-Allegro: There is a conversion tool under Pads, which can be directly exported as *.hkp, which is more direct and convenient than allegro.

I won’t say much about the details of the conversion, and there are more and more detailed methods on the forum. Only emphasize the points of attention and conversion requirements software, etc.

2. Conversion issues:

AD-Pads have fewer problems, and there will be some warnings, such as guide packaging, which is basically no problem. It is just that due to habit, the silk-screen layer will be on the silk-top layer, but the silk-screen printing in the Pads of some companies will also be built on this layer; PCB, there will be some network name changes and so on.

Pads-Allegro has many problems, mainly as follows: A. The name of the pad will be automatically named and named "pad1^pad*". This cannot be solved, and it can only be modified afterwards. B. The silk screen will be lost. This situation occurs in the ad-pads-allegro process. The main reason is that the silk screen frame needs to be changed to the top layer. C. For interposing devices, the wrong flash pads are usually generated, which will affect the final data and cannot be used. The converted through-hole disk specifies the correct flash and outputs good data. D. The original file is AD, and some network names that do not conform to the allegro specification cannot be converted.

Allegro-Mentor/ The problem is general, and there are mainly several points: A. There is a problem during the package conversion, and it cannot be imported into the *.lmc central library file of mentor, and the *.hkp generated by the conversion needs to be modified. B. For the placement outline generation and Placebound is not the same, some need to be modified, or the DRC is the same as allegro, no software is used for packaging interference. C. You can use the converted *.kyn file to directly import the PCB board in advance, which has fewer problems.

3. Suggest PCB solutions between different software:

All PCB solutions between different software are based on the premise of using the PCB software library, and use any schematic software to generate the netlist format of the required PCB software.

AD-anything: Choose a different netlist format after d/n, 6.7 and other versions need to be patched

pads(powlogic)-anything: You can only write it in VB language by yourself

allegro-anyting: After creat netlist, choose "other", of course orcad, not HDL

mentor (DX, etc.)-anything: I have never done this kind of program.

The above is the introduction of conversion and design suggestions between AD, Pads, Allegro, Mentor. Ipcb also provides PCB manufacturers and PCB manufacturing technology