Beyond manual PCB routing
Perhaps the question of manual vs automated PCB routing was settled some time ago. But, now more than ever, factors such as rising quality demands, complexity and risks inherent in project delay make the case for automation.
That, however, is only part of the story, because it is not really a case of using one approach against another: reality for PCB routing comprises a mix of the two.
Figure 1. Complexity is just one factor promoting more automation in PCB routing (Siemens EDA)
A new e-book from the team behind PADS Professional looks to draw the boundaries. Automation wins in areas such as speed, iteration and freeing up designers to concentrate on particularly sensitive areas of a design. Manual intervention will always be required for product definition but still plays an important role in PCB routing for sensitive signals, signal integrity and high-speed design.
The book provides and overview of these and other factors that product teams need to take into account across six chapters:
- Why manual routing methods fall short
- How much does automation really help?
- If automation is so great, why don’t designers rely solely on autorouters?
- Some design aspects cannot be replaced by automation
- Sometimes, technology can save you a lot of time and effort
- How does sketch routing in PADS Professional work?
As a primer on the manual/automated balance, Routing automation with PADS Professional arrives as a valuable resource and can be downloaded free-of-charge.
