WinBoard - PCB Layout

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In 1993 WinBoard revolutionized the EDA market with a Windows based PCB layout tool offering the most advanced interactive routing tools available. Today, WinBoard still offers the most affordable Windows layout tool on the market with more productivity packed, timesaving features than ever before. It has the power needed for complex board design, and the tools for high-speed circuits, analog designs and dense SMT boards. Routing odd angle and off grid components has never been easier!

The advanced Design Rule Check (DRC) that Ivex introduced with WinBoard still leads the way offering over 70 important checks. WinBoard provides net specific electrical checks, post production manufacturing checks and will even check for violations as you route.

Ivex tools are designed for Windows, so you get the functionality you expect from a professional tool. Real Windows look and feel, keyboard hotkeys and a short menu tree make this a tool you can master quickly and easily. We back up our products with a technical support staff that is knowledgeable and eager to help, because service after the sale is as important as the software.

Come Up To Speed Fast

The ease of WinBoard starts with the familiar Windows interface that is easy to learn and easy to remember. WinBoard's full color toolbar has icons that are quickly recognizable. Route and edit functions can be accessed using either a mouse click or keystroke.

While in route mode, use a single key-stroke to scroll through, select and change track styles (90 degrees, 45 degrees, Any Angle, or Arc). Just as easily, a keystroke allows you to mirror a trace, change width, or place a via and change layers while routing.

Quick, Easy Editing:
As a designer, you may spend more time editing your board than any other design function, yet no one ever talks about their program's editing capabilities. At Ivex we recognize this importance and built powerful editing functionality into WinBoard.

With point and click mouse editing you can move, mirror or rotate objects. Double click to change parameters such as track width, pad shape and text in a pop-up dialog box. Rubber-banding allows the designer to move traces of a route without severing connectivity. This eliminates the need to lay new traces to link or reconnect a route. Entire routes can be relocated without changing angles already incorporated in the track.

Design Rule Checking (DRC)

WinBoard offers real-time DRC that prevents design rule violations while you route. The advanced DFM oriented DRC checks for over 70 types of errors. It offers separate settings for internal and external board layers and templates to save and reload settings. Use the Electrical DRC to check for "net specific" violations.

WinBoard's DRC configuration setup dialog box.

Use the Advanced DRC to flag violations in the annular ring, silk screen, drill hold, copper to copper spacing, minimum object sizes and many others that may prevent the board from being manufacturable. Using DRC can save you time and money by helping you do it right the first time!

Copper Pour and Zones

Placing multiple copper pours is as quick and easy as routing. Copper pour zones can be assigned any netname on the board and use one of four Thermal Relief styles. Copper zones may be reshaped with the same single click editing as used for tracks and other objects. After editing, WinBoard will automatically adjust a copper pour to the new shape and recalculate track isolations.

Module Libraries and Pad Stacks

WinBoard comes complete with a library of over 800 module footprints including over 400 SMT footprints. Pad stacks may be edited online by just double clicking on a pad. Odd shaped pads used in complex SMT designs are easily generated using the pad stack editor.

WinBoard's graphical module editor.

Create and Edit Modules Graphically:
A graphical editor is included to create custom module footprints or edit existing ones. Create edge connectors, dips, QFP, and SMD footprints quickly and easily with the pad array generator.

Post-processing Utilities

Start your designs with professional schematics from WinDraft or use WinBoard's exclusive "netlist on the fly" to quickly edit or create a netlist.

WinBoard's unique netlist module selection allows you to load netlists, assign and change footprints visually from many schematic programs such as Capilano, Future Net, Intusoft, Microsim, OrCAD, Protel, Pads, and Tango.

CAM Tools and Reports:

• Gerber Photo Plot and NC Drill Report, the industry standard output.
• DRC Report, In Circuit Test, Pick & Place, Pin List, Netlist Report and Netlist Compare.
• Annotation tool automatically assigns or re-assigns part references.
• Bill of Materials (BOM).
• On-line Help in standard Windows format includes the complete reference manual and hundreds of search words.

High Performance Affordable EDA Tools

WinBoard set the standard for high-performance, low cost Windows-based PCB layout software. Discover for yourself why thousands of designers have chosen WinBoard. The best CAD value on the market today just got better!

System Requirements

486/DX PC, 8Mb RAM, Windows NT/95 or Win32s with Windows 3.1x. 15 MB hard disk space and mouse. SVGA or higher resolution display adapter. CD drive is recommended.