EDA design tools

Depending on your need and application, today there are thousands of EDA tools to choose from. Here are a few of my choices:

Multisim by National Instruments

Multisim equips educators, students, and professionals with the tools to analyze circuit behavior. The intuitive and easy-to-use software platform combines schematic capture and industry-standard SPICE simulation into a single integrated environment. Multisim is available in two distinct versions to meet the teaching needs of educators or the design needs of professionals. Download NI Multisim 30-Day Trial: digital.ni.com/express.nsf/bycode/downloadmultisim?opendocument&lang=en&node=seminar_US

Eagle by CadSoft Computer

The Eagle Layout Editor tool is used for designing printed circuit boards (PCBs). The name EAGLE is an acronym, which stands for Easily Applicable Graphical Layout Editor

It consists of three main modules — Layout Editor, Schematic Editor, and Autorouter — which are embedded in a single-user interface. The Eagle Light Edition can be used for free. www.cadsoft.de/download.htm

Analog Office by AWR Corp.

The Analog Office is high-frequency design software for analog and RFICs. The software provides designers with a concurrent, interconnect-driven, and RF-aware design methodology for RFIC and module design. The fundamental data models within the software are high-frequency aware, permitting accurate extraction and modeling of all design elements, including active and passive devices, as well as interconnect, at high frequency. awrcorp.com/download/login.aspx

OrCAD Capture / Capture CIS from Cadence

Easy-to-use OrCAD Capture is a schematic design solution that supports both flat and hierarchal designs from the simplest to the most complex. OrCAD Capture CIS integrates the OrCAD Capture schematic design application with the added capabilities of a component information system (CIS) and the Cadence ActiveParts Portal. www.cadence.com/products/orcad/pages/downloads.aspx

IE3D EM from Mentor Graphics

Mentor Graphics offers IE3D EM full-wave 3D electromagnetic (EM) design and verification analysis tool addresses the advanced simulation needs of engineers designing antennas, MMICs, RFID, IC Packaging, and PCBs. Request a free evaluation software at:

www.mentor.com/electromagnetic-simulation/downloads/ie3d-evaluation

ADS from Agilent EEsof EDA

Targeting RF, microwave, and high-speed digital applications, the Advanced Design System (ADS) electronic design automation software pioneers technologies, such as X-parameters and 3D EM simulators, used by companies in the wireless communication & networking and aerospace & defense industries. For WiMAX, LTE, multi-gigabit per second data links, radar, and satellite applications, ADS provides full, standards-based design and verification with Wireless Libraries and circuit-system-EM co-simulation in an integrated platform. Apply for a free trial at: http://eval.soco.agilent.com/onlineevals/faces/home.jsp?prodfam=ADS

PowerSI from Sigrity

PowerSI provides fast and accurate full-wave electrical analysis of integrated circuit (IC) packages and printed circuit boards (PCBs) to overcome increasingly challenging and interrelated power, signal, and EMI issues. For an evaluation request, www.sigrity.com/products/evalreq/evalreq.htm

CR-5000 from Zuken

The CR-5000 PCB design software offers highly sophisticated functionality for the layout of multi-layer and high-speed boards, addressing design challenges such as signal integrity and EMC. www.zuken.com/products/cr-5000/downloads

LTspice IV from Linear Technology

LTspice IV is a high-performance Spice III simulator, schematic capture and waveform viewer with enhancements and models for easing the simulation of switching regulators. Included in this download are Spice, Macro Models for 80% of Linear Technology’s switching regulators, over 200 op-amp models, as well as resistors, transistors and MOSFET models. www.linear.com/designtools/software/#LTspice

Galaxy from Synopsys

The Galaxy Implementation Platform is a comprehensive solution for cell-based and custom IC implementation. More information, www.synopsys.com/Solutions/EndSolutions/GalaxyImplementation/Pages/default.aspx

HiPer Silicon from Tanner EDA

HiPer Silicon gives the designer a complete analog design flow from schematic capture, circuit simulation, and waveform probing to physical layout and verification, which is ideal for analog, mixed-signal, RF and MEMS IC design. www.tannereda.com/hiper-silicon

Zeni EDA from Zeni EDA

The Zeni EDA tool provides front-to-back solutions for full custom analog/mixed-signal IC design. It integrates schematic editor, circuit simulator, schematic driven layout generator, layout editor, layout verification tool including DRC ERC and LVS software, parasitic extraction and signal integrity analysis tools in one common design platform. Free 30 day trial, http://www.zeni-eda.com/

AFS from Berkeley Design Automation

The Analog FastSPICE Platform (AFS) from Berkeley Design Automation is a unified verification platform for analog, RF, and mixed-signal design. AFS handles circuits with up to 10 million elements, and has a nanometer SPICE accurate device noise analysis. Overview: www.berkeley-da.com/prod/oview.htm