Xpedition PCB layout platform, the first announced phase of the new Xpedition flow, addresses placement planning for performance and reuse; efficient routing of complex, dense topologies; and electromechanical optimization. Features Sketch Router, an auto-assisted routing process said to deliver hand-routed-quality in dramatically less time.

Major features and benefits include:

Streamlined placement using engineering-driven hierarchical component grouping methodology; user-managed netline visualization for groups, individual parts, or regions of a design; and circuit management to organize, modify and protect critical component and route group data.

Accelerated routing enables user control over trace location, routing styles, and a selection of via patterns; simplified visualization and repair of design rule violations; routing and tuning of differential pairs including automatic phase matching, symmetrical pad entry, and curved traces; improved visualization of route connections and obstacles in the path.

Design in true 3D, with a fully-integrated environment that uses the same selection, planning, and placement functionality for 2D and 3D; photo-realistic visualization using accurate 3D parametric models of components and enclosures to reduce ECAD/MCAD iterations; a library of more than 4 million vendor parts, with easy tools to import and align imported models or create using templates; definition of 3D design constraints and dynamic checking during the placement process; import and visualize multiple boards within the context of the mechanical enclosure.

Mentor Graphics, http://www.mentor.com/pcb/xpedition/

Ed.: For videos showing features of the new Xpedition platform, click here.