4 Important Features Your PCB Design Software Needs
No matter whether you are a professional or an amateur, you need to make sure that your PCB design software can handle anything you might throw at it. Therefore, you need to make sure that it has a few key features which will make circuitry design all the easier. Here are some of the features you should make sure it should have, no matter which designer you are choosing to use.
Capacity for Multi-Layer Boards
If you are only going to be designing simple circuits then this is not a feature you are likely to need. However, if you are going to be doing anything more complicated at all then you need to make sure that your software is going to be able to handle it. A high-end PCB designer like Altium is going to be exactly what you need if you want something which can help you design something as simple or as complex as you need it to be.
3D Modelling
PCBs can be designed to fit in a number of different spaces. Depending on the materials used, they can actually be placed into an area which is quite small. However, designing a circuit of this size has some unique challenges. You need to ensure that everything is indeed going to fit. That is where the 3D modelling feature comes in. You can upload a model of the enclosure your PCB is going to fit in and then you will be able to see if the circuitry will fit inside. Adjustments will then be easy to make and all of this will be done without potentially wasting materials in the manufacture of something which isn’t going to fit.
Ease of Customization
PCB design is often referred to as an art and that becomes extremely prevalent as soon as you discover the need to create a custom piece. Whether it is a component or a unique tool, there are plenty of things you could design for yourself which will make PCB design that little bit easier. The right PCB design software for you will have the ability to add any custom option you might develop so you have access to it for your next design. If there is an online component library, you might even be able to upload it so others can use it too.
An Intuitive UI
We all have different ideas about what makes an intuitive user interface, or UI. Some people like simplicity, others prefer the ability to customize so their tools are in the right place. No matter what you think is good, you have to find the right PCB design software which fits this idea and can adapt to you. If you do not find a design software to be intuitive, you are only going to struggle and you are more likely to become frustrated with it.
These are just some of the features you need to find in a PCB design software but they are some of the most important. Start the journey to find your ideal PCB design software now!