Specctra for OrCAD

Premier Autorouting Technology
SPECCTRA for OrCAD is the premier autorouting technology for designers who want to complete their designs in less time.

SPECCTRA for OrCAD provides powerful, shape-based autorouting with fast, high completion rates. Its routing algorithms are designed to handle a wide range of PCB interconnect challenges—from simple to complex, low density to high density—as well as the demands of high-speed constraints. These powerful algorithms make the most efficient use of the routing area. To find the best routing solution for each case, the router uses a multi-pass, cost-based, conflict resolution algorithms. An extensive rule set provides the capability for physical and electrical constraint control. The extensive rule set has the flexibility to handle specific rules on various routing elements in a design. Users can define rules required to meet common physical/spacing net rules and class rules. It also includes a batch routing mode with extensive user-defined routing strategy control as well as built-in automatic strategy capability.

Interactive Route Editing
The SPECCTRA for OrCAD route editor simplifies and streamlines the etch editing process, increasing your efficiency.

As new conductors are routed, the plowing feature automatically pushes aside existing conductors and routes around pins. Using the shoving feature, designers can move conductor segments or vias against existing traces and push ahead over other pins and vias if necessary. A ghosting feature makes it easy to evaluate “what if” scenarios. As a conductor segment or via is moved under cursor control, the surrounding conductor is shoved and displayed dynamically so the adjusted routing can be evaluated before accepting a final configuration.

The route editor is ideal for dense, multilayer boards where legal via sites can be difficult to find. Vias are positioned by simply clicking twice at a chosen location. If possible, the chosen site is made available by shoving conductors aside on layers as needed. If not, the route editor displays a design rule violation and shows the legal via sites nearby. In addition, the copyroute feature, which allows an existing route to be copied to complete unrouted bus connections, simplifies bus construction.

Placement Editing
The placement editor allows designers to quickly place components while simultaneously evaluating space, logic flow, and congestion before beginning the route or as needed during the routing process. The Move mode allows components to be flipped, rotated, aligned, pushed, and moved either as individual components or as a group. The location can be accepted or rejected by the user. Components can be placed by directly entering their X-Y locations. This capability is particularly useful for placing connectors and components with fixed locations. Density analysis graphically displays circuit congestion by overlaying the PCB with a color map showing a range of areas—from highly congested areas to lightly congested. This helps determine where placement adjustments could be made to relieve congestion and improve routing completion.

Integration with PCB Editor
SPECCTRA's integration with OrCAD PCB Editor ensures the best possible accuracy and efficiency for designers.

All design information and constraints are automatically passed to the router through the PCB eEitor interface. Once the route is completed, all route information is automatically passed back to the PCB Editor. This creates a complete uniformity of information and eliminates any inconsistencies or errors causes by translation issues. The SPEECTRA Tool is included in OrCAD PCB Designer Professional and Professional with PSpice^®.

Extensive Compatibility
As the industry standard routing technology SPECCTRA for OrCAD is supported by all major PCB layout tools on the Market.  

Some of the compatible tools are Mentor^® PADS^®, Mentor Expedition^®, Mentor Board Station^®, Altium Designer^®, and Zuken^®. SPECCTRA utilizes a.dsn file to perform its routing; any layout tool that works with this file type is supported. This compatibility allows SPECCTRA to be used in virtually any design environment to improve routing time and quality.