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PRODUCT FEATURE

Constraint Management

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What is Constraint Management?

Constraint management in PCB design is crucial for ensuring that the design meets performance, reliability, and manufacturability requirements. Constraint management involves setting and enforcing specific rules or constraints to guide the design process. As PCBs increase in complexity the management and verification of design rules must be incorporated throughout the PCB design process to guarantee product and manufacturing success.

This feature is available in OrCAD X and Allegro X

Benefits

  • Adhere to Design Specifications
  • Improve Electrical Performance
  • Create a Manufacturable Design
  • Comprehensive Design Rule Management and Verification
  • Save Time with Correct by Construction Design

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Constraint Management in OrCAD X and Allegro X

OrCAD X and Allegro X include the industry-leading constraint management system to efficiently define, assign, and verify design rules throughout PCB creation. The easy-to-use spreadsheet approach enables you to easily define rules for nets, groups, and classes in both the schematic and PCB for:
  • Electrical
  • Physical
  • Spacing and Same Net Spacing
  • Inter-Layer Checks
  • Region-Based Rules
  • Design for Fabrication
  • Design for Assembly
  • Design for Test
  • 3D Clearances
Adhere to the configured constraints throughout the design process with automatic assignment of critical values, real-time feedback, constraint analysis with color-coded results, and comprehensive design rule checking. Guarantee your PCB adheres to your project specifications and design requirements while producing a manufacturable design with constraint management in OrCAD X and Allegro X.
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Key Features of Constraint Management in OrCAD X and Allegro X

OrCAD X and Allegro X contain the functionality you need to manage your PCB design rules.
Visual Rule Creation
Graphics and visual indicators integrated directly into the PCB canvas help you understand exactly what design rules you are configuring. Graphics are designed to show different levels of complexity to accommodate your varying design needs.
Constraint Sets
Quickly reuse groups of rules with constraint sets. With constraint sets you can assign several rules at once and reuse the constraint set across multiple nets and groups. If rule modifications are required, a change to the constraint set will update all instances throughout the design.
Hierarchical Spreadsheets
As design complexity increases, so does the complexity of rules required to create a successful PCB. A hierarchical spreadsheet approach makes defining, assigning, and managing rules for nets, net groups, and classes simple and easy to understand.
Real-Time Design Rule Feedback
Guarantee you are meeting your design requirements while you route the PCB design. A real-time color-coded meter helps you achieve length and delay requirements, and visual indicators of design rule violations in the PCB canvas, such as interactive flags and trace highlighting, ensure routing is completed accurately.
Design Rule Checking
Run a design rule check of the PCB design to correct issues when change is easiest. Rules are categorized in a pie chart for efficient navigation and detailed information can be reviewed directly in the PCB canvas.
Pro
Design Rule Analysis
Analyze the adherence to design rules directly in the constraint manager with color-coded pass/fail results and automatic calculations to determine if length and delay requirements are met.
Rule Reuse
Quickly reuse constraints for common interfaces, design requirements, and manufacturing capabilities. The ability to import and export constraints eliminates the time-consuming task of configuring and assigning the rules for your PCB designs, accelerating your layout process while improving design accuracy.
Allegro X
Advanced Rule Support
The scalability of OrCAD X and Allegro X enables designers to increase their rule support to accommodate the high-speed, high-power, and HDI requirements of today’s complex designs. With advanced rule support, configure and manage rules for reflection, crosstalk, simultaneous switching noise, timing, return paths, and more.
Set and Manage Constraints at Any Stage
Easily define and manage your design rules at any stage of the PCB design process to communicate essential functionality and layout requirements. Constraints can be defined in both the schematic and PCB and synchronized between tools to convey critical design intent efficiently.

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Additional Resources for Constraint Management

Blog
Example of 90° vs 135° trace bends and non-daisy-chain vs daisy-chain routing.

High Speed Signals Routing Guidelines

Explore design tips for routing high-speed signals for signal integrity, like crosstalk minimization, differential pair and clock traces, and grounding.
See Blog
How-to

How to Create Region-Based Rules for Rigid Flex Designs in OrCAD X

Learn how to create region-based rules for rigid flex designs in OrCAD X to efficiently constrain different sections of your PCBs.
See How-to
On-Demand Webinars

Managing Constraints Like A Pro in OrCAD X

Managing constraints is simple in OrCAD X Presto with easy setup and basic to advanced constraint including differential pairs, net scheduling, and propagation delay.
See On-Demand Webinars
On-Demand Webinars

Getting Started with Electrical Constraints in OrCAD X

Learn how to easily set up and manage critical electrical constraints to ensure that your boards meet signal integrity requirements in OrCAD X.
See On-Demand Webinars
How-to

How to Create Region-Based Rules for BGAs in OrCAD X

Learn how to create region-based rules for BGAs in OrCAD X to efficiently constrain high-precision rules in specific areas of the PCB.
See How-to
How-to

How to Find 3D DRC Errors in OrCAD X Presto

Learn how to find 3D DRC errors and correct collisions to ensure a successful final assembly with OrCAD X Presto.
See How-to
Ebooks

OrCAD X Constraint Management Design Guide

OrCAD X constraint management is a system for defining and enforcing design rules in PCB layout including sets of guidelines for performance, manufacturability, and reliability criteria.
See Ebooks
How-to

How to Configure HDI Routing in OrCAD X Presto

Learn how to configure rules, constraints, and vias for HDI routing in OrCAD X Presto.
See How-to
How-to

How to Adhere to Manufacturing Requirements

Learn how to find manufacturer specifications and adhere to manufacturing requirements for first-pass success with OrCAD PCB Designer.
See How-to
How-to

How to Find DRC Errors in OrCAD X Presto

Learn how to quickly find DRC errors in OrCAD X Presto to correct the PCB layout and create a successful PCB design.
See How-to

Leverage the Advanced Capabilities of OrCAD X

Learn more about the advanced features and capabilities of OrCAD X that will help you design your PCBs quickly and accurately.
Learn More

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