CAD Software Offers Constraint Manager

EMA Constraint Manager for OrCAD ensures design intent is communicated and adhered to during PCB implementation. With Constraint Manager for OrCAD, designers can easily embed design constraints directly into the OrCAD schematic. Using a smart spreadsheet interface, users can constrain nets by adding electrical, physical, and spacing rules for routing those nets. This not only ensures nets are routed properly, but it also reduces the time required for a PCB designer to route the nets. Constraints can be set on individual nets or groups of nets. Commonly used sets of constraints can be organized into CSets and applied to CM objects by CSet name. Constraint Manager for OrCAD has full support for PinPair, Net, XNet, Differential Pair, Bus, NetGroup, NetClass, and MatchGroup objects. Constraint Manager for OrCAD includes a Differential Pair viewer to help users visualize how rules will be applied during physical implementation. These capabilities make the process of constraining a design fast and efficient.

Constraint Manager for OrCAD stores constraints in the OrCAD Capture design file, so there is no need to manage constraints and designs. Since some constraints are dependent on layout specifics, Constraint Manager for OrCAD integrates with the Allegro Constraint Manager to share constraint information. This allows stackup information to be back-annotated and also allows for the bidirectional transfer of physical, spacing, and electrical constraints. Constraints can also be saved separately from a design so that they can form a constraint library to be shared between designs.