Advanced Layout & Routing Techniques

Presented By: Janine Flagg

Sr. Field Applications Engineer
eMail: JanineF@ema-eda.com

Customer promise
Our focus today, as it was in 1989, is to meet our customers requirements
with quality products, leading technology, and exceptional technical
support.

Agenda
Constraint Manager
Constraint Resolution
Electrical Constraints

Differential Pairs
Total Etch Length

Wiring
Vias
Impedance
Min/Max Propagation Delay
Relative Propagation Delay

Flex Routing

Reuse

Technology Files
Front-to-Back Design Reuse
Placement Replication
CircuitSpace

Demos
Differential Pair Routing
Total Etch Length Delay Tune
Multi-Line Routing (Flex)
Placement Replication
Front-to-back Design Reuse
CircuitSpace

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Constraint Manager
Constraint Manager includes five types of constraints:
Electrical Constraints: Performance characteristics
Physical Constraints: Line width, via selection, and layer restrictions
Spacing Constraints: Clearances between lines, pads, vias, and
copper areas (shapes)
Same Net Spacing Constraints: Clearances between lines, pads,
vias, and copper areas (shapes) on the same net
Design Constraints: Package to package checks, soldermask &
pastemask checks and negative plane island checks

Physical and Spacing include two categories of constraints:

Default Rules: Used to specify rules to be applied to nets that have
no special routing requirements
Special Rules: Nets that require unique constraints
3

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Constraint Manager
Interface
Setup > Constraints > Constraint Manager or

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Constraint Manager
Analysis Modes
Analyze > Analysis Modes > Electrical Modes

OrCAD PCB Designer Professional

5

Allegro PCB Designer

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Constraint Resolution
Physical
Top displays element
information
Description
X/Y location
Net name

Display > Constraint

Single select

Bottom displays
constraint rules
Constraint set name
Constraint set rules
Constraint values

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Constraint Resolution
Spacing
Top displays element
information
Description
X/Y location
Net name

Display > Constraint

Drag Select

Bottom displays
constraint rules
Constraint set
name
Constraint set
rules
Constraint values
7

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Electrical Constraints
OrCAD PCB Designer Professional
Total Etch Length Constraint
Differential Pair Constraints
Uncoupled Length

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Additional Electrical Constraints

Allegro PCB Designer

Wiring Constraints
Net Scheduling
Parallelism
Layer Sets Rules

Via Constraints
Max Via Count
Matched Vias

Impedance
Min/Max Propagation Delays
Differential Pair - Static Phase Tolerance
Relative Propagation Delay

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Differential Pairs

Net Naming Convention

Auto Setup of Differential Pairs in OrCAD Capture
Auto Generation of Differential Pairs in PCB Editor
Defining Differential Pairs in Constraint Manager
Anatomy of a Differential Pair
Physical Differential Pair Constraints
Electrical Differential Pair Constraints
Differential Pair Routing Options
Working with Differential Pairs

10

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Differential Pairs
Signal Naming Convention for Auto Setup
Naming Rules for Signals within Differential Pairs
Examples:

SignalName_P
SignalName_N

SignalNameP
SignalNameN

SignalName_H
SignalName_L

SignalNamaH
SignalNameL

SignalName_+
SignalName_-

SignalName+
SignalName-

11

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Differential Pairs
Auto Setup in OrCAD Capture
Tools > Create Differential Pair > Auto Setup

12

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Differential Pairs
Auto Generate in PCB Editor
Logic > Assign Differential Pair > Auto Generate

13

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Differential Pairs
Defining in Constraint Manager
Create > Differential Pair

14

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Anatomy of a Differential Pair

Primary Line Width

The trace width that should be used to route the differential pair
nets the majority of the time
The width you prefer your differential pairs to be routed
Min Line Width

15

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Anatomy of a Differential Pair

Primary Gap

The Spacing, edge to edge, that should be used to route the

differential pair nets the majority of the time
The rule you prefer your differential pairs to follow
This only applies to the two differential pair nets. Other net
spacing to the differential pair nets is controlled by the Spacing
Rule set Line to Line clearance
Primary Gap

16

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Anatomy of a Differential Pair

Neck Width and Neck Gap

Rules to be applied when the traces must squeeze down to

be routed between pins/vias (for example, in BGA areas)
Neck Gap is the new spacing, edge to edge, that should be
routed to route the differential pair
Neck Width is the new trace width that should be used to route
the differential pairs
Neck Width
Neck Gap

17

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Anatomy of a Differential Pair

Separation Gap Tolerance
Coupled Tolerance (+)/(-)
Provides a coupling range based on the Primary Separation Gap
Summing Primary Separation Gap and Coupled Tolerance (+)
provides the maximum coupled gap
Subtracting Primary Separation Gap and Coupled Tolerance (-)
provides the minimum coupled gap
Values above or below these become an uncoupling event
Primary
PrimarySeparation
Separationplus
plus
(+)
(+)Tolerance
Tolerance

Primary
PrimarySeparation
SeparationGap
Gap

18

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Primary
PrimarySeparation
Separationminus
minus
(-)
(-)Tolerance
Tolerance

Anatomy of a Differential Pair

Minimum Line Space

For the differential pair itself

If set, this value must be less than your Primary Gap minus the
Coupled Tolerance Minus value
Use this value to override the Spacing Constraint set line-toline value
Min Line Spacing

19

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Anatomy of a Differential Pair

Max Uncoupled Length

Maximum length of uncoupled trace summed throughout the

entire differential pair route
See green etch below:
Gathered

Ungathered

20

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Anatomy of a Differential Pair

Gather Control

Choices are Include & Ignore

Controls whether or not to include the etch length from pin to
gather point when calculating Max uncoupled length

This length is
ALWAYS
included

Include OR
Ignore this total
length
Gather points

21

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Anatomy of a Differential Pair

Static Phase Tolerance
Allowable difference in length between the differential pair nets
When the Phase Tolerance Value is -1 (unspecified), phase
checking is disabled
Length of net A

Length of net B
Note: Available only in Allegro PCB Designer and above.
22

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Differential Pairs
Physical Constraints
Differential Pair Constraints set in the Physical Domain

23

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Differential Pairs
Electrical Constraints
Differential Pair Constraints set in the Electrical Domain

24

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Differential Pairs
Routing Options
Route > Connect

Horizontal

Vertical

Diagonal Up

Diagonal Down

25

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Differential Pairs
Routing Options
Once seeded, it is possible to route tandem differential
pairs as well as edge coupled.

26

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Working with Differential Pairs

Pseudo-segments graphically show uncoupling errors in the
board
Once the length of uncoupled etch exceeds the set value, every
segment that is uncoupled is highlighted in this way

Red and Green Meter guides the routing of Differential Pairs and
signals with Length Constraints
Static Phase Tolerance
Total Etch Length
Note: Meter available only in Allegro PCB Designer and above.
27

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Electrical Constraints
Total Etch Length

May be assigned to a Net, Xnet, Bus or Differential Pair

Both Min and Max are etch length values with optional units
If no units are specified, drawing units are assumed
Either value is optional May specify only Min, or only Max

28

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Electrical Constraints
Total Etch Length - Delay Tune

Use the Delay Tune function to add length

May also be used to match the length of a group of nets

29

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Electrical Constraints
Wiring - Topology & Stub Length

Note: Available only in Allegro PCB Designer and above.

30

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Electrical Constraints
Wiring - Layer Sets & Exposed Length

Note: Available only in Allegro PCB Designer and above.

31

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Electrical Constraints
Wiring - Parallel

Note: Available only in Allegro PCB Designer and above.

32

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Electrical Constraints
Vias - Via Count & Match Vias

Note: Available only in Allegro PCB Designer and above.

33

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Electrical Constraints
Impedance

Note: Available only in Allegro PCB Designer and above.

34

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Electrical Constraints
Min/Max Propagation Delays

Note: Available only in Allegro PCB Designer and above

35

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Electrical Constraints
Relative Propagation Delay

Note: Available only in Allegro PCB Designer and above

36

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Flex Routing
Flex Board

37

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Flex Routing
Multi-Line Routing is used for Flex Routing

38

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Reuse
Technology Files

Technology files (tech files) contain:

Parameters
Design-level constraint data
Constraint Modes
Cross-section
User-defined properties

Stored on disk
Preserve company standards while creating new databases
Results reported in techfile.log

39

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Reuse
Technology File - Export
File > Export > Techfile

40

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Reuse
Technology File - Import
File > Import > Techfile

41

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Reuse
Front-to-Back Design Reuse
Circuits may be placed, routed and saved for design reuse
Requires the use of external Hierarchy in OrCAD Capture
Hierarchical block placed at top level
schematic is referencing an external design
that has already been placed and routed in
PCB Editor and saved as a Reuse Module

42

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Reuse
Front-to-Back Design Reuse
Reuse Modules may be placed as if they were one
component

43

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Reuse
Placement Replication

Available in Placement Application Mode only

Allows creation of seed circuits
May be replicated

Within the current design

From one design to another

May include:
Component Placement
Related Routing
Local Shapes
Reference Designator Placement

44

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Reuse
Placement Replication
Step 1 and 2
Create original circuit
and select components

Step 3
Hover over a component
and RMB Place
replicate create, then
RMB - DONE

Step 5
Enter a name for the
Module Definition File
and Save

45

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Step 4
Hover over a pin
and RMB Snap
pick to - Pin

Reuse
Placement Replication
Step 1
Window - select
targeted components

Step 2
Selected components
a pin and RMB
Place replicate apply
module name

Step 4
Place
replicated
circuits

46

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Reuse
CircuitSpace
CircuitSpace plugs into Cadence Allegro and OrCAD PCB
Editors as a command menu
Is not accessible as a separate executable
Menu is available to the left of PCB Editors Help menu

47

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Reuse
CircuitSpace
CircuitSpace adds the following to the PCB Editor:
CircuitSpace pull-down menu
CircuitSpace properties
CircuitSpace documentation

Driven from within the native layout application

Engine actions are non-blocking
Uses verb/noun command structure
Implements Right-Mouse-Button pop-up menu
With options for the current command

48

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Reuse
CircuitSpace Schematic Data
Edit Board Parameters form specifies type of schematic
data to be used
Allegro HDL
Allegro CIS
Mentor DxDesigner
PDF
None = Rooms

49

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Reuse
CircuitSpace - Clusters
CircuitSpace Clusters components based on schematic
the information provided:
Clusters may be
Moved & Rotated
Mirrored
Automatically Placed
Replicated
Aligned
Merged
Saved as a Template

Templates may be:

Applied to multiple channels within a design
Applied to multiple designs

50

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Reuse
CircuitSpace Auto Placement of Clusters
Single-Sided Auto
Placement

Double-Sided Auto
Placement

51

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Reuse
CircuitSpace Propagating Placement
Propagating Placement across clusters

52

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Reuse
CircuitSpace Previewing Templates
Templates may be previewed before applying

53

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Reuse
CircuitSpace Applying Templates
Etch may be mapped to the desired layers on the target
board

54

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.

Thank You For Joining Us

Call us today!
To find out about the latest in new product developments,
training, educational opportunities, and services offered call
EMA, a Cadence Channel Partner and Autodesk authorized
value added reseller at 800.813.7287 or visit us online at
www.ema-eda.com.

55

2014 EMA Design Automation. EMA confidential.