What's New in Cadence Allegro 16.0 Platform, Next-generation PCB design

Discover how the Cadence® Allegro® platform improves design efficiency and designer productivity by dramatically shortening the learning curve in the adoption of new solutions and enhancing ease-of-use.

The Allegro platform is the leading physical and electrical constraint-driven PCB layout and interconnect system. Now, it has been updated to include a new methodology for physical and spacing constraints using the Allegro constraint management system, a common cockpit throughout the entire design flow. Other updates include support for algorithmic modeling and package parasitic, improved circuit simulation and statistical analysis, seamless scalability with OrCAD products, enhanced collaboration, and a new user interface for improved productivity and usability.

The Allegro 16.0 platform is now supported in Windows Vista™ Enterprise.

Cadence Allegro PCB Editor

• Usability enhancements within the display canvas and to the command structure
• Redesigned color/visibility GUI with global and shape transparency controls
• Improved visibility, additional color support, smoother panning and zooming
• Enhancements made to the underlying graphics system, based on OpenGL engine
• Context-sensitive editing paradigm built on selecting database objects first, followed by command
• Interactive and automatic controls for component fanout (pin escaping)
• Physical and spacing constraints incorporated in the Allegro constraint management system
• Mouse wheel support actions supported will be zoom in, zoom out, and change active subclass of TOP to BOTTOM
• Design Parameter Editor to setup, access, change and review most often used parameters
• Application modes which automatically selects actions based on the object selected

Cadence Allegro PCB SI

• Serial link design improvements (BER prediction, bathtub curve profiles, channel compliance through statistical analysis)
• S-Parameter DC extrapolation improvements
• Support for analytical coupled via model during topology extraction
• Improvements for post-layout analysis of source synchronous signals (usability, comprehensive simulation, slew-rate measurements, de-rating tables)
• Estimated crosstalk table generation enhancements
• Incorporating package and IC parasitics to improve accuracy without sacrificing performance
• Static IR drop analysis

Advanced constraints in constraint management system

• Advanced constraints for managing advanced I/O interfaces, such as PCI Express, DDR2, and SATA, using formulas, user-defined constraints, and custom measurements
• Component workbook in the Allegro constraint management system
• Custom stimulus integration

Cadence Allegro System Architect GXL

• Accelerated design of differential connectivity( connectivity, DRCs)
• Enhanced schematic generation (cross-reference generated schematics, routing preserve, block flattening)
• Pin properties in connectivity pane

Cadence Allegro Design Publisher

• Option of true color or B/W content rich PDF files
• Integrated attribute form to view net and component attributes
• Optimization for Adobe Reader 8.0
• Ability to view in Design colors, but print in B/W

Cadence Allegro Design Entry HDL

• Improved Design Navigation using Sheet Names
• Controlled deployment using directive locking
• Physical and spacing classes support in Constraint Manager
• View physical Net names on canvas for plotting.

Documentation

• Cadence Help Online Documentation System replaces CDSDoc, providing faster invocation time, advanced search capabilities, and built-in viewing window