share your opinions on autorouters?

[Iain]

I reckon SPECCTRA is by *far* the best for high complexity boards, >4 layers, or densely packed SMT boards. Also ahead by a mile IMHO when it comes to minimising extraneous vias and the costing system in place works very well in allowing you to dictate strategy. Sadly, it costs a fortune..

Agree that the Blaze router is the best mid/low price range router although they seem to have the same problem as grid based routers when, for example, decoupling capacitors are placed close to IC's preventing standard fanout algotithms from working. In the brief play I've had I never managed to get it to UAE though and that gets points in my book

 

[neuralc]

Hi,

The main part of PCB's that I design are single face, and I have already tested autoroute in single face with Protel, Tango and Specctra: Specctra is by far the best in this scenario. Results are very good; it takes some time to converge to final solution, and normaly I can get only 2 to 4 unconnected nets that I connect manually.

Previously I place components not automatic, because I take care about crosstalk, current return path, max power of tracks, grounding, etc..

HH

NeuralC

 

[HytekPro]

For the high speed signals, I've never used the Autoroute. I prefer to route them all first then Protect all of them. After that, I will put them on Autoroute to route the rest of the board. Most of time, the Autoroute can finish up to 99%, so you have to take care the leftover.

 

[mkbs]

Hi,
I design especially double face and sometime single face.
I never use autoroute on my project, because there are too many
constraint like HT on board,earth, mechanical and class to class clearance
(sometimes above 50 rule).
So I have tried to use autoroute (a very good Mentor Autoroute) but the
result are worst than manual route.

MKBS

 

[nuderen]

i have not use autoroute for my design!!
i thank manual route is better!!

 

[penrico]

I have experience in Protel 98, 99 an others, manual routing is the best way to do good PCB. Autoroute can help to most wires, but you always need to finish the board by manual routing, and you will need to redraw many of autorouted wires

 

[bittware]

You need to do thorough constraint setting. Sometimes it is also time consuming.

 

[binu G]

found problem in the transulation of the pads2004 to spectra, in curve. the curve does not transulate proper. any solution

binu george

 

[jupitorcuu]

I have used Mentor boardstation 's RE autoroute. It is very powerful for more than 4signal layers.

 

[martingn]

I've tried Protel demo long time ago for a double sided uP and stuff circuit. Routed everything but left routes with kind of branches. I prefer manual route.
I'm using Eagle now.

 

[ZeleC]

Currently I m using PowerPCB, I use both autorouting and manual routing to complete my design.
I wonder if there is a software that can totaly be relied on in drawing PCBs without manual routing???!