Eagle PCB design software gets significant upgrade in latest update
The popular EAGLE PCB design software from Autodesk has received a major update, introducing a host of powerful new features and improvements for electronics engineers and PCB designers. EAGLE, which stands for Easily Applicable Graphical Layout Editor, is widely used for designing printed circuit boards for electronics projects.
Updated user interface enhances productivity
One of the first things users will notice in this EAGLE Update is the refreshed user interface. The new UI has been designed to streamline workflows and help users stay organized. Some key changes include:
- Reorganized menus and toolbars to group related commands together more logically
- New tool palette interface to easily access frequently used tools
- Ability to customize the workspace by saving tool palette configurations
- Full support for high-resolution 4K and Retina displays
These UI enhancements aim to boost productivity by reducing clicks and making tools quicker to access. The customizable tool palettes are especially useful, allowing users to set up their workspace to match their preferences.
Major improvements to EAGLE’s schematic editor
The schematic capture functionality in EAGLE has received major improvements in this update. A new selection filtering capability allows you to easily make selections based on object type or properties. This is accessed from the new Select menu.
Other enhancements to the schematic editor include:
- New options for net and bus coloring to help distinguish between different signal types
- Improved handling of multi-gate parts
- Ability to have multiple instances of the same schematic open simultaneously
- Improved error detection to catch common mistakes early
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Selection filtering | Easily select specific object types |
| Net coloring | Visually distinguish nets |
| Improved multi-gate parts | Faster creation of schematics |
| Multi-window editing | View/edit multiple sections |
| Enhanced error detection | Catch mistakes early |
These updates to the schematic tools help streamline the process of schematic development, while also reducing errors. The new coloring options are especially helpful for complex designs.
Routing engine gets major boost in performance
The autorouter in EAGLE is one of its most powerful tools, and this update brings major performance improvements. Thanks to a new multi-threading architecture, the autorouter can now take advantage of modern multi-core CPUs.
Benchmark testing shows significant performance gains:
| CPU Cores | Routing Time Decrease |
|---|---|
| 2 | 38% |
| 4 | 61% |
| 8 | 78% |
| 12 | 83% |
As seen in the table, routing times decreased dramatically when more CPU cores were used. A 12-core CPU cut routing time by 83% compared to the previous single-threaded version.
This allows even complex designs to be routed extremely quickly. The autorouter can also now route multiple signal layers simultaneously for additional time savings.
New design rule checks enhance design integrity
To help ensure designs are error-free, EAGLE includes a variety of automated design rule checks (DRC). This update adds several new rules and enhances existing ones.
Some of the key changes include:
- New checks for acute angles and invalid hole sizes
- Improved pad and via size checking
- Clearance checks now support custom rules by net class
- Checks for silk screen over pads
Catching design issues early is critical to avoid expensive PCB re-spins. These enhanced DRC functions help ensure your board is manufacturable before sending it out for fabrication.
Improved CAM tools streamline production prep
EAGLE’s Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) tools are used to generate the files needed for PCB fabrication, such as Gerber and drill files. This update includes several enhancements to the CAM tools:
- New option to automatically generate teardrops on traces and pads
- Improved pad shape support including custom shapes
- Ability to define custom layer stackups
- Enhanced DXF export options
Adding teardrops is often done to enhance the structural integrity of traces as they connect to pads. The new auto-teardrop feature makes this a one-click operation.
The improved pad shape support and custom stackup abilities provide more flexibility to meet the requirements of your specific PCB fab. And the additional DXF export options allow you to export drawings for mechanical integration.
Collaboration features enable effective teamwork
Effective collaboration is essential in electronics design, and this EAGLE update adds several new features to enhance collaborative workflows.
Real-time collaboration tools
The marquee addition is a new real-time collaboration mode. This allows multiple users to view and edit the same schematic or layout simultaneously, seeing each others’ changes as they happen.
Some key features of the real-time collaboration include:
- Shared cursors to show where each user is working
- Live commenting and chat
- View-only mode for stakeholders to observe without editing
- Granular permissions to control access
Managed component libraries
Another key collaboration feature is support for managed libraries. EAGLE now integrates with component management platforms, allowing organizations to maintain a single source of truth for component data.
Some benefits of managed libraries include:
- Ensures all users have access to approved, up-to-date components
- Eliminates duplicates and errors
- Allows engineers to request new parts to be added
- Provides traceability for components used in designs
New ECAD-MCAD integration
Collaborating with mechanical designers is also streamlined thanks to new ECAD-MCAD integration functionality. The updated DXF export tools mentioned earlier are part of this.
In addition, EAGLE can now import/export 3D STEP models of PCBs. This allows the PCB to be easily integrated into mechanical CAD tools to check clearances and mounting.
The table below summarizes the key collaboration enhancements:
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Real-time editing | Simultaneous schematic/layout editing |
| Managed libraries | Centralized component management |
| ECAD-MCAD integration | Streamlined mechanical integration |
Other notable enhancements
In addition to the major features outlined above, this EAGLE update includes dozens of other enhancements. A few notable ones include:
Improved BOM tools
EAGLE’s bill of materials (BOM) generation tools have been updated to provide more flexibility and customization options. Users can now:
- Define custom BOM templates
- Include additional component data like manufacturer part numbers
- Export BOMs in a wider variety of formats
Enhanced design reuse
Several enhancements have been made to facilitate design reuse. These include:
- Ability to save and reuse custom pad and via shapes
- New design block feature to reuse circuit snippets across designs
- Improved ULP scripting for design automation
Expanded file format support
EAGLE can now import and export a wider variety of PCB File formats. Some of the newly supported formats include:
- ODB++
- IPC-2581
- Hyperlynx
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: How do I access the new features in this EAGLE update?
A: The new features are available immediately when you install the latest version of EAGLE. Existing users will be prompted to update when launching EAGLE. New users can download the latest version from the Autodesk website.
Q: Does this update require a new license?
A: No, this is a free update for all current EAGLE users with an active subscription. No new license is required.
Q: Are my existing designs compatible with this new version?
A: Yes, EAGLE maintains full backward compatibility. Your existing designs will open without issue in the new version.
Q: What operating systems are supported?
A: This EAGLE update is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems.
Q: How can I learn more about using the new features?
A: Autodesk provides a variety of learning resources for EAGLE, including tutorials, videos, and a user forum. The built-in help system has also been updated with information on the new features.
Upgrade to EAGLE today
This major update to EAGLE introduces a variety of powerful new capabilities for PCB designers and electronics engineers. From the updated user interface, to the high-performance autorouter, to the new collaboration tools, these enhancements help streamline the PCB design process from concept to production.
The new ECAD-MCAD integration features and managed component libraries are particularly noteworthy for organizations looking to enhance collaboration and design integrity.
With this update, EAGLE solidifies its position as a best-in-class PCB design platform. Current users are encouraged to upgrade today to take advantage of these new capabilities. And organizations not currently using EAGLE may want to reevaluate the tool to see how it can enhance their electronics design processes.
Visit the Autodesk website to learn more about EAGLE and download the latest version to get started designing your next innovative electronics product.
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