At present, there are so many PCB design software, which PCB design software should be learned?
At present the mainstream of the three PCB design software, the current mainstream is not mentioned.
1. Altium Designer is short for AD. It’s sort of an updated version of PROTEL. 2. PADS 3. Cadence allegro
Don’t worry about Protel99. It’s an antique. You can’t draw complicated boards. In addition to these three software, there are many other software, such as Cadstar, CR5000, PCAD,Mentor EE,Mentor WG,Mentor en, PADS and other professional versions of these software, and some of the functions of these software are also very strong, more powerful than the three software mentioned above. But the market share is not high, I will not say here. Current market share is not high, at present you learn his meaning is not big, to a beginner, learned to estimate also difficult to find a job. Not much use for the company.
So we’re going to focus on these three.
1. AD software analysis
AD (including PROTEL99) this software market positioning is some simple board, such as single-chip class, simple industrial class, some relatively simple board, with this software more. Relatively low – end product design. Most of them are simple boards. Most of the companies that use this software have relatively simple products. It is 2 commonly 4 give priority to. In the Chinese market, inland cities use more than developed cities. Basically speaking, in developed cities, it is difficult to find a job by using this software. However, this software has been widely used in mainland cities. Why is this software so high in inland cities? Personally, I think it is mainly because the promotion of this software is well done in the school, because every student majoring in electronics or electromechanical engineering will teach this or have the requirement to learn this in the school. So the engineers who are still using this software, I am sure that more than 80% of them are used in school, and they continue to use it after they leave the society. Therefore, it can be said that if this software does not have the market of Chinese college students, this software should be very rare in the Chinese market.
2. PADS software analysis
PADS are the precursor to POWER PCBS, which have few interfaces and menus and are easy to use. I think this is also the market can be recognized. Especially in consumer electronic products market share is very high, early can say that is almost a monopoly position in consumer products, such as from the early VCD, DVD, MP3, MP4, U disk, LCD TV, tablet until now, the vehicle traveling data recorder, car electronics, navigation, digital set-top boxes, android intelligent TV box, mobile phone and so on all is the absolute market share. In particular, mobile phone PCB design, PADS software almost monopolized the advantages. In almost all consumer electronics, PADS have accounted for the majority. Especially a few years ago the market share is absolutely high. These years because allegro this software slowly up. PADS have shown a tendency to decline in occupancy. However, in developed coastal cities, PADS still occupy the mainstream market. In particular, most companies in shenzhen still use PADS, followed by allegro. PADS are easy to find in shenzhen.
3. Allegro software analysis
The advantage of Cadence allegro is that it is powerful, but the disadvantage is that it is not easy to learn. So this software 10 years ago or 7 or 8 years ago, the market share is still relatively low, generally only used by large companies, especially computer motherboard companies, because this software is powerful, drawing large board has advantages. Such as computer motherboard, large industrial control board, server motherboard, and other large boards, his efficiency and advantages are very obvious. So its market is still mainly in the computer motherboard, large industrial control board, server motherboard, and other large boards, and now some tablets, mobile phone board will also have a small number of companies. And big companies. In the long run, allegro has a relatively large market prospect.
Learning software conclusion:
If you want to draw a simple board, learn AD. If you want to paint consumer electronics, learn how to make PADS. One wants to learn to draw large boards. If you’ve learned how to PADS and allegro, you’ll basically be working in developed coastal cities. If learn AD, basically be inland job, coastal city is used not much… Of course, this is only a relative proportion. For example, shenzhen has a large number of PADS, but some companies use AD.
In addition, if you want to learn AD, you should not try to draw consumer products. For example, if you want to learn AD, you should not try to draw auto data recorder. If P is used, you can use AD software to find a job drawing auto data recorder. The same is true for products like tablet computers, LCD TVS, mobile phones, etc. If you want to learn AD, it will be very difficult for you to find a job or even a job of this kind. Some people may argue that I’m using AD to draw a tablet, and it’s ok to use AD to draw a tablet, or it’s ok to use AD to draw a phone, but if you look at the whole market, how many do I use? But no matter how few people use, there should also be a few companies to use, use the company is not much, for a novice just learn, it is difficult to find a job.
Salary respect, use different software, draw different board, salary difference is very far have. For example, now there are some inland urban artboards, more than 3K have. Some places take more than 2W also have, this specific still depends on what you draw the board to decide. If the boards are similar, I think the salary of ALLEGRO is slightly higher than that of PADS, which I personally think based on the income of many friends around me. Personal opinion. Learning is mainly for work, so learning should learn appropriate things, such as learning AD should also learn to draw some simple board and industrial class relatively simple board is about the same, and then complex board, also less company with AD. If you want to learn how to make PADS, you may want to learn how to paint computer boards or large industrial control boards. Few companies use PADS to paint computer motherboards. Allegro you want to draw LCD TV or auto data recorder, that is not P use, use allegro to find a draw LCD TV, auto data recorder work is not found, there is no company. Now let’s discuss the current employment problem and positioning: employment, which is a concern of every one who wants to enter this industry, that is to say, after I learn this PCB design software. Can not find a job, if you can not find a job is to learn. At present, these software are divided into different areas in Chinese cities. For example, AD (PROTEL) has a relatively high share in most inland cities.
1. If you want to work in the inland cities, draw some simple 2-layer and 4-layer boards, then I suggest you to learn AD software. It is easier to find a job in the inland cities with this software, but the company boards with this software are generally relatively simple, so the salary is generally not high.
If you want to be in a coastal city, especially if you want to be in a coastal city
If you want to paint this kind of consumer products, you’d better learn to use PADS. This software is easy to use, and it’s very easy to find jobs in shenzhen. Lots of companies.
3. Allegro is recommended if you want to draw large product boards. This software market share is quite high, especially in the large board inside the absolute advantage. Learning PCB design, most people are for work, after learning, can find a good job, this is everyone’s expectation. So which design software you want to learn, you should position yourself well, because there are several factors influencing this, such as which city you want to work in in the future and what products you want to design.
Above is my personal opinion on these software.
How do I know which PCB design software is used in my city?
Here’s how: you go to some job boards and see which software is required for most jobs in your city. That way you know which apps you use more often in your city.
Some companies will write recruitment information, requiring proficiency in ms 9.5, allegro,PROTEL and other design software. In fact, you can immediately know which design software the company mainly USES. According to people’s psychology, it is usually written in the first is commonly used. Or the one that requires mastery is the one they primarily use. So you take a hundred job listings and you count them. You can find out which software is used in your city. The share of this software will be known.
This may not be absolutely accurate, but it is very close to market data.