Where Are the Inexpensive-But-Useful Design Tools?
Recent information from a company pitched a new net-list editor at a cost of $5000, and that was a special introductory price. I have seen prices in the multi-thousand-dollar range for a variety of software-development, circuit-simulation, and circuit-design tools. That made me wonder where engineers can find low-cost yet capable tools for design work.
Of course companies offer free software as a way to sell products. Or at least they offer free versions of software that comes with time limits or code-size limits. Companies also offer simulation and design software that relates specifically to their products–SPICE simulators, PLL design software, filter-design tools, and so on.
Several companies that offer quick turnaround times for prototype printed circuits let developers download free software for board layout and routing. I have tried the PCB123 program from Sunstone Circuits, but found it limited in some ways. It lacks some components I like to use and I haven’t yet figured out how to autoroute a layout after I readjust component placements. Maybe the software can’t do it.
CadSoft Computer sells a Light edition ( 49) of its Eagle schematic capture and autorouting tool that has a 2-layer and a PCB size restriction. (Noncommercial users can download a free version of the Light software.) But, going from the layout to PCB-production files has seemed painful.
Engineers routinely use free versions of SPICE to simulate circuit behavior and programmers use the free open-source GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) to write code. So, what other free or inexpensive (< 200) exist out there to help engineers? Add your suggestions, recommendations, and links in a comment below. If you sell such software, feel free to add it, but please don’t give a long-winded sales pitch.
Please don’t include hobby-level tools, calculators or unit converters, add-ons for CAD tools, “cripple-ware” versions of costly full-featured tools, or tools specific to a company’s products. –Jon Titus
p.s. Someone will say, “You get what you pay for,” which is true. And, large sophisticated design tools require time, talent, and loot to develop and support. But let’s face it, not everyone has a big budget to buy design software.
skipperj commented:
Another good one for hydraulic,pneumatic&digital circuit design is Automsim go to:www.irai.com/produit3_e.html for a 40 day trial version.It's not as elaborate as say, Automation Studio 5.0,but you'll be able to design with nice working simulations as well.
skipperj commented:
Try CoCreate Modeling Personal Edition,it's a free CAD program that I've had about a year or so.I tried almost every CAD trial around, and I like this one the best.This version does'nt have annotation and you are limited to 60 parts, but you can build an impressive model of your idea like I did,in sections if you need.Full version will get you annotation IGES files for CNC prototyping,etc.It is 290MB in size and I'm running XP.I have no commercial connection with the company.Go to :www.ptc.com/products/index.htm
tomkinsr commented:
I would like to add xmind (mind mapping) and The Brain to this list. I also want to add PostBooks.
Mind mapping tools can be very useful in design meetings, design development and product meetings as well as a personal tool. PostBooks, golly, if you want to manage inventory and production, workflow and shipping, this is a class act ERP system.
EigenFunctions commented:
My open source tool box consists of:
(1) Google Sketchup (well documented; used a bit only)
(2) Open Office (well documented; just started, like to get more into the Formula formatter)
(3) Enguage (graph digitizer - very good, was able to automate the processing of 20 graphs for curve fitting)
(4) Open workbench (for project management; very good, well documented)
(5) Scilab/SciCos (just started; starting to read the text book)
(6) ExpressPCB (basic, but good for a great deal of two sided boards)
(7) GNUplot (good enough for presentation graphs; curve fitting etc.)
(8) GNU Scientific Subroutine package (did some curve fitting with it)
(9) GerbV (view Gerber plots exported from another groups expensive Cadence application)
Ulazy commented:
Gosh, remember laying out schematics and routing 500 and under pin PCBs by hand. Maybe it's time to us the ole noggin and keep yer money in yer pocket. All these CAD/CAM program companies are so focused on big companies that they make it impossible for small ones to have access to the tools. There needs to be a shift in mentality. Why should a small company be expected to pay the same licensing fee a large one does? Make it prohibitive. Instead of hobbling the software so much it's useless, lets look at variable pricing. We do it for educators...
Otter commented:
I'll second the vote for DipTrace. Tried a lot of low-cost / free tools but this one was what I settled on.
Philboard commented:
From Catena a free version of Simetrix circuit simulation program. Limited but very useful.
simetrix.co.uk/
Also endorse TinyCAD + FreePCB + Viewmate for PCB design and layout.
(Viewmate from pentalogix.com/)
Phil
duprein commented:
Sufficiently powerful EDA toolkit is a KiCAD: kicad.sourceforge.net
there are a lot of ready-to-use libraries of components. think it's advantage for PCB software. KiCAD has a 3D view of the board. KiCAD is free open-source GPL.
LKS commented:
A couple more:
Pad2Pad and PCB Artist
Otto commented:
An excellent free PCB layout program: FreePCB
For schematic entry: TinyCAD.
Curt commented:
What exactly is a "hobby-level tool?"
kc6zut commented:
I forgot to mention, TI just released a free spice simulator (Tina) and so has Zetex. I haven't used them enough yet for a fair comparison but they are out there.
kc6zut commented:
LTspice from Linear Technologies is a great spice program and it is free. It allows you to use other company's models as well as Linear's. It runs fast too.
For mechanical, Alibre has a free version of their 3D modeler. It does have some feature limitations but it is good enough for an electronics designer.
Sadder Budweeser commented:
From a guy that learned the hard way. Do not waste you time with AutoCAD clones. The $300 price tag sounds good, but these products are not stable. I have had software crashes that destroy the project you are working on and calls to the developers bring sympathy but little else. If you are using software to make money. Buy a stable commercial product and you will sleep better at night and still have a job in the morning.
tomkinsr commented:
gEDA and PCB.
These run on Macintosh are Open Source Software and also run on other platforms as well.
I have tried gEDA, it requires an X11 system, and it has an extensive library and a large community of users.
NetRazor commented:
There is Blender for 3D modeling, animation, and more.
There is R for statistical analysis.
There are more alternative tools in a variety of categories listed ar www dot osalt dot com
FuzzyToes commented:
There is a code module librarian on Microchip's web page. It is designed to organize and manage code blocks for code reuse and its free. Not only that, but it is language inspecific, editor inspecific, and works with any text from email jokes to C code.
Otto commented:
Tinycad at tinycad.sourceforge.net has a good reputation for schematic entry.
FreePCB commented:
FreePCB at freepcb.com has a few bugs but is fully capable of laying out production worthy PCBs. I have one being fabricated now.
Talll commented:
Nobody mentioned Alibre 12.
Manfred commented:
Have a look onto the Altium Designer. www.altium.com
WireMan commented:
You can do a lot with Excel. See: "Excel Scientific and Engineering Cookbook," by David Bourg. Maybe that's not the type of tool you had in mind, but thought I'd toss it in.
fm commented:
gliffy.com
free, collaborative, useful diagramming in a pinch
sketch up from google- free simple 3d
and of course the google docs suite.
rollin' commented:
Unfortunately those two are mutually exclusive. Not entirely, but for the most part this is true.
Stimpy commented:
5spice is a $199 spice analysis tool that works well and has a free trial version
glegg43 commented:
ProgeCAD Smart is a free for noncommercial use substitute for AutoCAD LT. ProgeCAD Pro is reasonably priced at $399 and is an excellent replacement for AutoCAD. The command interface is 99%+ identical to AutoCAD.
Dave commented:
Off the top of my head,
gpleda dot org
opencircuitdesign dot com
gnu dot org/software/electric/electric.html
freeedaug dot org/FAQ.html
Q: I need a tool to do X. Where do I find it?
A: OpenCollector is the best source to find information about free/open EDA tools. You can also post a question to the Free Dog e-mail list. The Usenet group sci.electronics.cad is often a useful resource for information about tools. As a last resort, if the tool doesn't exist yet, you might be able to convince a Free Dog member to write it!
RGz commented:
Look at Cadence OrCAD Demo version.It' pretty good to start with...
PICer commented:
Take a look at DipTrace, a schematic-capture, PCB, and autorouter program available with a limit on pins and layer based on price. The 500-pin and 2 signal layer version costs $145. The company lets people download a free version so they can try it. It's a Windows program and I use it with Win XP. I have no commercial connection with the company. www.diptrace.com
