DesignSpark PCB

A powerful, easy-to-use and affordable design system for professional circuit and PCB design.

DesignSpark PCB can be successfully used by both professional developers and radio amateurs and students, it is similar to other modern programs for creating electronic devices and is based on a circuit editor and a PCB layout module. The design environment allows you to work with boards with an area of up to one square meter, there are no restrictions on the number of sheets and layers. There is an autorouting function, its result, if necessary, can be corrected manually.

This software allows you to export your schematic table (ie netlist) to industry standard Spice simulators, which can check circuit performance for errors and can also perform wiring before fabricating the PCB. Electronic circuit analysis programs LTSpice, TINA, LSSpice and TopSpice are supported. A special menu converts files to * .cir, * .net and * .sch-formats. Grouping allows you to combine a number of different elements or even diagrams into one unit. This also applies to the automatic PCB routing tool, making it easier to place parts. Specialized design calculators are able to calculate the characteristic impedance, radiator parameters, linear capacitance, inductance and group delay time of different types of microstrip lines,

Due to the presence of a library of 3D models, the program has the option of constructing a three-dimensional image of the projected device with all radio components and the possibility of arbitrary rotation and scaling. The application generates files in popular production formats Gerber, DXF, Excellon, IDF, LPKF. In addition, DesignSpark PCB has online access to services for proposals for the manufacture of printed circuit boards and the purchase of components used in the project, based on the generated specification.

This software package is completely free. At the same time, it does not contain any restrictions either on the number of circuit elements or on the time of use. On the official site, the ModelSource component library is freely available, containing over 85,000 printed circuit boards and 35,000 three-dimensional models, presented in more than 20 formats, compatible with the most famous electronic equipment development packages. At the first start, you need to go through the free registration procedure, for which you need an Internet connection. If this is not done, then saving the work results will be unavailable.

DesignSpark PCB software package was released in July 2010. It was developed by RS Components , headquartered in Corby, UK. Having passed the way from a small office selling spare parts for a radio station, created in 1937 in London, at present RS Components has offices in 27 countries of the world (including Russia), offering more than 550,000 items of various products, including all the necessary components for industrial automation and information technology; as well as office equipment, tools, measuring devices, and reference books.

Unfortunately, there is no Russian-language interface in DesignSpark PCB, the program is completely in English.

For the development environment to work, a low-power personal computer running Windows operating system up to version 7 inclusive is sufficient.