EDA Tools and Unconventional Geometries - Designing Embedded Components

Estimated reading time: 1 minute

Designing PCBs with embedded components has never been a simple task, and traditional EDA tools required designers to employ a variety of workarounds. Fortunately, the EDA software tools of today are much better equipped to work with embedded components than previous design tools.

We asked Stephen Chavez, senior product marketing manager with Siemens, to discuss the company’s approach to designing embedded components. He also explains how designers can take advantage of today’s ECAD tools, which feature greater integration with the MCAD tool environment.

Andy Shaughnessy: From an EDA tool company viewpoint, what are some of the biggest challenges your customers have in designing PCBs with odd or unconventional geometries?

Stephen Chavez: Today’s EDA PCB tools have come a long way in their capabilities of handling odd or unconventional geometries. Some handle this better than others in addressing issues such as:

• Board outlines with true arcs integrated 
• Odd-shaped holes/cavities that go part-way or all the way through a board
• Any angle placement on any layer
• True-arc and odd-angle traces
• Rigid-flex nonuniform stackups

Continue reading the full conversation.

This article was originally published in the December 2023 issue of Design007 Magazine.