Budget design package boasts high-end features

Easy-PC 8 is the latest version of the world famous windows-based software tool for printed circuit board design and schematics capture.

Easy-PC, an accredited Windows "designed for XP" application, provides powerful features such as expandable component libraries, unlimited electrical and documentation layers, an easy-to-use interface, online DRC (design rules checking), automatic placement and autorouting, plus outputs to manufacturing standards like Gerber, Excellon and now ODB++.

Features of this standard are normally found only in more expensive PCB layout products.

Easy-PC is suitable for both the professional PCB designer and the casual user.

It includes schematic capture as standard and comes in four models based on design size (number of pins), which means users can select the precise model for their needs.

Easy-PC also offers an optional high-performance mixed signal Spice simulator, Easy-Spice, which integrates with the Easy-PC schematics.

Easy-Spice delivers convergence performance far superior to several well known Spice simulators which are considerably more expensive.

Developed by Number One Systems, the latest version of Easy-PC, version 8, delivers a breathtaking array of new features to help make PCB design tasks faster and easier than ever before.

Feature highlights include sketch mode manual routing to accelerate manual editing.

Users simply sketch a rough outline of their preferred track direction and Easy-PC routes along the path.

The package provides different autorouter options including autoroute for single-sided designs using wire links and flying wires.

Real-life board visualisation lets users see how any PCB design would look after manufacture and assembly - with the ability to view the display on screen or print a copy for assembly purposes.

Easy-PC supports ODB++ export which is becoming widely acknowledged as the de-facto industry standard for PCB CAD data exchange in manufacturing.

It also supports import of Eagle Schematic, PCB and libraries from Eagle version 4.09 and 4.11.

Easy-PC also imports designs and libraries from Tsien Boardmaker2 and Ultiboard/UltiCAP up to version 5.72.

Adept Managing Director, Paul Bragg said: "We carefully select only the very best in technical computing solutions to maintain the highest standards of product quality and service to our customers".

"Although new to us, Easy-PC is a very stable, well-established product, delivering high-powered performance at a realistic price and we're sure it will make an important addition to our software offering".

Easy-PC 8.0 is supplied and supported in the UK, Ireland, Denmark, Germany and USA by Adept Scientific.