Number One Systems Easy-PC version 26

Number One Systems has released Easy-PC version 26, a PCB design suite that incorporates an IPC-2581 export capability along with over 25 other new technology features based on user requests from professional PCB designers.

IPC-2581 is an intelligent standard for PCB and assembly manufacturing description data and transfer methodology. It goes beyond Gerber files and simple graphical representations of the design, and adds design intelligence such as stackup, nets and components. Version 26 fully implements the standard and includes a number of options to create the output required for manufacturing, assembly and test. IPC-2581 should help users enable good manufacturability, quality and consistency while reducing the back and forth between the designer and the manufacturer regarding the electronics assemblies built for their products.

Version 26 incorporates a number of design rules checks (DRC) and design for manufacturing (DFM) options in both Schematic Capture and PCB design. New checks, Minimum Solder Mask Width, Solder Mask To Track and Minimum Text Size aid manufacturability and prevent mistakes. One of the design verification checks, Modified Pour Areas, alerts the designer to incomplete design changes that would not be incorporated in manufacturing. The Unconnected Gates option removes unnecessary DRC warnings related to unconnected power pins in a multi-gate package. These and other checks add to the validation of a design, giving an additional level of confidence for successful manufacture.

Other enhancements include: Toggle Layers dialogue, which gives users complete control over how they want to see their design in various scenarios, with fast layer switching and combinations; IDF Export, adding export options that enable users to fully protect their intellectual property; the 3D-viewing option, Exclude off-board items, which prevents components and other items that are not entirely within a board outline from being excluded from the view; and more.