Welcome to ALinks for EDA - Ansys

ALinks for EDA (Formerly AnsoftLinks for EDA)
ANSYS is pleased to announce major technological advancements with ALinks for EDA.
Highlighted below are several important changes you will notice:
• Download & Install
– Two downloads and installs are required:
• Download and install SIwave with ALinks v7 (GUI portion)
• Download & install ECAD Translators v7 (3rd party ECAD installer and solid model creator engine)
• Licensing
– No licensing changes are required. Licensing remains unaffected.
• Start Menu (How to Start ALinks for EDA)
– Windows 7 Example
• Start -> ANSYS Electromagnetics -> SIwave with ALinks -> SIwave
• Technology Advancements
– Engineers can run the following solvers from within the same GUI:
• HFSS
• SIwave
• Sentinel-PSI
– 3D Export with Clipping Preview for the following ANSYS Products:
• HFSS
• Q3D Extractor
• ANSYS Workbench (using ACIS .sat model)
1-1 ANSYS, Inc. © Proprietary 2012 ANSYS, Inc.
Release February 14.5 23, 2009
© 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.
Inventory #002593

• What is ALinks for EDA?
ALinks for EDA (Formerly AnsoftLinks for EDA)
– ALinks for EDA is the product that automates conversion from 3 rd party Electrical CAD (ECAD) into ANSYS products.
– ALinks for EDA consists of:
1. Graphical User Interface (GUI): Customers can choose from 3 GUIs each having particular strengths
– SIwave with ALinks: This is the default GUI that comes with the ALinks for EDA license (no additional charge)
– TPA: This requires an additional TPA pre/post license (small added cost)
– Designer: This requires an additional Designer pre/post license (small added cost)
2. ECAD Translation engine:
– This is the engine that converts 3 rd party ECAD into the .anf format for use within the ANSYS product line
– This is the engine that creates ACIS solid models for use within HFSS, Q3D Extractor, and ANSYS Workbench
3. Download & Installs:
– Download has two pieces:
1. SIwave with ALinks (GUI)
• Optionally users can select Designer or TPA for a small incremental cost.
2. ECAD Translators (translation engine)
• This installs required translation components into 3 rd Party software such as Cadence SPB products or
Mentor Graphics Boardstation
• This installs required ACIS translation components for creating 3D solid models
• This installs required ODB++ translation components to enable ODB++ import
1-2 ANSYS, Inc. © Proprietary 2012 ANSYS, Inc.
Release February 14.5 23, 2009
© 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.
Inventory #002593

• Cadence
– Allegro 16.0, 16.1, 16.2, 16.3 and 16.5
– APD 16.0, 16.1, 16.2, 16.3 and 16.5
– SiP Digital/RF 16.0, 16.1, 16.2, 16.3 and 16.5
– Virtuoso 5.10, 6.14 & 6.15 (Linux only)
• Mentor Graphics
– Expedition v2005, v2007.1 thru EE7.9 (uses HKP design flow)
– Boardstation 8.x (uses HKP design flow)
– Boardstation XE v2007, v2007.1, v2007.2, v2007.3 and v2007.7 (uses HKP design flow)
– PADS PowerPCB v5.2a, v2005 and v2007
• Zuken
– CR5000 9.x and lower
– CR5000 10 and higher (Zuken translator for .anf & .cmp)
• ODB++
ALinks for EDA Supported Translations
– Altium Designer R10
– Mentor Expedition EE7.9.1 and greater
– Zuken Cadstar 12.1 (limited support)
– Sigrity UPD V 11.1.1 (limited support)
1-3 ANSYS, Inc. © Proprietary 2012 ANSYS, Inc.
Release February 14.5 23, 2009
© 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.
Inventory #002593