Best Engineering Document Management Software Top Features | Cadence

Key Takeaways

• Control visibility and focus on key design elements for concise, targeted documentation.

• Keep all documents synchronized with design changes

• and reuse templates to maintain consistency across projects.

Choosing the best engineering document management software can do wonders for your workflow in PCB design. Key features like automated documentation generation, real-time updates, and template creation ensure efficiency. These tools help engineers produce precise, up-to-date documentation that enhances project consistency and communication –read on to learn more and how OrCAD X Live DOC implements these tools.

Features for the Best Engineering Document Management Software

Automated Documentation Generation

The best engineering document management software should be able to automatically generate documents as it ensures that all fabrication and assembly drawings are consistently accurate and up-to-date. By linking documentation directly to design data, any changes made to the engineering design are automatically reflected in the associated documents. This removes the engineer needing to do this manually, reducing errors, saving time, and ensures that all stakeholders have access to the most current information without the need for manual updates.

Live DOC in OrCAD X streamlines the creation of fabrication and assembly drawings by automatically generating views, charts, and layer exports directly from the PCB layout. This is initiated from a defined template, which can include artwork snapshots of the PCB’s various layers, stack-up tables displaying the different layers within the board, and summaries of drill types, such as thru-holes. The placement panel allows users to drag and drop specific views or charts, such as copper layer previews or drill summaries, onto the document. The document then dynamically reflects the current PCB design, ensuring that any modifications to the layout, like moving a component, are automatically updated within the document.

Customization and Annotation Tools

Easy customization and annotation capabilities for engineering documents allow engineers to create clearer and more specific documentation to meet detailed project requirements. By providing tools for adding precise dimensions, annotations, and other drawings, engineers can ensure that the documentation is clear and detailed for best communication.

Live DOC offers comprehensive options for adding dimensions and annotations to fabrication and assembly drawings. Users can select from various dimensioning tools—linear, ordinal, and angular—directly from the toolbar. These dimensions can be precisely placed by snapping to points such as corners, segment midpoints, or pin centers. The properties of dimensions, including font type, size, color, and line width, can be adjusted, and settings like trailing zeros or unit conversions (e.g., millimeters) can be specified. Furthermore, once these settings are defined, they can be saved as defaults for future dimensions, ensuring consistency across documents. Users can also add general drawings, including arcs, shapes, lines, polygons, and text, or even paste images, providing all necessary details for successful assembly.

Layer Management and Visualization

When it comes to the best engineering document management software for PCBs, layer management and visualization controls are a must. They allow engineers to selectively display and focus on the most relevant aspects of a design, picking and choosing the elements of the design used for documentation. This is important to produce clear, concise, and targeted documentation that can be easily understood by manufacturers, other engineers, management, and other teammembers

Live DOC provides detailed control over the visibility of different PCB layers within the documentation, offering flexibility in how the assembly information is presented. Users can adjust the visibility of various layers through the ‘Visibility’ tab in the left-hand side panel. For example, in an assembly top view, users can enable or disable layers such as silkscreen, top-layer copper, or pin configurations. This level of control allows users to create highly detailed and tailored documentation diagrams that meet specific requirements. Additionally, users can manipulate the scale, rotation, and titles of these views, making it easier to produce clear and precise documentation.

Document Management Software for Real-time Updates

Real-time updates are a crucial feature in engineering document management software as they ensure that all documentation remains synchronized with the current version of the design. This reduces the risk of incorrect documentation being used, thereby enhancing the accuracy, consistency, and reliability of the entire project lifecycle.

One of the standout features of Live DOC is its real-time updating capability. As the PCB layout undergoes changes—such as moving a diode—the corresponding views and dimensions in Live DOC are automatically refreshed to reflect these updates. The integration of live data ensures that all documentation is always synchronized with the most recent version of the PCB layout, reducing the likelihood of errors during the manufacturing process.

Template Creation and Reusability

Template creation and reusability are also essential for larger teams with many different variables in their projects. Being able to create consistent documentation across multiple projects while significantly reducing the time required for repetitive tasks aids in workflow productivity. By enabling engineers to standardize document layouts and settings, these capabilities ensure that every project adheres to the same high standards, streamlining the documentation process.

Live DOC allows users to save customized documents as templates, streamlining the documentation process for future projects. Once a document has been configured with the necessary views, charts, and annotations, it can be saved as a template. This template can include pre-defined page layouts, such as C-size pages, with standard views like assembly top layers, board outlines, and predefined layer visibility settings. When starting a new project, users can apply this template, and Live DOC will auto-populate it with the corresponding views and charts from the new PCB layout.

Using the best engineering document management software is essential for enhancing your PCB design process. Cadence's OrCAD X offers powerful tools like automated documentation, real-time updates, and customizable templates, ensuring that your documentation is always accurate and efficient. To explore how OrCAD can revolutionize your design process, visit our PCB Design and Analysis Software page and learn more about OrCAD X.