Use Autorouter

Use Autorouter to automatically set up route signals on a board. These can include single signals, groups of signals, or all signals. Autorouter supports various net classes having different track widths and minimum clearances.

Before starting Autorouter, make sure suitable Design Rules are set for the board. Before routing, check the placement of the components and their placement grid. Consider a routing grid that enables the Autorouter to connect all pads and SMDs properly.

In theory, Autorouter can fully route a board with unlimited time. In practice, this is not always possible. Consider manually routing critical signals beforehand, then leave the rest for Autorouter.

Autorouter uses a ripup/retry algorithm. As soon as it cannot route a track, it removes prerouted tracks (ripup) and tries it again (retry). The number of tracks it might remove is called ripup depth, and this affects the speed of the process and results. Tracks that were already routed manually are left unchanged.

In the Autorouter main dialog you can choose a TopRouter variant. It uses a gridless algorithm with topological approach. This algorithm first calculates the course of the signals, then uses optimization runs to meet the Design Rules. Typically, the TopRouter requires significantly fewer vias than the traditional Autorouter. You can select both methods for a project and eventually opt for one or the other routing result.

To work successfully with Autorouter, place the components and carefully set parameters to control the routing strategy.

Basic features:

• Can be used with any routing grid (min. 0.02 mm) or placement grid
• TopRouter with gridless routing algorithm, which can be preceded by the Autorouter
• BGA router for fan-out routing
• Optional automatic selection of routing grid and preferred directions in the signal layers
• Support for multi-core processors to process multiple routing jobs simultaneously
• SMDs are routed on both sides
• The whole drawing area can be the routing area (provided enough memory is available)
• Strategy is selected using control parameters
• Simultaneous routing of various signal classes with various track widths and minimum clearances
• Common data set (Design Rules) for the Design Rule Check and the Autorouter
• Multilayer capability: up to 16 layers can be routed simultaneously, not only in pairs
• Support for Blind and Buried vias
• The preferred track direction can be set independently for each layer: horizontal and vertical, true 45/135 degrees (important for inner layers)
• Ripup and retry for 100% routing strategy
• Optimization passes to reduce vias and to smooth track paths
• Prerouted tracks are not changed