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What's your opinion about multi-user PCB layout?
777 1 Aug 01.2019, 17:24:11

Hi Everyone,
There's been a few ECAD packages over the years attempt to make electronics and PCB layout a 'team sport'. First there was a really expensive tool as I understand from Mentor Graphics, then Altium Designer had an SVN based compare and merge feature (not real-time editing), then there was Upverter, and just this month it released a real-time multi-user pcb editing mode.
To be completely transparent, I oversaw the product management, but I have little idea of a need for PCB editing 'team sports'. I can see some really good uses in education though.
But, when I personally think about why I design and make electronics and why I like to have it on a website, it's because I'm wanting to show others what I know about electronics, or just because I like making stuff and get a sense of accomplishment when I get something working for the first time. 
I've personally never worked on any board that was so complex and under such time pressure that I needed to get others to help me route it. 
But, there must be some use-case for this, because us EDA vendors keep talking about making tools like this. 
I'm interested to hear candidly from others in the forum what you think of this notion and under what circumstances you might consider "collaborating" on a PCB layout or schematic. 
This is not a trick question, I am just being honest about my own thinking and I'm open to be influenced by what others might have to say on this topic.

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A****min

Aug 03.2019, 10:10:28

where two or three designers work on the same design. each is allocated specific rooms to work with. we play tag. meaning there is a day shift and a nightshift to keep layout rolling 24/7.
now we have to manually merge files at the end of every day. this involves a lot of copy and paste. especially with complex layer stackups ( blind and buried, stacked via's (laser) split planes etc this is VERY TEDIOUS to re assemble a board every single day.
Last design i did in collaborative was a 22 layer with 6000+ components and 27000+ nets ... 3 mil track and gap. 6 laser layers 8 powerplanes , 8 internal routing layers (buried via). all impedance control and fully length-tuned. DDR5 , gigabit ethernet , HDMI, USB3.0, multiphase regulators for the 0.9 volts CPU core eating 50 ampere... the whole shebang. 
Anything that can make my life easier and shave weeks off the design is welcome ...

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