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Mentor Graphics Pads Version History

The story of PADS (Personal Automated Design System) is a decades-long journey of evolution in the PCB design world, starting from a small family business to becoming a cornerstone of industrial giant Siemens Digital Industries Software The Origins: 1980s and 90s PADS was born in as a DOS-based tool created by Gene Marsh

and his son. At a time when high-end workstations were the norm, PADS offered an affordable entry point at $495 per seat

, catering to the growing market of independent engineers and smaller design teams. Throughout the 90s, it solidified its reputation as the "desktop PCB tool of choice," eventually being acquired by Mentor Graphics The Mentor Graphics Era: 2000s – 2016

Under Mentor Graphics, PADS expanded its technical capabilities to keep pace with modern electronics. Key milestones during this period included: PADS 2005 & 2007

: These versions focused on improving user interfaces and basic routing capabilities. The 9.x Series

: PADS 9.0 (released around 2008) and subsequent versions (9.5) integrated advanced features like thermal analysis and signal integrity tools. The VX Series , Mentor launched the VX platform

(starting with VX.0), which modernized the architecture and eventually introduced the flow still used today. Product Tiering (2015) : Mentor reorganized the lineup into Standard Plus Professional

, with "Professional" being a powerful hybrid based on the high-end Xpedition technology.

Mentor Graphics - PADS - Information Technology and Computing Support

Mentor Graphics' PADS is a CAD tool for designing PCB layouts and schematics. Oregon State University History of PADS - PCB Libraries Forum

PADS (Personal Automated Design System) is a long-standing PCB design software suite that has evolved through several corporate ownerships, including PADS Software, Innoveda, Mentor Graphics, and currently Siemens EDA. Ownership History & Major Milestones

The software’s journey is marked by key acquisitions that integrated advanced simulation and layout technologies: 1986: Founded by Gene Marsh as PADS Software.

1990s: Expanded capabilities by acquiring HyperLynx (1997) for signal integrity and ACT (1998).

2000: Acquired by Innoveda, a joint venture between Viewlogic and Kyoden.

2002: Mentor Graphics acquired Innoveda, bringing PADS into its high-end EDA portfolio. mentor graphics pads version history

2017: Siemens completed its acquisition of Mentor Graphics, rebranding the division as Siemens EDA. Key Version Releases

Versions of PADS generally fall into three distinct eras of numbering and architecture: History of PADS - PCB Libraries Forum

Mentor Graphics PADS Version History: A Comprehensive Overview

Mentor Graphics PADS is a popular printed circuit board (PCB) design software used by engineers and designers to create and manufacture PCBs. The software has a rich history dating back to the 1980s, with numerous versions released over the years. In this post, we'll take a journey through the major milestones in the version history of Mentor Graphics PADS.

Early Years (1980s)

The first version of PADS, version 1.0, was released in 1985 by PADS, a company founded by John Davis and others. At that time, the software was a simple, text-based PCB design tool.

Acquisition by Mentor Graphics (1997)

In 1997, Mentor Graphics acquired PADS, and the software became a part of the Mentor Graphics portfolio. This marked a significant turning point for PADS, as it gained access to Mentor Graphics' resources and expertise.

Major Releases (1998-2005)

The following are some of the notable releases of PADS during this period:

Xtreme and PADS Plus (2005-2010)

In 2005, Mentor Graphics released PADS Xtreme, a major upgrade that introduced a new architecture and user interface. PADS Xtreme was followed by PADS Plus, which added advanced features such as:

PADS VX (2011-2015)

The PADS VX series was a major milestone in the evolution of PADS. The following are some of the notable releases: The story of PADS (Personal Automated Design System)

PADS Professional (2016-Present)

In 2016, Mentor Graphics released PADS Professional, a comprehensive PCB design solution that combined the best features of PADS and Mentor Graphics' other design tools.

Conclusion

The version history of Mentor Graphics PADS is a testament to the software's evolution and growth over the years. From its humble beginnings as a simple text-based tool to its current status as a comprehensive PCB design solution, PADS has remained a popular choice among engineers and designers. Today, PADS Professional continues to be a leading PCB design software, used by companies around the world to create innovative products.

References

For nearly four decades, PADS has remained a cornerstone of printed circuit board (PCB) design, evolving from a simple DOS-based tool into a sophisticated suite of electronic design automation (EDA) solutions. Now part of Siemens EDA (formerly Mentor Graphics), the PADS version history reflects the industry's shift from manual drafting to high-speed, automated, and cloud-integrated design. The Early Era: 1985 – 1997

PADS began as a startup focused on bringing professional-grade PCB layout tools to the desktop.

PADS-PCB (1985): Founded by Gene Marsh, the first version of PADS was released for the DOS operating system, priced affordably at approximately $495 per seat to target individual engineers.

The Growth Years: During the early 1990s, PADS expanded its capabilities with PADS Logic (for schematic capture) and PADS Layout. By 1991, the software had become a standard for service bureaus.

Acquisition by Kyoden: In the mid-1990s, the company was secretly acquired by Kyoden, a Japanese PCB manufacturer, which preceded a period of aggressive expansion in the US. The Mentor Graphics Era: 1997 – 2017

The transition to Mentor Graphics marked the integration of high-end analysis tools into the PADS ecosystem.

Innoveda and Mentor Acquisition (2000–2001): Kyoden sold PADS to Innoveda, which was subsequently acquired by Mentor Graphics in 2001.

PADS 2005 / 2007: These versions focused on stability and the introduction of advanced simulation. PADS 2007.3 introduced HyperLynx Analog as an add-in for DxDesigner, significantly enhancing signal integrity capabilities.

PADS 9.x Series (2008–2012): Released to modernize the installation and database structure, PADS 9.4 updated ASCII formats for Layout and Router while maintaining library compatibility. The Modern VX Era: 2014 – Present PADS 5

In 2014, Mentor Graphics overhauled the product line, introducing the "VX" (Vertical Experience) platform and tiering the software into Standard, Standard Plus, and Professional.

The version history of PADS, developed by Mentor Graphics Siemens EDA

), spans over 30 years and transitions from a standalone desktop PCB design tool to a sophisticated suite integrated with high-end enterprise technology. Siemens Blog Network Origins and Early Acquisitions Early 1990s

: Originally a popular tool for independent engineers and small service bureaus like 1997–2000

: The PADS organization underwent major corporate shifts, acquiring in 1997 and in 1998, before being sold to Mentor Graphics , bringing PADS into its flagship portfolio. PCB Libraries The PADS 2000 Series (2004–2009)

During this era, Mentor Graphics standardized the GUI and improved intra-tool integration.

: Introduced a new Project Explorer for PADS Logic and Layout, GUI standardization, and the Mentor Standard Installer (MSI).

: Added features for RF design, such as via matrixing and DXF-in import. It also improved high-speed routing and introduced Design for Fabrication (DFF) analysis. PADS 9.x (approx. 2009–2013)

: Continued the "classic" PADS flow, widely used by small teams for its ease of use on Windows environments. PCB Libraries The VX Era and Tiered Solutions (2014–Present)

In 2015, Mentor revamped the PADS brand into three distinct tiers to cater to different engineering needs: Siemens Blog Network Mentor Graphics PADS2007

Why Version History Matters for Users

For the exact build numbers and patch releases, refer to the release notes on Siemens Support Center (support.sw.siemens.com) under the “PADS Professional” or “PADS Standard” product section.

Title: Evolution of the Standard: A History of Mentor Graphics PADS Subject: Electronic Design Automation (EDA) Software Lineage Date: October 2023

Feature Evolution Summary Table

| Era | Version | Key New Feature | |------|---------|------------------| | DOS | PADS-PCB (1985) | First PC-based layout | | Win 3.1 | PADS 4.0 (1996) | GUI, DRC | | Win 95/98 | PADS 2004 (2004) | OLE, differential pairs, 3D viewer | | XP/Vista | PADS 2005–2007 | BlazeRouter, variants | | Windows 7 | PADS 9.x (2010–2014) | Real-time DRC, basic rigid-flex | | Windows 10 | PADS VX.0 (2015) | Unified project file, 3D PDF | | Windows 10 | PADS VX.2 (2017) | Rigid-flex, Teamcenter | | Windows 10/11 | PADS Pro (2021) | Xpedition core, sketch routing, advanced constraints | | Windows 11 | PADS 2023–2024 | Cloud tools, ODB++ direct |

4. The Standardization Era (2006–2013)

Around 2007, Mentor Graphics rebranded the suite, dropping the "Power" prefix to simplify the product identity and align it with other Mentor flows. The tool became known simply as PADS Logic, PADS Layout, and PADS Router.

2. The Windows Transition (late 1990s) – PowerPCB & PowerLogic

1. Early Era: DOS & Windows 3.1 (1985–1995)

PADS 2005

4. The VX Series (2015–2020) – PADS VX.x – Modernization