TARGET 3001! is a CAD

computer program A computer program is a sequence or set of instructions in a programming language for a computer to Execution (computing), execute. It is one component of software, which also includes software documentation, documentation and other intangibl ...

for EDA and PCB (printing circuit board) design, developed by Ing.-Büro (en: engineering office) Friedrich in

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. This software application has been available since (for 32 years) and operates on

Microsoft Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...

. It supports the design of electronic schematics, PCBs, and device

front panel A front panel was used on early electronic computers to display and allow the alteration of the state of the machine's internal CPU register, registers and computer memory, memory. The front panel usually consisted of arrays of electric light, ...

s. The software is available in English, German and French. It is possible to use Target 3001! on Linux systems with the assistance of Wine, a compatibility layer for running Windows applications on Unix-like operating systems. This setup has been tested with Ubuntu 11.04 (64-bit). A notable feature of Target 3001! is its ability to support reverse engineering. Users can derive a circuit drawing from a photograph of an existing circuit board through the traced layout. A special branch of the program is the ''

ASIC An application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC ) is an integrated circuit (IC) chip customized for a particular use, rather than intended for general-purpose use, such as a chip designed to run in a digital voice recorder or a high-efficien ...

Designer'', which allows design of

integrated circuit An integrated circuit (IC), also known as a microchip or simply chip, is a set of electronic circuits, consisting of various electronic components (such as transistors, resistors, and capacitors) and their interconnections. These components a ...

s. The company offer a free version of the service for non-commercial use, which is limited to 250 connection pins or pads on two copper layers. The PCB manufacturer PCB-Pool and

Conrad Electronic Conrad Electronic SE is a European multinational retailer of electronic products and technology based in Hirschau, Germany. It operates a digital procurement platform for technical requirements in distance selling (mainly online) as well as pr ...

provide a free unlimited version, that generates only printed output or output for PCB-Pool and Conrad's PCB service. Commercial versions with all features are available.

History

A predecessor of TARGET 3001! was a PCB software called "RULE" (), a

DOS DOS (, ) is a family of disk-based operating systems for IBM PC compatible computers. The DOS family primarily consists of IBM PC DOS and a rebranded version, Microsoft's MS-DOS, both of which were introduced in 1981. Later compatible syste ...

-based program developed for PCB layout (1989). The software gained popularity among hobbyists, leading to requests for additional features such as a circuit diagram input function and autorouter, which is an automatic routing function. In response, TARGET 2.1 (for DOS) was released in 1992. The transition to Windows was initially challenging: early versions of "TARGET V3 for Windows" were prone to frequent crashes. However, as the stability and performance of the package improves, the software's user base expanded beyound hobbyists and educational users to include professionals. The software package continued to develop with significant expansions starting from version V7. Developments in versions V7 to V16 included an EMC tool and PSPICE-compatible simulation. The name TARGET was evolved over time, becoming TARGET 2001!, before ultimately being changed to "TARGET 3001!" in anticipation of the new millennium. This name was registered as a trademark with the German Patent Office and used for versions V9 and higher. TARGET 3001! is used also by industrial designers. For example, TOYOTA used it for cable harnesses in their Formula 1 racing car. Today, TARGET 3001! is one of the most popular PCB layout systems in Germany and Europe. In 2004, readers of electronics magazine

Elektor :''Elektor (ἠλέκτωρ) is also an ancient Greek name or epithet of the Sun, see Helios.'' ''Elektor'', also known as ''Elektor Magazine'', is a monthly magazine about all aspects of electronics, originally published in the Netherlands as ''E ...

voted it number two. Testers of the electronics magazine " c't Hardware Hacks" rated it number two in 2013.

Features

Over the years, TARGET 3001! has been enhanced with several features, combined under one user interface ( MDI). These include an EMC module, symbol and housing generators, and

SPICE In the culinary arts, a spice is any seed, fruit, root, Bark (botany), bark, or other plant substance in a form primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of pl ...

-compatible simulation. Users can design front panels in conjuction with PCBs, and a 3D view feature offers a visual impression of the designed PCB. All project information is stored in one file to avoid redundancy and version conflicts. Design begins with the creation of a schematic diagram and usually ends with the layout of a PCB (or chip). The

schematics A schematic, or schematic diagram, is a designed representation of the elements of a system using abstract, graphic symbols rather than realistic pictures. A schematic usually omits all details that are not relevant to the key information the sc ...

can be simulated by the integrated PSPICE-compatible mixed mode simulator.

Components Component may refer to: In engineering, science, and technology Generic systems *System components, an entity with discrete structure, such as an assembly or software module, within a system considered at a particular level of analysis * Lumped e ...

are stored in a

SQLite SQLite ( "S-Q-L-ite", "sequel-ite") is a free and open-source relational database engine written in the C programming language. It is not a standalone app; rather, it is a library that software developers embed in their apps. As such, it ...

MySQL MySQL () is an Open-source software, open-source relational database management system (RDBMS). Its name is a combination of "My", the name of co-founder Michael Widenius's daughter My, and "SQL", the acronym for Structured Query Language. A rel ...

database, also externally accessible. Component data include direct links to

datasheet A datasheet, data sheet, or spec sheet is a document that summarizes the performance and other characteristics of a product, machine, component (e.g., an electronic component), material, subsystem (e.g., a power supply), or software in sufficie ...

s and component supplier information as well as simulation information and 3D models. TARGET's open Component Interchange Format CXF is supported by universal component databases like Ultra Librarian and Footprint Expert. PCBs or ASICs can be designed manually or using an autoplacer and autorouter. A

Specctra Specctra is a commercial PCB auto-router originally developed by John F. Cooper and David Chyan of Cooper & Chyan Technology, Inc. (CCT) in 1989. The company and product were taken over by Cadence Design Systems in May 1997. Since its integra ...

interface to external autorouters is available. The design can be automatically checked for spacing violations and many other

design rules In electronic design automation, a design rule is a geometric constraint imposed on circuit board, semiconductor device, and integrated circuit (IC) designers to ensure their designs function properly, reliably, and can be produced with acceptabl ...

. If the PCB is ready designed it can be directly displayed and rotated in a live 3D view. The 3D data can be exported in STEP format to produce preview 3D dummies of the PCB on 3D printers. Circuit design on 3D bodies ( Molded Interconnect Device, MID) is possible. CNC data for PCB milling can be obtained in several formats. Additionally a device front panel can directly be derived from the PCB, using the coordinates on the PCB, e.g. from

LED A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits light when current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of the light (corresp ...

s or

potentiometer A potentiometer is a three- terminal resistor with a sliding or rotating contact that forms an adjustable voltage divider. If only two terminals are used, one end and the wiper, it acts as a variable resistor or rheostat. The measuring instrum ...

Library System

A crucial component of any EDA software is its component libraries. The library system in Target 3001! has undergone several changes: * Initially, the software attempted to include all electronic components from the distributor Conrad Electronic SE, resulting in cumbersome handling and bloated libraries, which hindered the search function. * From version V15, components have been managed in a parametrically searchable offline SQL database. * Version V16 introduced dual-monitor operation and a visualized search using a "gallery." * In version V17, a housing generator was added, and the company’s component portal, Componiverse, was integrated. * Version V18 saw the release of a component toolbar and a symbol generator. Moreover, components from the Library Loader portal by SamacSys Ltd. are available for use in Target 3001!.

Functions

Target 3001! includes a comprehensive set of functions for designing circuit diagrams and creating corresponding layouts for printed circuit boards (PCBs). During the layout process, the software ensures consistency between the circuit and the layout. A component in the circuit diagram comprises several elements: * A symbol, which typically includes an assigned connection diagram. * A housing. * The footprint, representing the solder terminal shape of the component. Links to component datasheets and suppliers can be stored within the component data. Both circuit symbols and component housings can be custom-designed, assigned to each other, or created and modified using the housing generator. Additionally, 3D models, including STEP-3D formats, can be created and imported for the housings. The software supports (P)SPICE-compatible circuit diagram simulation, allowing users to simulate the functionality of the circuit in advance. The library contains electrical simulation models for numerous components to facilitate this process. Layouts on three-dimensional surfaces, such as molded interconnect devices (MID), are also supported. For this purpose, STEP files can be imported into the software.

Advanced Features in Later Versions

From version V20 onwards, Target 3001! introduced advanced manual layout capabilities, including the "push and shove" feature, which automatically clears space for additional traces by moving existing traces aside. Additionally, a "pilot router" feature attempts to autonomously lay traces between the start and finish points.

Automatic Tools

The software includes several automated tools to aid in PCB design: * Autoplacer and Autorouter: These tools facilitate the automatic routing of the PCB layout. * Design Rule Check (DRC): This feature checks the design for short circuits and other violations of predefined design rules, such as minimum distances and drill diameters.

Relational Consistency

Like other EDA software, Target 3001! maintains relational consistency between the circuit design (circuit diagram) and PCB layout (back annotation). This ensures that only the connections intended in the circuit design are made in the layout.

Output Capabilities

Target 3001! can generate universally usable data for PCB production and assembly, including: * Gerber Format Data: Used by PCB manufacturers, with selectable output layers. Many manufacturers can also process supplied Target files directly. *

ODB++ ODB++ is a proprietary CAD-to-CAM data exchange format used in the design and manufacture of electronic devices. Its purpose is to exchange printed circuit board design information between design and manufacturing and between design tools from ...

Format Data: Used by PCB manufacturers for the blank PCB and the component assembly as well. * Pick-and-Place File: A text file listing component positions for the pick-and-place machine. * Parts List: A customizable list of components used in the design.

Integration of Circuit Diagram and PCB Layout

A distinguishing feature of Target 3001! compared to widely used software like Eagle EDA is that both the circuit diagram and PCB layout are stored within a single project file. This integration simplifies the design process and ensures coherence between the circuit and layout aspects of the project.

References

External links

* {{CAD software Electronic design automation software Electronic design automation companies