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Via Wizard

Via Wizard is a powerful, GUI-based tool designed to streamline the creation and simulation of PCB vias. It leverages Ansys AEDT (via pyedb) to generate high-fidelity simulation models directly from a user-friendly interface.

Features

1. Stackup Management

• Visual Editor: View and edit layer properties (Thickness, Dk, Df, Conductivity).

• Import/Export: Load and save stackups using XML format.

• Excel Integration: Paste stackup data directly from Excel into the application.

• 2D Visualization: Real-time visual representation of the layer stackup.

• DogBone Void Customization: Customize the void shape for differential pairs on reference layers.

  • -1: Default antipad size.
  • 0: No void created.
  • >0: Rectangular void with specified width.

  

2. Padstack Design

• Customizable Geometries: Define hole diameter, pad size, and antipad size.
• Material Selection: Choose from standard materials like Copper, Gold, or Aluminum.
• Backdrill Settings: Configure backdrill parameters (Depth, Stub, To Layer) for signal integrity optimization.
• Fill Via Support: Enable "Fill" for backdrilled vias with custom dielectric properties (Dk, Df). The fill via is automatically created and placed with the specified backdrill diameter and material.

3. Interactive Placement

• Canvas Editor: Interactively place vias on a virtual PCB canvas.
• Placement Modes:
  • Single Via: Place individual signal vias.
  • Differential Pair: Place differential pairs with configurable pitch and orientation.
  • Diff Pair w/ GND: Place differential pairs with surrounding ground vias.
  • GND Via: Place grounding vias.
• Grid System: Snap-to-grid functionality for precise alignment.
• Property Table: View and edit instance properties in a structured table with collapsible sections for better organization.
• Advanced Fan-out Control: Configure fan-out geometry for differential pairs, including turn angles (e.g., 45 degrees), straight lengths, and radii.
• Dynamic Sorting: Placed instances are automatically sorted alphabetically for easy management.
• Optimized UI: The "Placed Instances" panel is optimized for better visibility of properties.
• Smart Copy/Paste: Copy and paste instances with automatic name incrementing (e.g., Via_1 -> Via_2) to ensure unique naming.
• Ruler Tool: Measure distances on the canvas using the Right Mouse Button. Displays Length, dx, and dy with non-overlapping labels.
• Copper Pour Visualization: Visualize the clearance/void around traces (Feed In/Out Pour) directly on the canvas.
• Differential Pair Feed Spacing: Explicit control over feed line spacing for differential pairs, ensuring accurate visualization and export.

4. Simulation Export

• AEDB Generation: Export your entire design (stackup, padstacks, placed instances) to an Ansys AEDB project (.aedb).
• Version Control: Specify the target AEDB version (default: 2024.1).
• Automated Modeling: The tool automatically handles the creation of materials, layers, padstacks, and vias in the AEDB file.
• Component Creation: Automatically groups vias into components based on naming convention (component.pin) for easier integration in Ansys.

Prerequisites

• Python: Version 3.10 or higher.
• Ansys AEDT: Installed and licensed (Version 2024.1 or newer recommended).
• Dependencies:
  • pywebview: For the GUI window.
  • pyedb: For interacting with Ansys EDB.

Installation

1. Run the installation script: Double-click install.bat or run it from the command line:

   install.bat

   This script will set up the virtual environment and install all necessary dependencies.

Usage

1. Start the Application: Run the main.py script to launch the GUI.

   python main.py

2. Workflow:

   • Stackup Tab: Define your board layers. You can load stack.xml as a starting point.
   • Padstack Tab: Create padstack definitions referencing the layers from your stackup.
   • Placement Tab: Select a padstack and place instances on the canvas.
   • Simulation Tab: Enter the desired AEDB version and click Export to AEDB.

3. Output: The tool will generate a .json file of your project and a corresponding .aedb folder in the same directory.

Project Structure

• main.py: Application entry point. Initializes the pywebview window.
• api.py: Contains the ViaWizardAPI class, bridging the JavaScript frontend and Python backend.
• modeling.py: Core logic for generating the Ansys EDB model from the project data.
• gui/: Contains the frontend assets (index.html, app.js, style.css).
• stack.xml: Default stackup configuration file.

License

MIT License