40 Circuit Design Software Manufacturers in 2024
This section provides an overview for circuit design software as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 40 circuit design software manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked circuit design software companies as of November, 2024: 1.Autodesk Inc., 2.CircuitLab, Inc., 3.Cadence Design Systems.
Table of Contents
What Is Circuit Design Software?
Circuit design software aids in the creation of integrated circuits, electronic devices, and electrical circuits.
Often associated with circuit design support hardware, this software is also referred to as EDA (electronic design automation). It accelerates development and ensures a safe, error-free design process by partially automating the electronic device design process, which was traditionally performed manually.
In the era of manual design, designs were drafted using circuit diagrams. However, with circuit design software, the design process involves defining functions in a specific design language, which is then automatically translated into circuit designs.
Uses of Circuit Design Software
Circuit design software finds application across all fields involved in the design and development of electronic and electrical circuits. Semiconductor manufacturers utilize it in various design stages, including device, integrated circuit system, architecture, logic, circuit layout design, and simulations at each phase.
The software also proves beneficial in designing printed circuit boards for servers, IoT devices, medical equipment, industrial machinery, and telecommunications gear, facilitating the arrangement and routing of electronic components on boards and testing their functionalities.
Principles of Circuit Design Software
Designing with circuit design software follows this sequence:
1. Design Using HDL
Initially, required functionalities are defined using a hardware description language (HDL), like Verilog. This step is typically performed manually by designers, not by the software itself.
Although some systems can convert from a higher-level system design language to HDL automatically, this system-level design is usually conducted manually.
2. Conversion to Logic Circuits
Following HDL design and verification through a test bench to ensure the design functions as intended, the software synthesizes the HDL into a logic circuit. It utilizes a library of existing device information to automatically select suitable devices according to design rules.
3. Simulation
The software simulates the synthesized logic circuits to confirm they perform as required, akin to a test bench post-HDL design. This verification stage includes device timing information from the library, ensuring the functional verification extends beyond simple signal value checks to include states where signal values are undefined (X).
4. Layout Design
Upon verification that the logic circuit meets functional requirements, an efficient layout of devices on a defined-size chip or board is conducted, along with signal routing. This phase is known as layout design, typically outside the purview of circuit design software.
Other Information on Circuit Design Software
Types of Hardware Description Languages
Hardware description languages in circuit design fall into two categories: Verilog and VHDL.
1. Verilog
Verilog's syntax is similar to that of C and Pascal, offering a more concise format than other HDLs, making it more accessible for beginners. It was standardized as IEEE 1364 in 1995.
2. VHDL
VHDL, resembling ALGOL and Ada in notation and syntax, employs strict data types, posing a learning challenge for beginners. It was standardized as IEEE 1076 in 1987.
HDL differs fundamentally from software programming languages. In software programming, processes execute sequentially, in the written order, due to the single CPU execution model that does not support parallel process execution. Conversely, HDL-described circuits operate concurrently, as hardware components can function as soon as they receive an input signal.
List of 40 Circuit Design Software Manufacturers
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
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- Company Size: largest first
- Year Founded: oldest first
- Year Founded: earliest first
Sort by Area
- United States of America
- Canada
- India
- Japan
- Netherlands
- United Kingdom
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Lattice Semiconductor
Lattics Diamond Software
Manufacturer Overview
Lattice Semiconductor, is a software and development kit manufacturer, founded in 1983 and headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon, USA. The company provides various electronic components such as development boards, FPGA (field-programmable gate arrays) semiconductors, evaluation boards, integrated circuits, and converters. These components are applicable to communication, data center systems, client computing, wireless technology, and automotive applications. The company is into solving customer challenges in communication, computing, industrial, automotive, and consumer markets across the network, from the Edge to the Cloud.
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Microchip Technology Inc.
Development Tools and Software
Manufacturer Overview
Microchip Technology Incorporated was incorporated in 1989 and is headquartered in Chandler, Arizona. The company is a developer and manufacturer of control solutions for global markets including the automotive, industrial, communications, human-machine interface, and connectivity industries. The company’s products include microcontrollers, field-programmable gate array products, MOSFET and radio frequency products, and both wired and wireless communications products. The company’s services include wafer foundry and assembly services, test subcontracting manufacturing services, development tools for enabling system designers to program microcontrollers and processors, and timing system products.
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Qorvo
QSPICE SIMULATOR
Manufacturer Overview
Qorvo, established in 2015, is a semiconductor manufacturer headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA, that specializes in providing RF (Radio Frequency) solutions. Their range of product offerings includes RF chips, modules, amplifiers, discrete transistors, and integrated circuits, designed to enable wireless communication, enhance defense systems, support automotive applications, facilitate aerospace operations, and enable connectivity in the Internet of Things (IoT) sector. Qorvo is certified with ISO 9001 for quality management and ISO 14001 for environmental management.
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Synopsys, Inc.
Digital Design Family
Manufacturer Overview
Synopsys, founded in Sunnyvale, California, in 1986 is a manufacturer of electronic equipment such as Smart medical devices, wearables, and autonomous cars. The company's product portfolio includes silicon chips, Semiconductor IP, RSoft Photonic Device Tools, Virtual Prototyping and Signal & Power Integrity. The company serves markets including Automotive and Electric Vehicles, Renewable Energy and Energy Storage and Electronics and IT Infrastructure. They also provide services including Open-Source Audits, Open Source Risk Management, RF Design, Silicon Lifecycle Management and Software Supply Chain Security.
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Analog Devices, Inc.
LTspice
Manufacturer Overview
Incorporated in 1965, Analog Devices, Inc. designs, manufactures, tests, and markets integrated circuits (ICs), software, and subsystems that leverage analog, mixed-signal, and digital signal processing technologies. The company provides data converter products, power management and reference products for power conversion, driver monitoring, sequencing, and energy management applications in the automotive, communications, industrial, and high-end consumer markets. In addition, the company provides digital signal processing and system products for high-speed numeric calculations. It serves clients in the industrial, automotive, consumer, instrumentation, aerospace, and communications markets.
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Advanced Circuits
Circuit Design Software
Manufacturer Overview
Advanced Circuits, founded in 1989 in Aurora, Colorado, USA, is a manufacturer and supplier of quality printed circuit boards (PCBs). The company offers a wide range of PCB products, including single-sided, double-sided, and multi-layer boards, as well as flexible and rigid-flex PCBs. These PCBs are essential components used in electronic devices across various industries, including aerospace, automotive, and telecommunications. Courtesy of its quality, precision, and technological creativity, the company aims to deliver convenient PCB solutions that meet the evolving demands of modern electronics.
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ExpressPCB
PCB CAD design software
Manufacturer Overview
ExpressPCB is a US-based manufacturer of PCB CAD design software and tools founded in 1998 and headquartered in Mulino, Oregon. The company specializes in PCB manufacturing services, including prototyping, production runs, and assembly. It offers different product versions, including the StandardPlus, Standard MiniBoardPlus, MiniBoard Plus, and Proto Plus. It also provides 4-layer and 6-layer MLB construction services. The company obtained UL certification and serves diverse industries, such as electronics, aerospace and defense, automotive, medical devices, and industrial automation.
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Autodesk Inc.
Circuit design software
Manufacturer Overview
Autodesk Inc is a manufacturer of 3D softwares, founded in 1982, and headquartered in Mill Valley, California. Offerings of the company encompass 3D design and modeling tools such as AutoCAD, Revit, and Fusion 360 for architecture, engineering, and product design. In the construction realm, it provides BIM 360, aiding in streamlined project management and collaboration. For the media and entertainment sector, software like Maya and 3ds Max facilitates 3D animation and rendering. Additionally, the company's portfolio includes engineering simulation software, CAM tools, educational resources, cloud-based collaboration platforms, as well as VR/AR applications, and solutions for GIS, mapping, robotics, and PLM.
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Cadence Design Systems
PCB Design and Analysis
Manufacturer Overview
Cadence Design Systems, established in 1988, is a US-based manufacturer specializing in electronic design automation (EDA) software, providing cutting-edge solutions for chip and system design to enable groundbreaking products for electronic systems and semiconductor companies. Their digital design tools create complex integrated circuits (ICs) for applications like smartphones, IoT devices, and automotive electronics. Advanced analog and mixed-signal design tools develop high-performance ICs for data converters and power management. Cadence's system design and verification tools facilitate complex electronic systems like ASICs and FPGAs. By adopting their software solutions, customers streamline design processes, reduce time-to-market, and gain a competitive edge.
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Applebee-Church, Inc.
SOFTWARE DESIGN TOOLS
Company Overview
Applebee-Church, Inc., established in 1957, operates as a distributor and manufacturer's representative specializing in electrical heating systems. The company is headquarted in Peach Tree Corners, Georgia with branch offices in the states of Florida, Alabama, and South Carolina. The company offers products and services such as electric heater systems, industrial heating systems, electric comfort heat, and power temperature controls. These solutions cater to needs of both the industrial and commercial heating and control sectors.
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Lucid Software Inc.
Circuit diagram maker
Company Overview
Lucid Software Inc., founded in 2010 and headquartered in South Jordan, Utah, is a manufacturer and supplier of visual collaboration software solutions that empower businesses to visualize, plan, and build ideas into reality. The company offers a range of products, including Lucidchart (an intelligent diagramming tool for clarity, alignment, and accelerated progress), Lucidscale (a cloud visualization solution), Lucidspark (a virtual whiteboard for collaborative ideation and brainstorming), and integrations. These products serve various sectors, including government, education, consulting, healthcare, and financial services. The company's customers include organizations such as DocuSign, Mozilla, Western Union, Delta, Okta, and more.
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Keysight Technologies
Advanced Design System ADS
Company Overview
Keysight Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1939 and headquartered in Santa Rosa, California. Keysight is a global developer and manufacturer of electronic design and test solutions to communications, networking, aerospace, defense, and government, automotive, energy, semiconductor, electronic, and education industries. Keysight’s communications solutions group solutions include electronic design automation software; radio frequency and microwave test solutions, hardware and virtual network test platforms and software applications, as well as optical laser source solutions. Keysight’s electronic industrial solutions group offers various design tools and verification tools. Keysight offers product support, technical support, and training and consulting services. It sells its products through direct sales force, distributors, resellers, and manufacturer's representatives.
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SmartDraw Software, LLC
Online Circuit Diagram Maker
Company Overview
SmartDraw Software, LLC was established in 1994 and is now headquartered in Texas, United States and operates as a provider of a very efficient method for creating visual representations on several platforms, including Windows and Mac. SmartDraw enables users to import Visio files and stencils and export them to facilitate the transition for those inside the organization who have not yet adopted the software. This system seamlessly connects with the existing tools utilized by users. SmartDraw is an ideal solution for individuals seeking to convey concepts through visual means effectively.
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Company Overview
In its 35-year journey, Altium has cemented its position in the PCB design research and development sector. Originating in 1985, Altium is one of the earliest providers of PCB design tools. Today, the company is recognized for its PCB software tool. These tools primarily cater to the needs of enterprises with their comprehensive, digitally integrated electronic design solutions. In addition, Altium tackles challenges faced in data management with Altium Designer, the Nexar API, Altium 365, and other solutions. The company equips designers and engineers by leveraging components and data for optimal design outcomes.
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Bay Area Circuits
PCB CREATOR: PCB DESIGN SOFTWARE TOOLS
Distributor Overview
Bay Area Circuits, founded in Fremont, CA, United States in 1975, is a supplier of circuit board manufacturing services including design, fabrication, and assembly. The company offers PCB layout, component selection, and various PCB types, including single-layer, double-layer, and complex multi-layer boards, PCB assembly capabilities encompass surface-mount technology (SMT) and through-hole technology (THT) assembly and rapid prototyping. It also provides services including design, surface finish, component footprint capture, and customer support.
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ROHM Co., Ltd.
SPICE Simulators and SPICE Models
Manufacturer Overview
Rohm Semiconductor is a designer and manufacturer of integrated circuits and other electronic components founded in 1958 and headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. The company mainly produces amplifiers, actuator drivers, transistors, and power devices. It also offers switches, data converters, sensors, wireless LSIs, and optoelectronics. The company holds ISO 9001:2015 and IATF 16949:2016 quality certifications and serves various sectors, including automotive, industrial, and consumer electronics. It has operations in over 95 locations across Europe, the United States, and Asia.
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NXP Semiconductors
Embedded Software
Manufacturer Overview
NXP was established in 2006 as a spinoff from Phillips and is headquartered in Eindhoven, Netherlands. The company is a co-founder of NFC communication and designs and manufactures semiconductors that serve the automotive, industrial, mobile, and smart home industries. The company’s automotive products include driver assistance transceivers, sensors, and security systems. For industrial markets, the company produces RFID readers, processors, and microcontrollers. For communication infrastructure, the company produces RF mixers, diodes, and low-noise amplifiers for wireless LAN networks. The company also produces peripherals, power management chips, communications chips, and interface devices.
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SMC Corporation.
Pneumatic Circuit Diagram Creation Program
Manufacturer Overview
SMC corporation was founded in 1959 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. SMC Corporation manufactures and sells automatic control equipment and filtration equipment. SMC has production facilities in 30 countries, technical development centers in Japan, the United States, Europe, and China, and sales offices, globally. SMC product lines divided by them include filter replacements, condensation prevention, heat resistance, thermos-chilling, and others. SMC provides a video library as well as product selection guide to assist customers in finding solutions and optimizing product efficiency.
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ZUKEN Inc.
System Level Circuit Engineering
Manufacturer Overview
Zuken is a software manufacturer headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, specializing in electrical and electronic design solutions. Their product lineup includes CR-8000, CADSTAR, E3.series, and DS-2, which cater to system-level design, PCB design, electrical design, and wiring design. These software tools are utilized in various industries such as electronics manufacturing, automotive, aerospace and defense, telecommunications, and industrial automation, enabling efficient and streamlined design and development processes for a wide range of electrical and electronic components.
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CircuitVerse
Logic Circuits simulator
Manufacturer Overview
CircuitVerse is a digital circuit simulation platform developer and manufacturer founded in 2016 and headquartered in Bangalore, India. The company mainly develops web-based platforms that allow users to simulate and design electronic circuits. It provides drag-and-drop circuit design, high-resolution image export, combinational analysis, embeddable circuits, and multi-bit buses and components. The company caters to the electronics education community by providing students with a hands-on way to learn about electronics. Its platform is also used by professionals to design and prototype new electronic devices.
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Texas Instruments
SPICE-based analog simulation program
Manufacturer Overview
Texas Instruments Incorporated was founded in 1930 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Texas Instruments is a producer of high tech equipment for industrial, automotive, personal electronics, communications equipment industries. Texas Instruments designs, manufactures, and sells semiconductors to electronics designers and manufacturers in the United States and internationally. Texas Instruments operates in two segments: analog and embedded processing. The Analog segment offers power products, including battery-management solutions, DC/DC switching regulators, power switches, linear regulators, voltage references, and lighting products. The Embedded Processing segment offers microcontrollers that are used in fields such as electronic equipment and digital signal processors for mathematical computations.
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Circuit Experts
Electronics Design Software
Manufacturer Overview
Circuit Experts, founded in 2001 as SoftwareDidaktik and located in Bayreuth, Germany, is a manufacturer of electric circuit development solutions. The company offers software which helps in the design of electronic circuits, its solutions are ActivFilter 3.3 design software and TransistorAmp 2 software. ActivFilter designs active filters which are tuned on operational amplifiers and on the standard series of resistors, and it designs active bandpass, low pass, notch, and highpass filters. TransistorAmp creates an individual bipolar transistor amplifier, and it is a freeware for Microsoft Windows.
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JiaLiChuang Co., Limited
EasyEDA
Manufacturer Overview
JiaLiChuang Co., Limited, also known as JLCPCB, is a tech manufacturer specializing in quick PCB prototype and small-batch PCB production. Established in 2006, it is headquartered in Hong Kong. The company offers a wide range of products, primarily focusing on PCB prototyping and small-batch PCB production. Its annual production capacity is 200,000 sq.m. for various 1-layer, 2-layer, or multi-layer PCBs. Its products are used in various electronic devices, ranging from simple electronic products to complex electronic systems.
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Fortex Engineering Ltd
Circuit Wizard Design Software
Company Overview
Fortex Engineering Ltd. is located in North Hykeham, Lincoln, UK, and has been a designer, manufacturer, and supplier of production equipment since 1972. The company has a comprehensive product portfolio, including DRS dust removal cleaning rollers, PCB production accessories, artwork, and production films. The company's products are designed with precision engineering to help the development of various production equipment for use in industrial manufacturing, photochemical etching, engraving, and model kit manufacturing. The company also offers liveware, PCB Wizard 3, and circuit wizard design software. It provides artwork, light pad boxes, screen printing, and base material assembly services.
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OrCAD Inc.
PSspice
Company Overview
OrCAD, established in 1985 and based in San Jose, California, USA, is a manufacturer and supplier of PCB design and analysis software. The company's product range includes EDA software, PCB Design, ECAD, High-Speed Design, and Spice Simulation. These products are primarily utilized in the design, analysis, and optimization of printed circuit boards. They serve industries such as Software Development and Electronics. The company's services include providing migration guides, offering a free viewer for PCB design data sharing, granting access to PSpice models, and furnishing an educational database for training.
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Novarm Limited
Schematic Capture
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AusOptic International Pty Ltd
Optiwave OptiSPICE - Opto-Electronic Circuit Design Software
Company Overview
AusOptic has been a supplier and distributor of optical fiber and communications products and services since 1994 and is based in Sydney, Australia. The company offers a range of products and services, such as fusion splicers, optical tests, network equipment, hand tools, fiber termination tools, and cleaning supplies tested for specifications and compatibility with local standards. It also provides research, prototyping, and full-scale production for specialized optical applications serving telecommunications, ethernet, and industrial communication links and developing network infrastructure.
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Labcenter Electronics
PCB Design & Simulation Made Easy
Distributor Overview
Labcenter Electronics Ltd. has been a supplier of business and software development services since 1988 and is based in North Yorkshire, England. The company develops electronics CAD software for schematic capture, simulation, and PCB layout design, and its most popular product is the Proteus Design Suite, which is used to create schematics and electronic prints for manufacturing printed circuit boards and supports microcontroller simulation and helps in debugging and of embedded systems. The software suite helps electronic design engineers and technicians, educational spaces, manufacturing sectors, airfield ground lighting, and automotive industries.
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Siemens EDA
Siemens PLM Software
Distributor Overview
Siemens EDA is an American distributor of integrated circuit (IC) as well as printed circuit board (PCB) design and verification software that was established in 1981 as a subsidiary of the German company Siemens AG. Based in Wilsonville, Oregon, the company offers emulation, simulation, layout, wire harness, and design-for-manufacturing software tools for use in conceptualizing and testing various IC or PCB mockups. This saves time in the prototyping and troubleshooting stages of their production processes, increasing efficiency while reducing risk of cost overages. Siemens EDA chiefly serves clients in the semiconductor, aerospace, defense, and consumer electronics sectors.
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Distributor Overview
APKFab is a distributor of Android apps headquartered in India. The company provides a large collection of apps and games for Android users with fast download speeds. It offers Android apps like TikTok APK Bundle, Facebook APK, Duolingo APK, and WhatsApp APK, along with games like Battlegrounds India APK, Roblox APK, Coin Master APK, and more. All of the apps on APKFab are scanned for viruses and malware before being made available for download. It caters to various industries, including gaming, entertainment, lifestyle, and more.
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Siemens Digital Industries Software
Electronic systems & PCB design and manufacturing
Distributor Overview
Siemens Software is a supplier of industrial software solutions based in Texas. The company offers solutions in various industries and applications, as they have designed Siemens Xcelerator, which allows the creation of a digital twin of any process or product within a company. Siemens PLM Software is for Product Lifecycle Management from design to disposal and also Siemens EDA Software is for electronic design automation to enable applications such as Ai, cloud computing, etc. There is also Siemens Digital Industries Software that serves numerous industries like Aerospace and Defense, Consumer Products and Retail, Media, Telecommunications, Marine, and more.
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CircuitLab, Inc.
Circuit simulation and schematics.
Distributor Overview
CircuitLab Inc., established in 2012 and headquartered in Mountain View, California, USA, is an electrical and electronic supplier that provides online, in-browser tools for schematic capture and circuit simulation. Its main product is an online circuit simulator and electronic schematic editor used by engineers, students, and hobbyists to design, analyze, and share electronic circuits. The platform includes features like easy-wire mode, faciliitating the connection of elements, and mixed-mode circuit simulation, allowing simultaneous simulation of analog and digital components.
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Circuit Design Software Manufacturer Ranking
*Including some distributors, etc.Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Autodesk Inc. |
11.3%
|
| 2 | CircuitLab, Inc. |
9.4%
|
| 3 | Cadence Design Systems |
7.5%
|
| 4 | Analog Devices, Inc. |
7.5%
|
| 5 | Labcenter Electronics |
5.7%
|
| 6 | Advanced Circuits |
5.7%
|
| 7 | Qorvo |
5.7%
|
| 8 | Lattice Semiconductor |
5.7%
|
| 9 | Circuit Experts |
3.8%
|
| 10 | Siemens EDA |
3.8%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the circuit design software page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
- ROHM Co., Ltd.: 23,754
- Autodesk Inc.: 13,700
- IGE+XAO USA Inc: 430
Newly Established Company
- Lucid Software Inc.: 2010 (14 years ago)
- GeeksforGeeks, Sanchhaya Education Private Limited: 2008 (16 years ago)
- Novarm Limited: 2002 (22 years ago)
Company with a History
- NXP Semiconductors: 1891 (133 years ago)
- Texas Instruments: 1930 (94 years ago)
- ROHM Co., Ltd.: 1958 (66 years ago)
Circuit Design Software Manufacturers in United States
*Including some distributors, etc.
- Lattice Semiconductor
- Microchip Technology Inc.
- Qorvo
- Synopsys, Inc.
- Analog Devices, Inc.
- Advanced Circuits
- ExpressPCB
- Autodesk Inc.
- Cadence Design Systems
- Applebee-Church, Inc.
- Lucid Software Inc.
- Keysight Technologies
- VEST, Inc
- EMA Design Automation, Inc
- Circuit Board Design Apps
- SmartDraw Software, LLC
- IGE+XAO USA Inc
- Altium
- Bay Area Circuits
Global Distribution of Circuit Design Software Manufacturers by Country
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
United States of America
|
19 | 67.9% |
Japan
|
3 | 10.7% |
United Kingdom
|
3 | 10.7% |
Netherlands
|
1 | 3.6% |
India
|
1 | 3.6% |
Canada
|
1 | 3.6% |
List of Circuit Design Software Products
2 products are listed.
IDAJ Co., Ltd.
Available from the initial stage of PCB design EM suppression design support tool DEMITASNX
10+ people viewing
DEMITASNX is a design check tool for applying known standards and algorithms from information such as wiring patterns of boards in the upstream pro...
