Afternoon! Looking for opinions. I do PCB design work for a defense contractor where we use Mentor Graphics' software packages... Xpedition/xPCB, HyperLynx VX, and the works.
Primary question, is there any open-source/inexpensive (ie not $10K+) software that an individual could get their hands on for board-level signal and power integrity analysis to the order of HyperLynx? I know most CAD suites can give you netlist that can be simulated with IBIS/Spice models, but I'm referring to things like crosstalk sims of the routed board, or impedance calculation of a decoupling network, or DC drop simulation. Things like that.
Second, I've worked with Altium Designer 17 and am kicking myself for not taking it when they offered me a perpetual license for $1,200 after a student license expired a while back, and so now I'm 'stuck' with DipTrace. I love DipTrace, have paid for the full unlocked version over the years, and think it's easily the best of the entry-level PWB CAD programs - but it just isn't suited for high-speed where signal/power integrity become an issue. I'm tempted to call up Altium's rep again and see if I can talk them back into that offer, but does Altium Designer 18 have anything that would even help me out here?
Thoughts welcome!