Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has introduced the Cadence OrCAD Xplore Design Platform, a connected design environment built on OrCAD X Capture for individual engineers and small design teams. It brings component research, trusted content, supply-chain insight and procurement into one workflow, with component research time reduced by up to 80%, according to Cadence.
Cadence customers report that engineers spend more than 50% of their time outside design tools researching component selection, replacement and supply-chain status. OrCAD Xplore connects component discovery, validation, simulation and sourcing to reduce the time spent gathering and reconciling component information.
The platform provides access to manufacturer-authoritative symbols, footprints, 3D models, simulation-ready models, reference designs, documentation and application expertise. Ultra Librarian provides more than 16 million verified symbols, footprints and 3D models; Cadence says users save an average of three hours per component by avoiding manual symbol and footprint creation and verification.
Engineers can assess lifecycle status, availability, pricing, lead times, compliance, sourcing risks and qualified alternatives in the design workflow. AI-powered natural-language interactions support component research, selection, replacement and sourcing. The platform's manufacturer content includes resources from Texas Instruments, STMicroelectronics, Murata and Molex.
Michael Jackson, corporate vice president and general manager of the Systems Design and Analysis Group at Cadence, said OrCAD Xplore extends Cadence's work with semiconductor manufacturers beyond design and into the path to market. He said it brings manufacturer expertise to component selection to simplify research, accelerate design-in and help partners grow adoption of their products.
OrCAD Xplore integrates DigiKey supply-chain insight, including availability, pricing and sourcing considerations. Its integrated shopping cart lets users purchase a complete bill of materials through DigiKey. Cadence says the partner ecosystem is designed to expand after launch.
