Free Software

mentalMAX Evaluation Software New Free Capabilities!

The evaluation software includes limited, 30-day trial copies of both SuperCAD and SuperPCB. With these, you can draw actual schematics and artwork, as well as try the autorouting examples. You can also check out the simulation interfaces and examine several analog (SPICE) and digital simulation examples. You can now add custom library parts to get your design started.

Click here for the Windows 7/Vista/XP evaluation copy of the products (Version 7.5).
(Download size: 2.7M---Note: Unzip to temporary directory and then click on EVAL-V7P5.EXE)

SuperCAD for the Pocket PC

Would you like to do electronic design while you are on the move? Try our new version of SuperCAD/Mobile. This software runs on a Pocket PC running Windows Mobile 2003 or 5.0/6.0. Click here for more details.

Netlist Import Utility (Netin)

This utility allows you to convert netlists produced by other CAD programs into SuperPCB. Once converted, you can use the output files (.net and .ref) to import a design into SuperPCB, via the PLACE utility. You can also import the netlist for a Rat's nest display or for a signal name display.

Netin allows importing of three common formats (supported by OrCAD, among others):

Tango

Applicon Bravo

SPICE

You do have to edit the .ref file to map the package parts in most cases. (For example if your OrCAD design uses a DIP14 part called TI_DIP14X, you have to rename this "DIP14" to pick up the DIP14 part in the STANDARD library) In many cases there might not be a match and you will have to create a new package part (the PLACE utility will substitute the XPART part until you add the real part).

Netin link

mentalSPICE Examples New!

These examples provide five new circuits based on the LM555 put together by our resident SPICE expert, Dr. Paul Rose. The examples include:

Pulse position modulator

Pulse width modulator (PWM)

One shot circuit

Ramp generator

Astable oscillator

Click here to get the examples. Make sure you put the MISC_SPICE.CON file in the LIB directory of SuperCAD and the MISC_SPICE.MOD file in the SuperCAD directory itself. Each circuit schematic has a brief description.

Note: see Dr. Rose's article in the January 24, 2008 issue of EDN "Flexible Hopfield neural-network ADCs quash noise", Page 59

See article here.

Utilities

Resistor Color Code Calculator

Click here to download the resistor color code calculator (shown below). With this utility you can either enter the colors to get the value, or you can enter the value to get the colors. This is a stand-alone program which runs under Windows 95/98/NT/XP/2000.

SuperPCB Library Part Manager

This utility allows you to extract all the parts in a SuperPCB library (.CAT file) and place them in a specified directory (as individual .SPC files). It also allows you to do the reverse: take all the .SPC files in a specified directory and place them in a .CAT file. You can use the utility to easily import files from older versions of SuperPCB, and you can use it to combine libraries. Click here to get the utility.

Pick and Place Utility

This utility allows you to output component placement information for an artwork file. The information can be used by manufacturers to automatically place components. The files produced by the utility has the same root name as the art work file with a .txt extension; it can be edited by Notepad or other ASCII editor. Click here to get the utility. (Note: if you have version 6/7 of SuperPCB, MA85000, you do not need this).