Feature request: better trace impedance tools

[marcocipriani01]

Hello,

I would like to submit a feature request: better trace impedance tools. Here's what I mean in particular:

• Being able to explicitly mark traces as diffential pairs or controlled impedance in the schematic
• Being able to define an "impedance profile" in the layer stack manager, i.e. define a profile for all 50Ω traces that automatically calculates trace space and width for differential pairs using the information already present in the layer stack manager, then apply this profile to single-ended traces and differential pairs. Changing some parameters (dielectric constant, prepreg thickness, etc.) should automatically update all traces on the PCB with the newly calculated width and spacing. The impedance profile should be linked to the mark in the schematic, to make it very clear that a trace has a 50Ω (single-ended or differential) impedance. The impedance profile may also include information about the impedance of vias for those signals.
• When a controlled impedance is selected, show the full lenght of the trace, not just the length of the selected segment of the trace, and the % difference, similarly to what the "length" ULP does - but automatically when I click a trace with an impedance profile.
• Improve the "Meander" tool, which is now very clumsy to use and kind of useless. Sometimes, it doesn't even work for me (I'm definitely not the first person to bring this up in the forum).
• Improve the "Differential pair routing" tool, as it takes a moment to compute and produces traces with weird and non-optimal shapes
• Moving one of the two trace in a differential pair should also move the other trace when some kind of "move differential pair" toggle option is enabled.

I know all this is ambitious, but I really hope Autodesk could implement these features. They're basically all that Fusion 360 Electronics is missing compared Altium Designer when it comes to high-speed design...

Kind regards,

Marco Cipriani

[jorge_garcia · Accepted solution]

Hi @marcocipriani01,

I hope this message finds you well. Thank you for these excellent suggestions, I'll make sure these get incorporated into initiatives we have to improve meanders and differential pair routing in general.

Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you.

Best Regards,

[marcocipriani01]

Thanks!

[melisa.kaner]

Hi there @marcocipriani01 , thanks so much for your feedback! I've sent you a DM to learn more about your feature request. Really appreciate you putting the time together for it and looking forward to chatting soon. 

Best regards,

Melisa (Fusion Electronics Product Management)