This guide focuses on the 22.1 release, which introduced a unified UI, improved 3D canvas, and faster performance. It covers the two primary flows: (standalone) and Allegro PCB Designer (high-end). Part 1: Understanding the Ecosystem (22.1 Specifics) In version 22.1, Cadence merged the look and feel of OrCAD and Allegro. The main difference is database complexity and license tier .
| Feature | OrCAD PCB Designer 22.1 | Allegro PCB Designer 22.1 | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Low to Medium (2-6 layers) | Medium to High (16+ layers) | | Max Layers | Unlimited (but constrained by features) | Unlimited | | Constraints | Basic (Physical, Spacing) | Advanced (Matched Delays, Relative Propagation Delay, DDR) | | Routing | Interactive, Gloss | High-speed, Tune, Auto-interactive, Gloss Plus | | Team Design | No | Yes (Allegro Partitioning) | | 3D Canvas | Yes (Basic) | Yes (Full STEP export, collision detection) | cadence orcad and allegro 22.1