For nearly four decades, PADS has remained a cornerstone of printed circuit board (PCB) design, evolving from a simple DOS-based tool into a sophisticated suite of electronic design automation (EDA) solutions. Now part of Siemens EDA (formerly Mentor Graphics), the PADS version history reflects the industry's shift from manual drafting to high-speed, automated, and cloud-integrated design. The Early Era: 1985 – 1997

2002: Mentor Graphics acquired Innoveda, bringing PADS into its high-end EDA portfolio.

: These releases focused on improving board-level simulation and introduced tools like DxDesigner and HyperLynx Analog integration. PADS 9.0 (June 2009)

After Mentor Graphics was acquired by Siemens in 2017, PADS became part of Siemens EDA.

  • Constraint-driven design (topology-based, not just net classes).
  • Sketch routing (predictive, high-speed).
  • 3D PCB design with real-time MCAD collision detection.
  • Advanced rigid-flex (multiple bend zones, 3D folding).
  • Version control (Git/Teamcenter) built in.
  • HyperLynx full (DDR, SERDES, Power Integrity) – optional.

The Evolution of PADS: A Complete Version History

For over three decades, PADS (Personal Automated Design Systems) has been one of the most popular PCB design tool suites for layout engineers, small-to-medium businesses, and educational institutions. Originally developed by Mentor Graphics (now part of Siemens EDA since 2017), PADS has evolved from a DOS-based schematic capture tool into a powerful, constraint-driven layout environment.