EasyEDA explained

EasyEDA
EasyEDA
Developer:EasyEDA
Latest Release Version:6.4.25
Latest Release Date:[1]
Platform:Linux, macOS, Windows
Language:English, French, German, Polish, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Ukrainian, Chinese Simplified, Vietnamese, Czech, Portuguese
Language Count:13
Genre:EDA software
License:Commercial software

EasyEDA is a web-based EDA tool suite that enables hardware engineers to design, simulate, share - publicly and privately - and discuss schematics, simulations and printed circuit boards. Other features include the creation of a bill of materials, Gerber files and pick and place files and documentary outputs in PDF, PNG and SVG formats.

EasyEDA allows the creation and editing of schematic diagrams, SPICE simulation of mixed analogue and digital circuits and the creation and editing of printed circuit board layouts and, optionally, the manufacture of printed circuit boards.[2] [3]

Subscription-free membership is offered for public projects plus a limited number of private projects. The number of private projects can be increased by contributing high quality public projects, schematic symbols, and PCB footprints and/or by paying a monthly subscription.

Registered users can download Gerber files from the tool free of charge; but for a fee, EasyEDA offers a PCB fabrication service. This service is also able to accept Gerber file inputs from third-party tools.[4]

The company is based in Shenzhen, China.

History

In June 2010, Dillon He and Eric Cui started a survey of EDA tools for a hardware project of their own. The search for an EDA tool capable of schematic capture, circuit simulation and printed circuit board layout saw limited success, and He concluded that designing their own EDA tool would be beneficial.[5]

Their key goals were that the tools be platform independent, free, easy to learn and to use.

The first version of the toolsuite appeared online in August 2013 and since officially launching in March 2014[6] [7] the tool has developed rapidly[8] [9] [10] [11] with several major revisions and enhancements[12] [13]

EasyEDA first received external investment in January and attracted more in November 2015.

Features

EasyEDA is an integrated browser-based tool for schematic capture, SPICE circuit simulation (based on Ngspice) and PCB layout.

Import from Altium Designer, CircuitMaker, Eagle, Kicad and LTspice file formats as well as generic SPICE netlists is supported. SPICE netlists can be exported to third party simulation tools and export of PCB netlists in Altium, PADS and FreePCB formats is also supported.[14]

The ability to import LTspice schematics and symbols provides a useful way to port schematics to PCB layout without having to redraw them from scratch.

Once Gerber files of a completed PCB design have been downloaded and checked - using a third party Gerber viewer - the user is free to choose a PCB manufacturer or, for a fee, they can submit the Gerbers directly to EasyEDA for manufacture. Alternatively, printable PCB layer image output is also supported in PDF, PNG and SVG formats for home PCB etching.

The tool also includes sharing and collaboration features and a comprehensive parts and an expanding SPICE model library.

License

While the license at https://easyeda.com/page/legal say in cap. V that EasyEDA software is usable freely for private and commercial software, in cap. VII it says that content material including electronic files are usable for noncommercial purposes only, and you may not modify any of the materials and you may not copy, distribute, transmit, display, perform, reproduce, publish, license, create derivative works from, transfer or sell any information or work. This is incompatible with free software.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Update Record . easyeda.com . 2021-12-12.
  2. Web site: Sonic . EasyEDA gives makers pcb layout in a browser. seeedstudio.com . 2014-06-25 . 2015-12-16.
  3. Web site: A Tale of Two Browser PCB Tools. Williams. Al. August 21, 2015. Hackaday. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20150822114839/http://hackaday.com/2015/08/21/a-tale-of-two-browser-pcb-tools/ . 2015-08-22 . January 30, 2020.
  4. Web site: EasyEDA Two Years Later. Williams. Al. December 5, 2017. Hackaday. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171206085508/https://hackaday.com/2017/12/05/easyeda-two-years-later/ . 2017-12-06 . January 30, 2020.
  5. Web site: Yuan . Zhang . Easy EDA:在线创客软件服务是未来的趋势 (Easy EDA: Online creating customer service is the future of software). leiphone.com . 2014-07-18 . 2015-12-17.
  6. He . Dillon . EasyEDA Launches Web-Based EDA: Integrates Schematic Capture, Mixed Mode Circuit Simulation, PCB Layout and Supply. . 2014-03-05 . 2015-11-28.
  7. Web site: Kraft . Caleb . Easy Design in Your Browser With EasyEDA. eetimes.com . 2014-03-19 . 2015-12-17.
  8. Web site: Payne . Daniel . A New, Free, Web-Based EDA Toolset in the Cloud. semiwiki.com . 2014-04-08. 2015-11-29.
  9. Web site: Jojo . Draw Your Circuits and Simulate them Online for Free using EasyEDA. circuitstoday.com . 2014-04-14. 2015-11-29.
  10. Web site: Fierman . Andy . EasyEDA: Free online EDA – Product how-to. edn.com . 2014-05-07. 2015-11-29.
  11. Web site: Schneider . David . Cloud-based Electronic-Design Tools Gain Traction - IEEE Spectrum . . 2014-06-26 . 2015-11-29.
  12. Web site: Williams. Al . A Tale of Two Browser PCB Tools - Hackaday. Hackaday.com . 2015-08-21 . 2015-11-28.
  13. Key. Robert . FREE Electronic Schematic Software Is Now Available For Circuit Simulation Online. datsyn.com . 2015-10-12 . 2015-12-15.
  14. Web site: A Full Review of EasyEDA: A Circuit EDA Online Tool. Tawil. Yahya. 19 November 2017. Atadiat. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201021045404/https://atadiat.com/en/e-full-review-of-easyeda-circuit-eda-online-tool/ . 2020-10-21 . January 30, 2020.