Key Features
Improve engineer productivity and library part quality with millions of parts instantly available via integrated web search. Automatically import parts ready for immediate use. Optionally choose to control your library parts using our managed libraries workflow, including external (GIT, SVN) or manual versioning
- Over 15 million parts automatically imported via integrated web search.
- Generic library import facilities and specialist FPGA packaging tools.
- Optional managed libraries setting restricts usage to approved parts.
- Librarian generates and maintains approved libraries in Library manager.
- Per part version control with external repos like GIT/Subversion.
- Auditing tools to check the latest version of parts are in use.
Proteus comes equipped with over 50,000 library parts as standard. Each schematic part is packaged with one or more PCB footprints which are typically IPC-7351 compliant. Additionally, most parts contain property definitions such as stock code numbers which can be used in the bill of materials report.
This provides a solid baseline of all libraries for users and provides many of the most common parts used in a typical PCB design.
When a search for a library part is made the installed libraries are searched first. If no matches are found a web search then takes place automatically. Over 15 million parts along with their footprints (and often 3D STEP models) are available for import into Proteus, making sure users can quickly get the part they need.
Parts are imported from the website by double clicking the mouse on the required part. Not only are parts then ready for placement in the current project but they are also stored in the installed user libraries for use in future designs.
Integrated web search and automatic import is available via both Samacsys and SnapEDA.
There are multiple independent vendors of library parts and also some library parts available on supplier websites such as Digikey. Proteus enables import from these tools via the PADS ASCII™ v9.5 file format. Parts can be downloaded from the website or tool of choice in this format and then brought into Proteus from a generic part import dialogue form.
Generic import links up the Proteus Design Suite with the users tool of choice for sourcing library parts.
Large FPGA's provide unique library challenges. Normally, they need to be split into multiple schematic elements and there are also a large number of ball mappings that may be subject to change as the design evolves.
The integrated web search is the first place to search as it will often return the schematic part already fragmented into elements. Proteus also provides a dedicated way to manage the schematic elements during BSDL file import. Users can often find BSDL files on manufacturer websites for large BGA packages.
When it comes to packaging the BGA Proteus supports the import of both Altera and Xilinx pinout files which automates the mapping process and makes it far less error prone.
A more restricted or quality controlled way of working is with Managed Libraries. This is an approved library workflow that limits the available parts to those released by the librarian and provides auditing tools to check compliance.
The user switches Proteus into managed mode via a System setting. This disables web import and some local editing of parts and it restricts parts that can be picked to the set of managed libraries distributed by the librarian.
The librarian creates, maintains and releases the managed libraries inside the library manager module. They can also version the libraries using external repositories and the commit logs and hash/revision numbers will be imported back into Proteus as part of the library release process.
Finally, the reviewer uses the Manage Changes tool to check that the latest version of the parts in the managed libraries is in use and the pre-production check to find any unmanaged parts in use.
In practise these three roles might be filled by the same person using a single copy of Proteus. However the scheme applies equally to multiple people working in a design team.
Read more about managed libraries in our downloadable PDFRegardless of whether you are working with managed libraries or not good management of user libraries is important. Proteus comes with a dedicated library manager module which easily allows users to create new libraries, move parts between libraries and compare parts in different libraries.
In the managed libraries workflow the library manager module also enables the use of libraries with external repositories and the creating and releasing of new versions of managed libraries for users.
A dedicated property management interface can be launched from Library Manager to allow for easy and consistent management of library part information such as preferred supplier, minimum order quantity or cost.
Library Tutorials
Visit the tutorial videos page to learn more about productivity features in Proteus.
Watch VideosLibrary Technical Brochure
Download a technical brochure with more information on library part support in the Proteus Design Suite.
Download Brochure.