For over three decades, (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.
With the (Variable X) branding, Mentor introduced a subscription‑style numbering scheme and a cloud‑connected component portal. mentor graphics pads version history
PADS 8.x – 9.x (late 2000s – early 2010s) For over three decades, (Personal Automated Design Systems)