Mentor Graphics Pads Version History May 2026

In 1997, Mentor Graphics acquired PADS, and the software became an integral part of the company's portfolio of design tools. Under Mentor Graphics, PADS continued to evolve and improve, with a focus on integrating the software with other Mentor Graphics tools and platforms.

In 2015, Mentor Graphics released PADS OrCAD, a comprehensive PCB design solution that integrated PADS with the OrCAD schematic capture and simulation tools. This release marked a significant shift towards a more integrated design flow. Later, in 2017, Mentor Graphics released PADS Xtreme, a next-generation PCB design platform that featured a modern user interface, improved performance, and enhanced capabilities for high-speed design, simulation, and collaboration. mentor graphics pads version history

The first version of PADS, version 1.0, was released in the early 1980s by PADS, a company founded by three engineers in the United States. The software was initially designed for MS-DOS and provided basic PCB design capabilities, including schematic capture, component placement, and routing. Over the next few years, PADS released several updates, including version 2.0, which introduced support for hierarchical designs and version 3.0, which added capabilities for high-speed design and simulation. In 1997, Mentor Graphics acquired PADS, and the