Widely considered the "golden age" for stability; version 9.5 remains in use by many legacy teams.
In 2017, Siemens acquired Mentor Graphics, eventually rebranding the division as . Under Siemens, the PADS ecosystem shifted focus toward cloud collaboration, supply chain integration, and digital twin technology. PADS Professional VX.2.8 to VX.2.10 (2020–2021)
Transitioned to Windows GUI; introduced legendary modeless commands. 2009 – 2014 Windows XP/7
The "VX" naming convention was introduced to represent cross-platform compatibility and system synchronization.
: In 2000, the company was sold to Innoveda , a joint venture involving ViewLogic. This period is often remembered by longtime users for a perceived stall in product innovation. 3. The Mentor Graphics Era (2002–2017) mentor graphics pads version history
These versions focused on stability and the introduction of advanced simulation. PADS 2007.3 introduced HyperLynx Analog as an add-in for DxDesigner, significantly enhancing signal integrity capabilities.
Seamless, bidirectional synchronization with Siemens NX and Solid Edge MCAD software, allowing instantaneous ECO (Engineering Change Order) updates between electrical and mechanical teams. Siemens PADS Professional (Recent Releases)
Under the direction of Mentor Graphics, the product began a new phase, adopting a naming convention based on the year of release.
Mentor Graphics PADS (now part of Siemens EDA) stands as one of the most enduring and widely used printed circuit board (PCB) design software suites in the electronics industry. Originally developed by CADAM and later acquired by PADS Software Inc., the toolset became a cornerstone of the Mentor Graphics portfolio in 2002. Over the decades, PADS transitioned from a basic DOS-based layout tool to a highly sophisticated, multi-disciplinary desktop engineering platform. Widely considered the "golden age" for stability; version 9
The PADS 9.x releases represented one of the longest-running and most stable architectures in the software's history, with many legacy engineering teams continuing to use these versions for years. PADS 9.0 (2009)
Introduced as an advanced tier, PADS-Perform brought high-resolution graphics drivers and improved routing algorithms to the DOS environment. It allowed designers to handle larger pin-count boards and multi-layer stackups.
Mentor Graphics acquired Innoveda in 2001, bringing PADS into one of the "big three" EDA portfolios.
Maintain the traditional PADS user interface (UI) and logic. PADS Professional VX
: Mentor shifted to the VX (Version X) nomenclature to align PADS with its high-end Xpedition technology.
Integrated basic Design for Fabrication (DFF) analysis tools directly into the layout environment to check for manufacturing traps like acid traps and copper slivers.
After a brief pause, Mentor Graphics "resurrected" the PADS name in 2003 for the low-to-mid range PCB market. The following decade became a period of extraordinary development, marked by the release of several now-legendary versions.
If you want to dive deeper into a specific version of PADS, tell me:
Which (e.g., 9.5, VX.2) your current design archives use?