Saturn PCB Design Toolkit Version 6.2 including the new IPC-2152 Update!

The Saturn PCB Toolkit is the best resource for PCB related calculations you can find.
It incorporates many features that PCB designers and engineers are in regular need of like current capacity of a PCB trace, via current, differential pairs and much more. Please download our PCB Toolkit today for free and enjoy!

Download Version 6.2 Now!

Update!
We have removed the Toolkit user form, we simply could not keep up with all the submissions. Thank you all for your continued feedback on this product.

NOTE:

In order to understand the PCB Toolkit version differences, I have added this brief description of the version series. If you are not yet familiar with the IPC-2152 then please be aware that there are two separate charts for finding conductor current vs. temperature rise. All online calculators that use the IPC-2221 formula are now obsolete!!!

PCB Toolkit Version 5 series:

This version uses the IPC-2152 "conservative" chart for finding conductor current vs. temperature rise and also adds the ability to include other PCB parameters that can affect temperature rise (like PCB thickness and plane usage). We have also been working on developing our own formulas for current to get as close as possible to the measured data charts of the IPC-2152. We feel that all values in the version 5 series are within +/-10 of measured values plotted on the charts.

PCB Toolkit Version 4 series:

This version uses the IPC-2152 "conservative" chart for finding conductor current vs. temperature rise. The conservative chart in the IPC-2152 is really just the internal chart from the IPC-2221 so that was the formula used. Version 4 series is accurate to the IPC-2152 but may be too conservative in many cases.

PCB Toolkit Version 3 series:

This version uses the IPC-2221 formula for finding conductor current vs. temperature rise. The IPC-2221 has been superseded by the IPC-2152 for finding conductor current vs. temperature rise and is now obsolete.

Program includes:

PCB Via Current Calculator per IPC-2152

Calculates the current a via needs to raise its temperature over ambient per IPC-2152.
Other via properties include:
Via capacitance
Via inductance
Via impedance
Via step response
Via DC resistance
Via impedance
Via resonant frequency

PCB Trace Width Calculator & PCB Trace Resistance Calculator per IPC-2152

Calculates the current a conductor needs to raise its temperature over ambient
per IPC-2152. Now also calculates DC resistance with temperature compensation.
Other conductor properties include:
Conductor skin depth
Conductor voltage drop
Conductor DC resistance
Conductor power dissipation

Bandwidth Calculator & Max PCB Trace Length Calculator

Calculates the bandwidth of a digital signal and maximum trace length, using the IPC-2251 method or the
frequency domain method, for transmission line effects.
Wavelength calculator for given frequency.

Differential Pair Impedance Calculator

Calculates the differential pair impedance of a balanced line.

PCB Padstack Calculator

Calculates the outer and inner layer diameters of a padstack given the drill size. BGA land calculator based on the IPC-7351A specification.

Mechanical Data

Calculates wire diameter for a given AWG gauge.
Drill chart with imperial and metric diameters.
Imperial screw thread size chart.

Minimum PCB Conductor Spacing Chart

Calculates minimum conductor spacing's using peak AC or DC voltage based on IPC-2221A data.

PCB conductor Impedances

Calculates impedance of a PCB Microstrip or PCB Stripline.
Inductance of a microstrip
Capacitance of a microstrip
Propagation delay of a microstrip

Units Conversion Data

Converts mm to mils and C to F.
Embedded units chart for reference.

Planar Inductor Calculator

Calculates the inductance of a planar PCB spiral inductor.

Power Delivery System Impedance Calculator

Calculates the target impedance of a PDN.

Thermal Resistance Calculator

Calculates the junction temperature of a device using thermal resistance.

Please check back often, this program is updated often per customer requests.

What would you like to see in this program? Tell us now!

Please note that when using the IPC-2152 with modifiers option, the amperage value has a slight drop at 10,20,30,40,50,60,70,80,90,100,200,300,400,500,600 & 700sqmils. This is due to a multiplier used for each cross sectional area range. All values are within +/-10% of the chart values however. If you do not need to minimize conductor width on your PCB, you can use the IPC-2152 without modifiers option where there is no multiplier effect.

Product Revision Notes

Version 6.2 Updates & Additions:

Fixed "0.7" is not a valid floating point value.  issue.

Version 6.1 Updates & Additions:

Changed the Internal Asymmetric Differential Pair formula for better accuracy.
This along with the Internal Symmetric Differential Pair formula and still under review and need to be changed but they are both within an acceptable tolerance now.

Version 6.0 Updates & Additions:

Changed planar inductor calc to modified Wheeler formula.
Added round, square, hexagonal & octagonal planar inductors.
Added ability to read in comma as a dp. You no longer need to change the system dp for program to work.
Outputs are still in "." but all inputs now accept the ",".

Version 5.8 Updates & Additions:

Changed the formula for Sr in the IPC-2251 Method of the Bandwidth Calculator.
IPC-2251 stated formula is in error.

More work to come on he Signal Properties calculator...

Added Alron 85N to the substrate list

Version 5.71 Updates & Additions:

Corrected DC resistance error in metric mode.

Version 5.7 Updates & Additions:

Added a conductor crosstalk calculator.
Minor menu item changes.

Version 5.65 Updates & Additions:

Corrected imperial values for Conductor Spacing calculator in B3 mode for 251-500V

Version 5.64 Updates & Additions:

Added PPM Calculator for crystal toloerance values.
Added Via Thermal Resistance output to Via Properties.

Version 5.63 Updates & Additions:

Fixed startup error in Signal Properties calc in metric mode.
Added Etch Factor note in Conductor Properties.
Added minimum width limit to Conductor Width in Conductor Properties calc to prevent a negative cross section value.

Version 5.62 Updates & Additions:

Removed conductor width derating and replaced it with conductor etch factor.

Version 5.61 Updates & Additions:

Fixed metric wavelength value.

Version 5.6 Updates & Additions:

Fixed Edge Coupled Int Asym diff pair calc. (Had beta formula still in code) Still a work in progess for this calc. Added dB gain to Conversion Data tab. (Still work in progress, more to come on this)

Version 5.5 Updates & Additions:

Added embedded resistors tab.
Fixed DC resistance in metric mode for conductor calculator.

Version 5.4.1 Updates & Additions:

Corrected the embedded differential pair calculator.

Version 5.4 Updates & Additions:

Corrected the W/H and S/H error in the broadside differential pair calculator. (B7) Removed the T/H label from the CPW claculator. (B6) Changed the "Top Side Conductor Percentage" to "Conductor Width Derating" (B5) This may change again or go aways as we look for a better way to handle this. Changed stipline formula restriction to 0.1 < W/H <2.0. (B4) Corrected improper location of "Invalid" flag in coplanar waveguide calculator. (B4) Corrected outer pad diameter error in padstack calculator for metric setting. (B3) Fixed Er Eff decimal point issue. (B2) Seperated fusing current from conductor properties calculator. Added a "Solve for Condutcor Width" option for IPC-2151 without modifiers and IPC-2221A calculators. Repalced internal (hard codeed) conductor trapazoid shape adjustment with settabe percentage in options Updated asymetric stripline calculator formula to Brian C. Wadell formula. Fixed IPC-2152 with modifiers not being selected at program startup after user sets this option. Fixed error message in 2 layer via calculator when entering a larger than defaul value for via hole diameter.

Version 5.32 Updates & Additions:

Added notes next to H1 / H2 in asymmetric stripline calculator.

Version 5.31 Updates & Additions:

Fixed outer pad diameter error in padstack calculator.
Fixed drill chart text wrap error.

Version 5.3 Updates & Additions:

Updated installer to support Windows 7.
Updated formulas for all of the conductor impedance models.
Updated formulas for all of the differential pair impedance models.
Added ability to include Er effective to the wavelength calculator.
Changed how the wire gauge calculator works, added max amps in air.
Added edge coupled embedded differential pair to calculator.
Added inches and um to conversion data.
Fixed "Enter copper weight manually" display issue.
Added imperial units to the minimum conductor spacing calculator.
Added indicator to show when differential impedance is within tolerance of a target impedance.

Version 5.2 Updates & Additions:

Fixed Temprise & Ambient Temp enable / disable when Fuse current vs. Time mode selected after user exists Conductor Properties.
Fixed Temprise C vs. F scale.

Version 5.1 Updates & Additions:

Plating Thickness now disables when internal layer is selected for conductor properties.
Plane Distance now disables when fuse current option is selected for conductor properties Added IPC version to options for conductor current.
Fixed Temprise F scale when 0C is selected.
Updated default values for via settings.

Version 5.0 Updates & Additions:

Significantly changed how the program calculates amperage to better match the IPC-2152 charts.

Please note that the amperage value has a slight drop at 10,20,30,40,50,60,70,80,90,100,200,300,400,500,600 & 700sqmils. This is due to the multiplier used for each cross sectional area range. All values are within +/-10% of the chart values however.

Version4 series PCB Toolkit follows the new IPC-2152 chart as well but uses the general chart which can be too conservative in some applications. Implementing the new IPC-2152 has been no easy task since no new formulas were produced in the document. This has forced us to derive at our on formulas for current vs. temprise so please check back often for updates to this V5 beta program.

Added microvia current vs. temprise support
Added power dissipation in dBm for via and conductor calculator
Added dual monitor support for dialog boxes
Added broadside coupled differential pair support
Added imperial units support to spiral inductor calculator
Added embedded microstrip support for conductor impedance
Added coplanar waveguide support for conductor impedance
Added degree symbols
Fixed F to C conversion for temprise
Fixed dropdown menu control vs. tab control
Added close button to about dialog box
Fixed Conductor Impedance selection list from B2
Added "Program Options" menu item for manually entering copper weight
Fixed install directory issue, now installs to V5 directory.
Added DC option for frequency input

Previous Versions:

V4.0 Updates & Additions:

• Updated current capacity formulas per the new IPC-2152 specification
• Comma detection for European systems
• Added units conversion tool
• Invalid floating point in Impedances tool fixed
• Added planar inductor calculator
• Updated drill chart
• Updated wire chart, added resistance, max amps
• Added Power Delivery Network Impedance calculator
• Added Thermal Resistance tools
• PCB Thickness now included in current capacity
• Added parallel conductors mode

Program Revision History

Version 4.6.1

Corrected copper plane thickness index when switching between imperial and metric units.

Version 4.6

Corrected copper weight issue in the Impedances program for metric stripline.
Plane thickness now shows metric weights when in metric mode.
Conductor temperatures properly read "N/A" when disabled.

Version 4.5

Added de-rating for fiberglass substrates for via and conductor properties. This affects total amperage value due to substrates having different thermal properties.
Corrected Microstrip / Stripline plating option error
Added conductor inductance to the conductor impedance calculator

Version 4.4

Added Carriage Return functionality for "Solve"
Fixed spelling errors in the padstack calculator
Updated Tab controls in programs

Version 4.3

Changed GUI to consolidate options
Added plane selection in conductor calculator

Version 4.2

Added more resolution to the PCB thickness input
Fixed error in previous version's external conductor calculation

Version 4.1.1

Added skin depth to the fusing current portion of the conductor calculator

Version 4.1

Added skin depth to the conductor calculator

Version 4.0.1:

Increased Signal slider bar for wavelength to 1/20
Changed default values for planar inductor calculator
Fixed text in BGA land diameter calculator