Topor  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: IconicPCB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2015, 03:18:56 am
content: Has anyone had any experience with TOPOR? (www.eremex.com)Seems like an interesting non grid based PCB router.

author: Rigby
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2015, 03:45:43 pm
content: Looks interesting, definitely.If their claims are true then it's a semi-big deal.

author: FrankBuss
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 11, 2019, 07:15:50 am
content: I tested the demo version and looks good. Does anyone know the price? I couldn't find it on their webpage. There is a order page athttps://www.eremex.com/howtobuy/and it says if you click "submit" (the label of the button is in Russian, and you need a login), you don't see the usual checkout page, it just says "order accepted" and you get a confirmation eMail, but still without the price. Very strange site.

author: TheUnnamedNewbie
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2019, 07:46:31 am
content: Quote from: FrankBuss on March 11, 2019, 07:15:50 amTo be honest, I don't think any of the top-tier software/hardware vendors list prices on their website. Usually everything goes through your local sales person who will negotiate a price with you.I have run into this before but never got to try it out or even see it in action. It makes quite impressive claims, which would be interesting to see if it can actually back them up in practice.

author: FrankBuss
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 11, 2019, 07:59:13 am
content: Don't know if you consider Altium top-tierbutthey say how much it cost. Right, for PADS etc. it is difficult to find a price, and depends on which modules you buy. BTW, didn't know there is aMaker Edition now of PADS. Maybe I should try it, but I'm happy with KiCad at the moment.I did test TopoR once with a small KiCad project and the result looked good:

author: IconicPCB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2019, 08:13:02 am
content: I have two layer Topor.I cant recall how much it was but i have found it usefull in a number of situations where Altium had some difficulties completing the job.

author: Andrey_irk
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2019, 08:28:30 am
content: For some reason they don't update their english website very often. Maybe because they sell their software mostly in Russia.Try using the russian version via google translate:https://www.eremex.ru/download-or-buy/There you can download a "lite" version of TOPOR for hobby use (for non-commercial projects and restricted to 125 connections). Fun fact is that Topor means an axe in russian.Also they have a complete PCB design suite called Delta Design, which is supposed to substitute Altium in russian companies. Never used myself.If any of you want to get a Lite version of Topor, pm me.

author: FrankBuss
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 11, 2019, 09:19:22 am
content: Got a price quote: $1990 for TopoR "StartUp", which is the 4 layer version.

author: FrankBuss
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 11, 2019, 03:09:50 pm
content: PS: if you live in Russia, it is cheaper, and if you ask nicely, you might get a discount

author: FrankBuss
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 14, 2019, 08:57:32 am
content: I bought it, quick test:https://hackaday.io/page/6004-topor-test

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2019, 09:43:57 am
content: Quote from: FrankBuss on March 14, 2019, 08:57:32 amThose tracks look ridiculously & unnecessarily thin

author: FrankBuss
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 14, 2019, 09:55:03 am
content: That's how I specified it in KiCad: 10 mil track width for all tracks. Some tracks for power supply should be thicker and I did this when I manually routed it (see linked Hackaday article), but I didn't bother to specify the right class for it for the auto-router. Will try this with the next board I do.

author: Ice-Tea
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2019, 10:10:11 am
content: Quote from: FrankBuss on March 11, 2019, 07:59:13 amAltium pricing (and in fact their entire bussiness model) seems more fluid than quicksilver. I wouldn't put too much stock in prices from 5+ years ago. Even though, by pure luck I assume, I think for the moment prices are in that general neighbourhood.

author: ali_asadzadeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2019, 11:23:24 am
content: Can it be used on Altium files?

author: IconicPCB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2019, 11:25:43 am
content: Frank You can specify track widths net by net or group by group within TYopor.You can also nominate differential pairs so that the tracks are auto routed at he correct impedance level and balanced track lengths.once routed You should be able to transfer the solution to Kicad and finish it off.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2019, 11:27:26 am
content: Quote from: FrankBuss on March 14, 2019, 09:55:03 amthey look much thinner - maybe a rendering issue

author: IconicPCB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2019, 11:30:12 am
content: Yes , Altium is not a problem.I run with altium14 at present.There is an import utility for altium filaes but the utility does not work on Altium 14 i understand.I therefore export Altium design in PCAD text format and process it thus.I can export the finished solution in PCAD and reim[prt it back into altium.I have noticed there are some components whose orientation would be changed in this bckward translation.Simple answer checl com[ponent orientation and adjust for an error free result.

author: FrankBuss
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 14, 2019, 11:38:01 am
content: In KiCAD I just export a Specctra DSN file, and then import back a Specctra Session file. Works without problems.

author: FrankBuss
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 14, 2019, 11:39:15 am
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on March 14, 2019, 11:27:26 amIf you zoom in, they are much biggerBTW for the TopoR experts here: is it possible to make the traces more round? Looks like they are segmented, I would like to have a finer curve, like you would see in very old manual film routed PCBs.

author: IconicPCB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2019, 12:17:43 pm
content: You have the option of rounded arcs versus straight lines.

author: FrankBuss
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 14, 2019, 01:47:25 pm
content: Quote from: IconicPCB on March 14, 2019, 12:17:43 pmI've used rounded arcs for the test, but couldn't see much difference between the other option anyway.

author: 5PNdcc0Jety0
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 08, 2021, 03:32:56 pm
content: Eremex now sells it own EDA with topor included, for multilayer boards it may well be cheaper to buy it whole.