Polar Speedstack v25 Overview
Polar Speedstack is a comprehensive PCB (Printed Circuit Board) stackup design and documentation system from Polar Instruments, widely used by OEM designers, PCB technologists, and fabricators. It enables rapid creation of accurate rigid, flex-rigid, and HDI (High-Density Interconnect) stackups, with integrated field-solving for controlled impedance and insertion loss. Speedstack streamlines collaboration across the supply chain by generating detailed reports, exporting data to tools like Si8000/Si9000, and supporting standards for signal integrity in high-speed designs.
The software suite includes variants like:
- Speedstack PCB: Core stackup design with impedance control.
- Speedstack Si: Adds insertion loss modeling (e.g., Cannonball-Huray surface roughness).
- Speedstack HyperStack: For advanced HDI and flex designs.
Speedstack v25.01 Specifics
Released on January 9, 2025, Speedstack v25.01 introduces enhancements focused on improved accuracy, usability, and integration for complex multilayer PCBs. This update builds on v24.04 (April 2024), which added L/C per unit length calculations and expanded field solver parameters. Key highlights include:
- Enhanced Material and Roughness Modeling: Gradient methods for copper roughness, improving insertion loss predictions in high-frequency applications.
- Improved Reporting and Documentation: User-selectable parameters for inductance (L) and capacitance (C) per unit length in reports, with better support for mixed materials on dielectric layers.
- Integration Upgrades: Seamless data exchange with Zuken’s CR-8000 Design Force (announced February 2025), including DFM validation and access to online material libraries for high-speed laminates.
- Delta-L 4.0 Coupon Support: Advanced insertion loss testing structures for rigid-flex PCBs.
- Localization and Accessibility: Expanded language support (e.g., German, Japanese, Simplified/Traditional Chinese) for global teams.