Working with Manufacturing Constraints using Allegro SKILL

Allegro SKILL offers a suite of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to invoke Manufacturing Constraints on your database. Here are a few of the most widely used AXL APIs to create constraint sets for Manufacturing, Fabrication, and Assembly worksheets: 

• axlCreateDFMCset(csetName sheet usage): This API creates a new constraint set (cset) for the specified sheet and usage type. The cset can then be used to define rules for specific design objects.
• axlCreateDfmAttr(csetId rule value): This API assigns a value to a specific rule within a constraint set. This allows you to define design rules such as minimum clearance, minimum width, and other manufacturing requirements.
• axlCNSModeSet(domain rule flag): This API enables or disables specific rules in the design. You can turn on or off different rules to ensure that the design meets specific manufacturing requirements.
• axlCreateDfmAssignment(cls sheet based stackupName group csetName layerName): This API assigns a constraint set to a specific class, subclass, layer, or stackup in the design. This allows you to define rules for specific design objects and ensures that these rules are enforced during the design process.
• axlDeleteDfmAssignment(sheet csetName): This API removes a constraint set from a specific sheet in the design. This is useful when you wants to modify or delete a constraint set that is no longer needed.
• axlGetDFMCset(csetName sheet): This API retrieves the values assigned to specific rules within a constraint set for a specific sheet. This is useful for verifying that the rules are set correctly and that the design meets manufacturing requirements.
• axlDeleteDFMCset(csetName sheet): This API deletes a constraint set from a specific sheet in the design. This is useful when you wants to remove a constraint set that is no longer needed.

Do you also struggle to find the worksheet name while working with Constraint Manager through SKILL?

To find the name of the constraint, right-click the workbook for your choice and enable the Customize Worksheets option, as shown in the image given below:

The official worksheet name of each constraint is now shown for every check.

Another way to find a name is by simply hovering over a column in Constraints Editor. See the example given below. When you hover the pointer over this column header, it shows DFF_SLKSCR_PNPD as the data tip information.

As an example of a SKILL API, creating a new constraint set named SILK_CHECKS produces the output shown in this image:

You can also get or set the Analysis Modes values using SKILL, which ensures that your Design Rule Checking (DRC) is available in Canvas after setting constraint values.

axlCNSModeGet() and axlCNSModeSet() functions can be used to fetch or set the current DRC modes for checks that fall into set of constraints under the specified domain.

axlCNSModeGet('dff 'all ); Get the current settings of Design for Fabrication constraints

If you want to hear more about the Constraint Manager, SKILL, and other examples, do let us know!!