Considering rhe extremely complex nature of modern PCB board design. I was wondering if some PCB designer software also included a simulator to test that the board will actually work as designed?

 

It would certainly be expensive, and certainly not freeware.

I don't know if even Altium Designer performs such simulations, and that software cost about $10,000 USD as of several years ago when I looked at it.

 

Yes I realize it would be expensive. Probably hugely expensive.

I was just thinking about how companies that build complex system boards do it. I would think they would like to know that the board is going to work before having them printed up.

The company I used to work for years ago had some boards printed up. After they got them back, they realized there was a problem. I can remember seeing the assemblers drilling, wire patching and what ever to get them right.

 

multisim from national instruments seems to be best, but it costs ££££s