Introduction

EEforce is a design lifecycle management (DLM) platform purpose-built for Siemens EDA tools - Xpedition and PADS Professional. It provides centralized version control, access management, and collaboration for PCB design teams.

Architecture

EEforce uses a client-server architecture:

Component	Role
Server	Stores all design files as versioned objects in an isolated vault. Manages users, groups, licenses, and access control. Runs as an IIS application on Windows Server.
Client	Desktop application (Windows) that provides the UI for browsing projects, checking designs in/out, previewing content, and managing settings.
Web Admin	Browser-based administration panel for managing users, groups, projects, and server settings.

Core Concepts

Projects

Projects are the top-level organizational unit. Each project contains one or more Containers (design files). Access permissions are configured at the project level using role-based assignments.

Containers

A container holds a versioned design - typically a PCB board, schematic, or multi-board panel. Containers track full version history and support check-out/check-in workflows.

Version Control

EEforce uses a lock-based version control model:

• Check out a design to begin editing (locks it for other users)
• Check in to upload changes as a new version
• Cancel check-out to discard changes and release the lock

Access Control

Projects use role-based access with three levels:

• Viewer - read-only access
• Contributor - can check out and check in designs
• Manager - full control including member management

See Access Model for complete details.

Key Features

• Seamless integration with Xpedition and PADS Professional design tools
• Built-in previews for PCB layout, schematics, stack-up, and BOM
• Role-based access control with per-project granularity
• Unlimited version history for all design files
• Remote working support with export/import packages
• LDAP/Active Directory integration with group synchronization
• SSO support via external identity providers
• Low resource footprint - minimal CPU and memory usage
• Web-based administration - no need to install tools on the server

Supported Design Tools

Tool	Versions
Siemens Xpedition	All VX versions, 2409, 2504, 2604
Siemens PADS Professional	All versions

TIP

Any file type can be stored using Folder containers, but seamless editor integration (open, preview, BOM extraction) is available only for Xpedition and PADS Professional designs.

What's Next

• Server Installation - Set up the EEforce server
• Client Installation - Install and configure the desktop client
• Release Notes - See what's new in this version