SAN JOSE -- Printed circuit board design software sales rose nearly 10% year-over-year in the September quarter, the only EDA tool category that grew in the quarter, The EDA Consortium announced today. 

"PCB license growth and double-digit growth in semiconductor IP and overall services were the primary drivers," said Mentor Graphics chairman and CEO Wally Rhines, speaking on behalf of EDAC. 

Overall electronic design automation industry revenue increased 5.7% year-over-year during the period to $1.82 billion, EDAC said. Sequentially, revenue increased 4%, while the four-quarters moving average, which compares the most recent four quarters to the prior four quarters, increased 5.6%.

All regions grew except Japan, with record revenues in the Americas and Asia-Pacific.

It was the 19th consecutive quarter of EDA expansion.

Employment in the sector rose 5.6% year-over-year and 1.2% sequentially.

PCB and MCM tool revenue rose 9.7% from a year ago to $167.4 million in the quarter, offsetting drops in most other major categories. Computer-aided engineering revenue was $604.5 million in the period, down 6.1% from a year ago. IC Physical Design and Verification revenue was $357.8 million down 1.4%, and semiconductor intellectual property (SIP) revenue totaled $586.1 million, up 22.9%. Services revenue was $112.4 million, up 20.2%.

The Americas, EDA's largest region, purchased $842 million of EDA products and services in the September quarter, up 9.2%. Asia/Pacific revenue increased 11.3% to $499.9 million. Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) was up 4% to $296.8 million. Japan fell 15.3%to $189.5 million.