PCB-Investigator v. 12.2 provides the following enhancements: DRC analysis with overlap of copper/silkscreen with profiles;

Applying experience to design to build better boards.

Some things change, some stay the same. The Pretenders were almost certainly not thinking about making PCBs, but it certainly applies to this industry.

As my musical musing may suggest, I’ve been here a long time – just over 50 years, in fact. (Chrissie Hynde was still at art school when I started.) I’ve seen many changes. I even caused a few! (More on that later.) But some things stay the same, and one of these is the disconnect between PCB designers and the fabricators who do the making.

Advances in fabrication have translated into new design constraints and guidelines.

Since being named technical conference director for PCB West seven years ago, I have generally shied away from offering keynote addresses.

There are many reasons for my hesitancy, but primarily it’s because they seemed so out of place for a conference like PCB West. Since UP Media president Pete Waddell founded the show in 1992, its focus has always been on training. That sets it apart from the traditional research-driven test-and-report style events that populate this industry. Both have their place, but PCB West always has been about helping those in the trenches.

Keynotes, on the other hand, tend to fall in one of two categories. There are the rah-rah types, of course. These are the professional motivators: ex astronauts, generals, athletes. They tend to roll out the same old bromides, a takeoff on the theme of overcoming adversity. Audiences listen. They cheer. Their souls are saved. Then they go out and do the same things they’ve always done.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – Fujitsu Network Communications has built a 20-layer complex board manufactured using only an IPC-2581B design file.

Does artificial intelligence make you concerned for your job? Are humans at imminent risk of being replaced by robots, or even software-driven functions?

Kyle Miller says no and no.

Miller is head of a team of product developers at Zuken in Bristol, England, that is working on AI-based place-and-route technology. In addition to the 20-plus years spent in CAD tools, he has a doctorate in artificial intelligence, which means he’s a lot better at math than me or you.

Speaking at Zuken Innovation World in mid-April, Miller outlined the headway Zuken is making in machine-learning tools. The short answer: quite a bit. Machine learning-based programs are very good at pattern recognition and converting data into usable forms. Everyday uses include Google’s Android-based speech-to-text tools. ML is also apparently superior in finding and exploiting bugs in software, to the extent the developers of the space-flight simulation role-playing game known as Elite Dangerous had to eliminate the function after their game’s ML exploited a glitch to create an unstoppable weapon.

YOKOHAMA, JAPAN – Zuken will open a technology competence center for transportation in Erlangen, Germany, extending its efforts to develop electronic architecture and wiring harnesssoftware for the transportation end-market.

There’s only so much a company can give away without extracting payment of some kind. Perhaps the world’s biggest provider of free stuff, Google, “gives away” its search tools, but in exchange users are offered less than democratic responses whereby the highest ranked terms are paid for. And in fact, the cost of “free” search is underwritten by copious amounts of advertising.

New CAD tools feature virtual prototyping for evaluating effects of packaging architecture on functionality, cost, weight and size.

ProtoLaser LDI is a high-res, table top laser direct imaging system for prototyping on resist-covered substrates. Has a software-selectable 1 or 3µm laser beam spot. Has a working area of nearly 4" x 4". Is for creating ultrafine features required by the microfluidic and MEMS industry. Activates UV resist-covered substrates from CAD. Can be used on a variety of substrates.

LPKF, www.lpkf.com

SAN FRANCISCO – Master Electronics and Onlinecomponents.com released millions of SnapEDA computer-aided design models on their respective platforms.

Pads PCB CAD platform features new analog/mixed-signal (AMS) and high-speed analysis tools for mixed-signal design, DDR implementation, and electrically correct design signoff. 

Features: 

• Pads AMS Cloud,a cloud-based circuit exploration/simulation environment and user community, addresses analog/mixed signal simulation. Users from all levels of expertise can create and share analog, mixed-signal, and mixed-technology designs in an online, collaborative environment where designs and models can be published or downloaded. Circuit designs created in AMS Cloud can be transferred to the AMS Design Suite desktop environment, eliminating the need to manually recreate circuits to perform advanced analysis and drive the PCB design flow.
• Pads AMS Design Suite, which allows design and simulation of analog/mixed-signal and digital in one environment. Within one schematic session, both analog circuit simulation leveraging VHDL-AMS, and topology exploration with the HyperLynx tool can be performed. Beyond common core AMS simulation analysis (DC Bias, time-domain, and frequency-domain simulations) additional extended analysis capabilities are included as standard, such as multi-run parametric sweeps, sensitivity, Monte Carlo, and Worst Case analysis to address specific engineering needs.
• Pads HyperLynx DDR option, for integrated DDR simulation, which identifies and solves signal integrity (SI) and timing issues specific to DDRx designs.
• Pads HyperLynx DRC tool, which accelerates electrical sign-off process by allowing electrical rules checks and identifying violations that will affect the design integrity and performance of the board. With predefined rules, reportedly quickly identifies issues such as traces crossing voids and traces changing reference planes on large designs. Integrated electrical DRC technology demonstrates PCB designs are electrically correct before hand-off to manufacturing. Key capabilities: Fast and easy time to results with a rules-based approach to identify non-CAD constraints; out-of-the-box checks for EMI, signal integrity and power integrity; easy identification of violations integrated with the PADS PCB product.

Mentor Graphics, mentor.com

Xpedition Package Integrator flow performs integrated circuit, package, and printed circuit board co-design and optimization.

HyperLynx Signal Integrity/Power Integrity (SI/PI) adds power-aware SI simulation capabilities for accurate modeling and signal performance of high-speed parallel links such as DDR3 and DDR4. Is for high-speed printed circuit board designs. Power-Aware IBIS v5.0 modeling reportedly ensures accurate simulation of simultaneous switching noise and power effects of timing and signal integrity. DDRx Wizard supports the latest JEDEC standards to verify all DDR and LPDDR memory types. Integrated S-parameter extraction and simulation is reportedly accurate and 5 to 10 times faster. High-performance DC drop/thermal co-simulation predicts voltage drop, high current areas, and temperature changes. Addresses high-speed system design problems throughout design flow. Provides tools for pre- and post-layout signal integrity, timing, crosstalk and power integrity analysis to generate accurate simulation results to prevent design re-spins. Models supply currents, including pre-driver effects, switching slowdown due to sagging supply voltage, and better buffer capacitance modeling.

Mentor Graphics, http://www.mentor.com/pcb/hyperlynx/

FloTherm XT software has thermal management capabilities for electronic systems, printed circuit boards and packages. Is an integrated mechanical design automation and electronic design automation electronics cooling solution. Has CAD-centric technology and a mesher that simulates complex geometries. Now supports transient analysis, component and board manipulation, Joule heating, parametric studies, extended EDA integration capabilities, and new modeling options, including an ability to represent copper for complex PCBs. Provides design virtual prototyping and “what-if” analysis for product quality and minimized design iterations. PCB copper nets and traces are represented in 3D.

Mentor Graphics, www.mentor.com

WILSONVILLE, OR – Mentor Graphics issued a call for entries for its 26th annual Technology Leadership Awards (TLA) competition.

In the end, Paul Singer did what Carl Icahn couldn’t: got Mentor sold.

MUNICH – Mouser Electronics has partnered with SamacSys to provide free design resources.

WILSONVILLE, OR -- Mentor today announced the new Xpedition printed circuit board (PCB) design platform focused on multi-dimensional verification.

SAN DIEGO, December 2, 2021 -- Nexar, a business unit of Altium LLC (ASX:ALU) announced today that SnapEDA has joined Nexar’s growing ecosystem of electronics innovators. As a Nexar partner, SnapEDA will make available their library of computer-aided design (CAD) models to enhance printed circuit board (PCB) design and innovation. The Nexar ecosystem streamlines PCB design workflows to bring tools like CAD models into a single, unified experience.