Sunstone Circuits launched LiveBOM, an interactive bill of materials functionality within PCB123 design software that supplies designers with real-time pricing, availability and technical part information from Digi-Key. The suite tracks the rolled up per-board pricing and quantity through either the Digi-Key or manufacturer part number.

"Partnering with Digi-Key to launch LiveBOM gives customers a more efficient and accurate way to make component purchasing decisions, which is the most expensive part of the prototype manufacturing process," explains Terry Heilman, CEO of Sunstone.

www.Sunstone.com

Advantest Corporation announced an optical-electrical printed circuit board technology that uses an optical waveguide technology to provide up to 160 gigabit-per-second, high-volume data transfer. Features include higher density mounting and wiring and electrical connection and waveguide coexistence. Advantest predicts a faster semiconductor tests system with higher packaging densities, and it plans to use the technology in practical applications by 2011. 

www.advancedphotonics.com

DesignAdvance Systems Inc predicts gains in productivity and increases in time-to-market profitability with CircuitSpace v3.0. The latest version adds increased functionality to CircuitSpace, allowing users to reduce board layout and placement time through AutoClustering, intelligent design reuse and Cross-Probing. Features include template usage, with or without etch, automated layout reference designator propagation and automated change time between layout designs. The hierarchy methodology is at the designer’s fingertips, throughout layout and placement.


 

www.designadvance.com

Sunstone Circuits has introduced the Intermediate Data Format (IDF) Plug-In, the first plug-in module for PCB123. This free, downloadable import/export plug-in gives PCB designers the ability to import PCB designs for mechanical and electrical CAD systems in a bi-directional, neutral format within the Sunstone ECOsystem Design Environment. Outline definitions of PCBs based on mechanical CAD tool specifications can be imported, synchronizing the design and development work. The plug-in allows new tools to be integrated into existing software, as well as improving the design to manufacture process.
 
www.sunstone.com/products-service.cad-software.aspx