Printed Circuit Design & Fab Online Magazine - Design News

Design News

DES PLAINES, IL - PCB Matrix Corp. has released the PADS Layout Constraint Rules Editor. The software is used with PADS V5, V2004, V2005 and V2007, and optimizes the use of constraint set-up and rules within PADS Layout.

The company states that the constraint rules editor interface allows users to view, change and update rules, with easy transfer of updates between the PADS Layout tool and constraint rules editor.

The company reports that using PADS software, you can specify separate rules for clearance and trace width for individual pin pairs, nets, groups of nets, classes, components and even the entire design, with the flexibility to control the length of critical nets or specify matched lengths for groups of nets.

Evaluation copies can be obtained by registering at pcblibraries.com/register.

STOKE ON TRENT, UK - PCB design bureau Black Stick Ltd. has a free software tool called the C4Calculator. The tool calculates current capacity for a given PCB track width and thickness. Black Stick’s C4Calculator (Current Carrying Capacity Calculator) utility determines the optimum current based on a given interconnect width and thickness. In addition, C4Calculator will also calculate the gap needed between conductors for a given voltage peak. All the calculations within the tool are taken from formulae or tables specified in the IPC-2222A standard. C4Calculator also allows users to perform calculations beyond the scope of the IPC standard.

FLINTSHIRE and BERKSHIRE, UK - PCB Design Service provider companies Routability and Total Board Solutions (TBS) have partnered to develop a training course based on Mentor Graphic's Expedition PCB software specifically for PCB design contractors.

"We have coped with demand to this point," commented Ben Dowding of Routability, "but we have already been asked by other service providers, on more than one occasion, if we could supply contractors to them. As the demand for Expedition grows, so the opportunities for contractors will increase."

Sue Critcher of TBS adds, "Getting to grips with the basics of any EDA software… requires training and experience. We approached Mentor Graphics about our concerns and …based on the latest EE2007.1 Expedition PCB flow, we have developed a three-day training course for contractors"

For information on the training course, visit routability.co.uk.

ST. LOUIS, MO – Laird Technologies, Inc has introduced an advanced 3D simulation tool for electronic design. The company is currently using the product for 3D simulations in the design of mobile devices and antenna systems.

Utilizing Ansoft Corp.’s HFSS DSO design tool, Laird Technologies can now create designs and evaluate design concepts that were previously too complex to simulate.

According to Blaine Bateman, Laird marketing VP, “The ability to simulate effects of multiple antennas coupled to other subsystems in the device is critical for…live video, high data rate transmission, interactive web surfing, and other wireless Internet capabilities.”

“Our DSO design tool represents the next evolution in high-performance design improvements for solving very large problems in 3D mesh-making, solution capacity, and memory management,” said Dr. Zoltan Cendes, Ansoft CTO.

SHENZHEN, CHINA – Valor computerized Systems has signed an agreement establishing a technological partnership with the Guilin University of Electronic Technology (GUET). Valor and GUET will cooperate to encourage technical talent and develop and promote new technology within the industry.

“Valor has been playing an important role in the development of the electronics manufacturing industry. We fully recognize the significance and value of this cooperation,” said Professor Tianlong Gu, VP of GUET.

Under the terms of the agreement, Valor will provide GUET with software, including DFM, SMT programming, optimization, program conversion and process engineering etc., and GUET will bring Valor software into its courses in undergraduate and postgraduate studies programs. In addition, a training room for electronic manufacturing software applications will be established for vocational training purposes.

“We are fully aware of the importance of this technological cooperation between GUET and Valor. As one of the few selective universities who have SMT courses in China, GUET’s contribution to the development of China electronics manufacturing industry, as well as the cultivation of professionals are well recognized,” said KH Ong, president, Valor Far East.

The Guilin University of Electronic Technology features electronics and information technology as its main disciplines and is reportedly one of the largest campuses in China, with more than 17,000 students studying at the university.

CARLSBAD, CA - Altium has introduced a software upgrade for the Altium Designer product that allows electronics designers to fit boards into enclosures in 3D, eliminating trial-and-error iterations.

Building on Altium’s 3D PCB visualization software, the company uses the STEP 3D file format as a mechanism to link to external STEP models from within Altium Designer to bring a casing model into the PCB design environment.

The upgrade allows designers to create a board shape from the case model, do mechanical fit and clearance checking, and update board design or component choice placement for fit and conformance to physical design constraints. If the mechanical designer changes the case design, the new design can be updated within Altium program. The board design can also be used by the program as a STEP model for use by the mechanical designer.

Nick Martin, CEO of Altium, said, “Electronics design companies are looking for new ways to innovate and sustain differentiation, and companies are recognizing the benefits of a unified design solution. The new ECAD-MCAD collaboration capabilities of Altium Designer demonstrate…a unified approach to product development.”