Wilsonville, OR – LPKF Laser & Electronics introduces the MiniContac RS reverse pulse plating system, specially developed for the professional production of prototype and small batch production PCBs. The system is completely enclosed in a compact tabletop size, ideal for any rapid PCB prototyping situation, especially small runs and tight work locations.
Utilizing reverse pulse plating (RPP) technology reportedly allows uniform metal distribution for more aggressive aspect ratios. The MiniContac RS has the ability to plate holes as small as 8 mil (0.2 mm) vias in 62 mil thick standard PCBs smoothly; thin or fragile materials can be placed in a support framework before processing. The system handles circuit boards as large as 9” x 13” (230 mm x 330 mm) and is completely closed with no external connection needed.
The MiniContac RS uses four tanks that are said to be easily replaceable. LPKF handles the complete disposal of all plating chemicals. This system features LPKF’s standard approach to prototype plating solutions, favoring simple maintenance of chemical assets, and semi-automated menu-driven control system.
ST. PAUL, MN – 3M Co. has introduced a 2mm x 2mm-pitch latch/eject header. The compact header offers a durable, flexible solution for applications where circuit board space is a concern. It reportedly provides a robust system solution when mated with 3M’s IDC sockets 1522 series and 2M molded assemblies series.
The header is said to be suitable for a variety of electronic applications, including blade servers, medical electronics, motor control boards, data collection devices and high-performance audio components.
The latch/ejectors maintain a secure connection to the cable assembly during operation, yet reportedly allows for easy removal of the harness when needed. 3M uses roll pins to attach the latches instead of a snap-in system, designed to enable connectivity in high-vibration applications and during shipping. The latch incorporates a unique design that resists breakage when ejecting the mating assembly, increasing system reliability.
The connector bodies feature a cutout to accommodate mating connectors with center bump polarization and are made from PCT resins, allowing for high-temperature processing in lead-free environments up to 260 Cº (JEDEC J-STD-020C).
MONTREAL, Quebec, Canada – Cimmetry Systems Corp. has released AutoVue 19.1c1 Client-Server, Web Edition for SharePoint Server 2007, Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) 3.0 and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) 2007.
AutoVue 19.1c1 for SharePoint 2007 is said to enhance Microsoft SharePoint collaboration capabilities by adding powerful and user-friendly visualization, markup, digital mockup and real-time collaboration features for hundreds of native document types, including 2D/3D CAD, EDA, image and Office. Through the integration with SharePoint 2007, AutoVue reportedly provides an efficient enterprise visualization platform, connecting teams at all stages of the document lifecycle, and ensuring access to crucial information throughout the organization.
AutoVue real-time collaboration also complements SharePoint 2007 collaboration capabilities, making it easier to work with team members within and outside an organization. All annotations/markups are saved directly into the SharePoint Server 2007 repository, providing users with a single point of access for document review.
MARLBOROUGH, MA – Flomerics Inc. introduces its FLO/PCB thermal design software that is said to ensure good thermal design and accelerate the PCB design process.
FLO/PCB was designed to facilitate collaboration between product marketing, electronic engineers and mechanical engineers on PCB design, particularly during the conceptual phase of the design process. Changes made to the functional block diagram are instantly reflected in the physical layout and thermal representations. This keeps all team members in sync and enables them to contribute to concept development in real time. According to the company, a key advantage of FLO/PCB is its interface to Cadence Allegro PCB Editor software. The FLO/PCB/Allegro interface transfers information about the PCB's geometry and components needed to perform thermal analysis. It can reportedly analyze the design from a thermal standpoint quickly and identify problems at a stage in the design process when they can be inexpensively corrected.
"These days thermal densities are such that engineers must consider thermal solutions and the consequent mechanical requirements in the earliest stages of board design," said Dr. Mike Reynell, director of Marketing for Flomerics. "Our new link to Allegro PCB Editor enables users to analyze and optimize a thermal model of their board in a matter of minutes."
SANTA CLARA, CA – Agilent Technologies Inc. has released high-frequency SPICE simulation technology as part of the Advanced Design System’s new Signal Integrity Designer Premier software suite.
The software is said to offer a complete set of front-to-back simulation and layout tools, and instrument links for RF and microwave IC design in a single, integrated design flow. Its signal integrity solution for high-speed digital design is reportedly made possible through its unique co-simulation technology. The software can model entire serial data links, including interconnects, pre-emphasis and adaptive equalization, in the presence of non-linear driver and receiver models.
Signal Integrity Designer Premier also provides two additional capabilities that are important for accurate high-speed digital design:
a new, fully integrated set of IBIS (I/O Buffer Information Specification) models for single-ended and differential components such as sources, buffers and terminations
a broadband SPICE model generator
“Measured or modeled interconnects at data rates exceeding one Gbps are best represented in frequency domain, and it is very difficult for pure time-domain simulators to predict a correct response,” said Sanjeev Gupta, signal integrity application engineer with Agilent’s EEsof EDA division. “To address this challenging technical problem, we’ve developed a new convolution simulator that can automatically enforce passivity on S-parameter models, and can determine, very accurately, the causal time domain response, which represents the original S-parameter data.”
SAN JOSE – Adobe Systems Inc. introduced a free download for Adobe Acrobat 3D software that delivers updated 3D CAD translators. With this update, Acrobat 3D now supports many of the latest versions of major CAD file formats, enabling users to convert 3D models from those formats to more secure and widely adopted PDF - regardless of whether they have CAD software. The updated translators use technology Adobe gained as part of its April 2006 acquisition of privately held Trade & Technologies France (TTF), a company whose technology is used by many leading CAD, CAM and CAE developers.
"Acrobat 3D and PDF continue to gain significant momentum in the manufacturing and architecture, engineering and construction industries, as well as praise from customers and influencers who see the technology as a means for addressing long-standing communication and collaboration issues by leveraging a ubiquitous, trusted file format," said Tom Hale, senior vice president, Knowledge Worker Business Unit at Adobe.
Among the updated file formats supported are those for Dassault Systemes CATIA, PTC Pro/ENGINEER, SolidWorks, and UGS NX and I-deas. After converting 3D models from those formats to PDF, extended project teams can leverage Acrobat 3D to more quickly, securely and cost-effectively drive to completion critical communication processes that require 3D visualization and collaboration
Acrobat 3D V8, a major upgrade announced in Sept. 2006, will include the CAD translators provided as part of this update. The upcoming version is said to deliver enhanced capabilities for producing highly compressed PDF documents with precise geometry from large, complex CAD assemblies.
