Converging design technologies such as digital logic, RF, and analog circuitry are becoming an integral part of PCB design. As a result, PCB engineers must now consider a host of new challenges throughout all stages of PCB development. System-on-a-chip (SoC), system-in-package (SiP), and other complex silicon technologies are also requiring advanced solutions. With high-speed (sub nanosecond rise times, high percentage of nets requiring constraints) designs now accounting for over half of all PCB systems developed, critical issues such as constraint development and management must be considered in ways never before imagined.
Cadence and OrCAD - design technology convergence
Today, design teams need to develop PCB systems faster, more economically, more reliably, and with greater collaboration from front to back - all the way to manufacturing. Using non-integrated 'point tools' will only lead to increased design cycles, altered product specifications, and unacceptable delays. To stay competitive, an integrated set of solutions providing critical functions across the entire design flow is needed: system-level design; digital design; PCB design; IC package design; logic design; custom design; physical verification; system-level verification.
Team-based PCB design solutions
Cadence PCB Design offers a full range of integrated team-based solutions. Entry-level PCB solutions are available to teams of all sizes who want to design complex, high-volume PCB systems. When teams want to scale to a more powerful high-speed solution, they can leverage their existing tools preserving their original investment.
* Industry's only unified constraint management system improves time-to-market by limiting the number of iterations between engineering, layout, and prototype.
* Scalable, front-to-back PCB design solutions.
* Advanced technology in signal integrity design and analysis solves complex design issues.
* Team-based design re-use modules reduce design cycles by weeks or months depending on the complexity of the module.
Increased demand for high-speed PCB
Cadence PCB Design includes Constraint Manager, the industry's first truly integrated and unified constraint management system. Managing complex constraints is more critical than ever. It is not uncommon to see a 5000-net PCB with over 50% of the nets constrained today - compared to only 5% of the nets constrained a few years ago. Complex high-speed PCB designs also require advancements in power delivery. In fact, current demand has been growing faster than the reduction in supply voltage. Noise that was tolerated on a 3,3 V system cannot be tolerated in a 2,5 V or a 1,8 V system. To create a stable and reliable design, engineers need to explore system power delivery requirements during the conceptual design phase, define powerplane decoupling requirements based on system specification requirements, and drive the PCB layout process. SPECCTRAQuest Power Integrity provides the design team with an industry-proven solution.
Integrated technologies
Cadence addresses every aspect of an electronic design with the most comprehensive set of integrated design technologies in the industry. Each Cadence Design Technology is made up of a flexible set of tools that form end-to-end solutions throughout the following areas:
* System-level design.
* Functional verification.
* Emulation and acceleration.
* Synthesis/place-and-route.
* Analog, RF, and mixed-signal design.
* Custom IC layout.
* Physical verification and analysis.
* IC packaging.
* PCB design.
Cadence PCB Design offers a complete range of integrated PCB design solutions for both individual and team-based environments. Scalability is also a key offering. At any point in the design flow, one can scale to the next level of performance preserving investment in libraries, design data, and expertise.
Bringing it all together
Designing IC, package, and PCB concurrently can save significant time and money when compared to a traditional isolationist design flow. Product reliability can also be improved when all members of the design team reach across the design flow to consider IC, package, and board effects.
Supporting this concept, Cadence PCB Design Solutions interface tightly with Cadence's IC Packaging technologies to allow for the design and analysis of the interconnect across all levels of the design, empowering a true silicon-package-PCB design chain. More information about Cadence and OrCAD PCB Design technology can be found at www.pcb.cadence.com and www.orcad.com.
For more information contact David Power, Cadshop, 082 377 0052
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