Hello and welcome to the FPGA Vendor Independence Community!

In working with a variety of design houses, we've seen all kinds of design methodologies being used in the industry, and most designers acknowledge that device neutrality is to their benefit. It helps retain flexibility to switch devices in the future, whether the reason be for a better feature set or better pricing. The advantages are clear, and this community forum is for sharing experiences, expertise, ideas, tips, and tricks on device neutral design and implementation.

Based on what we’ve seen, there are three important components to a device neutral methodology: vendor independent design creation, EDA tools, and vendor neutral IP. Vendor independent design creation typically refers to proper RTL coding styles versus technology dependent module instantiation. Third-party EDA tools are the alternative to design tools offered by the FPGA vendors. Tools provided by FPGA vendors are available but they lock you into the vendors' own design environment. And lastly, there is the choice of IP. FPGA companies offer IP to get you up-and-running, but this makes it difficult to port your design to a different device. Using vendor-independent IP, such as those provided by 3rd party vendors, can be a solution.

A device neutral approach requires consideration of all these elements—but easier said than done! Short-term cost sensitivity, near-term schedule, and designers’ tool preferences can often get in the way. This community is intended to discuss these types of real-world challenges, and we hope it provides a useful forum to share your experiences and learn from others.

I am wondering how common it is for PCB designers to have two monitors.  Sometimes when I look at demos of our products, it appears to me that with interaction between dialogs and graphics, it would be a lot easier to just have two monitors, one for the graphics, one for the dialogs.  What kind of setup do you have?  What % of the PCB Designer community do you think have dual monitors?

I would have to be the first to admit that this is not the catchiest release name (and yet I feel guilty whenever I consider copying Apple with its big-cat releases, or Ubuntu with its menagerie of release names), but we hope we have delivered a small and focused set of changes that will make things that little bit smoother for our customers and evaluators. You may remember I blogged about this at the time that we received the feedback (VeSys 2.0: The First 30 Minutes), and I am very pleased to announce the general availability of the release (links to download at the bottom of this blog). I thought it was worthwhile stepping through what we've done....

Firstly, the installer has had a lot of attention and tries to address the various Windows security measures as much as possible (obviously the security is there for a reason, so we don't try and circumvent anything). Where the installer can't install because of a security setting or the user's permissions, we'll tell you. We've also simplified the Start Menu items, but the intension is still the only one you should have to worry about as a normal user is "VeSys" (the screen shot below can be clicked to see it full size and clearer)

Next something you won't see... the login screen. Now, if you only have one user, and that user has the default username and password... you don't see anything. As soon as you chose to use the user management capabilities by creating users or editing the defaults, then the login screen will appear.

The second change happens the first time you run VeSys 2.0 (and only the first time, we don't want to nag), and will offer to create a new empty project for you

You'll notice at the bottom of the dialog you have a choice about what happens in the future (Do nothing, Open last project, Display Open Project Dialog) so that should cater for most needs. It will also create an initial design (either wiring or harness depending on which licenses you have, or your preference at the time), which will be opened automatically. This is also part of the standard New Project dialog also. For existing projects you can now create new designs (and diagrams for wiring schematics) directly from the tool bar without using the project browser.

The new diagram button is smart too, if you select a design in the project browser, it will create the diagram in that design. If nothing is selected in the browser, it will create it in the design  you are currently working in. Most of the time you won't need to think about it at all. However, the most important thing is

Not revolution by any means, but a set of changes designed to make the all important first 30 minutes that bit easier, just pick a name for your first project and you'll be ready to go immediately:

How do you get the new version? You have a couple of choices depending on who you are:

1. Evaluators: The evaluation download has been updated with the new version, you can download it from: http://www.mentor.com/products/cabling_harness/design-flows/vesys_elec_series/evaluate
2. Clean Install: If you are able to do a clean install, you can download the new version from SupportNet now from: http://supportnet.mentor.com/downloads/200906049.cfm
3. Update Existing Install: These changes are being folded into the next service pack, and everyone on support will get a notification in their Support Pro newsletter the week it's released

As we continue to work towards our next scheduled release we're still looking for improvements to be made, and are planning better ways for you the users to get their ideas to us. Watch this space.

Have you gone shopping lately?  Almost everything is on sale.   You can bargain almost any retailer to a lower price.  Shelves are overstocked.  So if you’re an R&D manager, now may be the time to go cheap and get some bargain basement deals on you design tools.  After all, now can’t be the time to invest in R&D and upgrade you organization. 

NOT!  Actually, going cheap in R&D is totally contrary to what the business world advises.  Experts are saying that NOW is the best time to invest and increase the productivity of your R&D.   Now is the time to invest in the development of world-beating products.  Now is the time to fine tune your R&D organizations, produce products that beat the competition (and grab those dollars that ARE being spent), and, prepare yourself to emerge from the recession as a strong organization.

Forbes.com, McKinsey Quarterly, April, 2009:  “Notably, the companies that get the greatest benefit from innovation appear to be taking a different approach. Executives at such companies are far likelier to say that they are increasing R&D budgets, expanding R&D activities and shifting to longer-term, higher-risk projects. These executives are also nearly twice as likely to report that their companies view the downturn as an opportunity to upgrade R&D. As such results suggest, companies that already excel at R&D seem to be using the crisis to extend their competitive advantage.”

This applies to many aspects of the business.   Invest in your designers’ education and teach them the basics of the most advanced IC and PCB technologies, and, when to use them.  Invest in their training on how to efficiently implement these technologies using the design tools.  Invest in the most advanced design tools so your designers are the most productive (R&D budgets), can use the most advanced technologies (competitive products), and get those products to market on time (time to market).  But, whatever you do, now is NOT the time to pull back and go cheap!

Hopefully, you have taken the opportunity to download my free E-book, the HDI HANDBOOK. NOW is your chance to tell me what would make interesting reading for FUTURE chapters in the SECOND EDITION of the HDI Handbook.  Here are some brief descriptions of what I am planning to add now.  But this book isn't for me - it's for ALL of you!  So provide me with some advice and if you know the perfect expert that could write that chapter, throw that in as well.  I thank you all now for helping me.  The Second Edition will be available for download on Jan. 3, 2010.

1. Automatic Chemical Process Monitoring and Control - High-speed PCB and FPC manufacturing with increasing density requires better chemical control of processes.  This chapter will describe traditional instrumental and some not-so-standard methods of automatic chemical analysis and control.  The PCB processes, individual anion and cations and other indicators are highlighted for control.

2. Process Automation Strategies and Equipment - Complementing high-speed manufacturing is high-speed automated equipment.  This is the first time that 10 different types of automated PCB equipemnt has been described and features.  Conveyorized: horizontal, vertical, overhead and hybrid;  Process Tanks: walking beam, cable, split-rail pusher and side-arm return-type;  Programmed Hoists: cantelevered and gantry.  Control systems, programming hoists, simplified control theory and automation strategies are also described.

3. Design Methodologies for Creating Proper Split Power Planes  - Plane design methodology to eliminate noise problems.  How you need to change the design perspective of PDNs.  The PCB design setup for: Connecting to the plane, plane shapes, Do's and Don'ts to be considered, plane "Routing" strategies for fanout power vias.  Evaluating plane integrity, consideration of decoupling capacitors and buried capacitance.  Power Supply checklist, new IPC standards for current carrying and deficiencies in CAD tools today.

4. Impedance, Stackups and Crosstalk - A complete look at signal tracts to transfer signal power from one device to another by consideration of materials, stackups, impedance matching and crosstalk.  The various high-speed models for microstrips and stripline, of differential signalling, with coplanar and waveguide alternatives are explained.  Advanced noise explanation of crostalk are also explained.

5. BGA Breakout Strategies - Charles Pfeil of Mentor has agreed to write a chapter that summarizes his theories and book on " BGA Breakout and Routing-ED II".  His new technique for breakout of large BGAs has revolutionised the wiring of boards.  It was highlighter in Chapter 3, but in only 4 pages- now it will be explained in a lot more detail.

6. Coupons and Techniques for Process Control - Ron Rhodes had a distinguished carreer at Bell Labs and will provide a chapter on the use of PCB coupons to highlight  quality and process capability.  Reliability is another set of coupons and have a different focus.  How to interpret and "what these coupons mean" is another distinguished topics that Ron created by writing a column in CircuiTree magazine from 1994 to 2007.

The new 2007.x version of the DxDesigner / Expedition design flow has more power and flexibility than I was aware of. I was working through some PCB designs and I made a comment to one of my MGC engineering friends: “The new DxDesigner is great! But wouldn't it be nice if I could design multiple Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) within a single project?”

Well, he was kind to me. He gently informed me that single project, multiple PCB design was a reality and that I simply lacked the tool expertise to exploit these advanced features. Once the basic concepts were explained to me, and trust me, there is no real “magic” here, I was able to quickly create complex, multi-board system design with the DxDesigner - Expedition design flow.

Once I worked through the process I realized the true limitation: The limitation was me, I have a long history of EDA tool usage and my arrogance manifests in my steadfast refusal to attend training or read the product documentation (sound familiar?). I have long held the belief: If I am unable to figure out how to use the software to accomplish my objectives then, the software isn’t very good (because I am ). OK, every once in a while life slaps some sense into all of us

Since it is impossible for me to believe that I am alone in my perspective and attitude regarding EDA tools I thought the best approach to recover from my arrogance was to create a demonstration highlighting the multi-board, single project capabilities of the 2007.x Expedition design flow.

Since I am a true engineer (nerd, geek, pick your adjective) I have created a demonstration around one of my hobby projects: My Wind Turbine. Due to the length of the design process I will break this demonstration process up into multiple segments within each blog, and multiple blog chapters. If you follow my Blogs for the next few weeks you will not only learn how to use DxDesigner and the Expedition flow to create multi-Board PCB Systems, you will also learn how to build the electronics for a coil winder used in the construction of home built wind turbines.

In part 2 of this Blog I will review the design requirements as well as the creation of the DxDesigner Project and the top level system diagram. I like to use top-down system refinement as my design method so you will also see how DxDesigner may be used to accomplish more than simple PCB design.

As we plow through this process please share your perspectives!

I'm sure all of you are aware of the rapid progression of HDI technology used in mobile phones, telecom and advanced consumer products.  But HDI is rapidly being introduced into military and space programs as well.  The HDI for military and space has to be ultra-reliable and capable of harsh environments.  The cost to develop these materials and fabrication processes can be quite high.  So the IPC has teamed up with the U.S. Navy and the NSWC-CRANE  state-of-the-art PCB facility to develop an advanced HDI Hands-On fabrication course this fall (PD-05).

Open to all fabricators, this is a 3-day, hands-on, working course that embraces the latest advanced HDI features required by new military and aerospace programs and employed by advanced telecom systems as well.  The October 13-15 working laboratory event is proceeded by 5 2-hour WebEx classroom instructions on Sept. 14-18, to provide more "hands-on" time in Oct.  The "Hands-on" attendance is limited to only 21 participants, due to the nature that everyone will build HDI boards, so register early at the IPC.  http://www.ipc.org

PD-05: High Density Interconnect

October 13-15, 2009 - Crane, Indiana

This HDI fabrication hands-on workshop provides an essential instructive platform for companies interested in learning the advanced fabrication processes of HDI technology. Attendees will be provided a “hands-on” working laboratory event that features informative technical tutorials and an invaluable “hands-on” workshop, where you will actually build these HDI structures.  You will be provided the instructional HDI technology as it relates to advanced HDI fabrication — as needed by numerous aerospace, military, telecom and computer OEMs with an emphasis on high reliability and endurance. Join us for this enlightening series, and discover what you need to know to implement HDI technology in all of its forms.

What You Will Learn:

Tutorial presentations and hands-on exercises cover these topics :

• Imaging and etching — achieving fine lines and spaces, controlled copper etch
• Lamination & Via formation — mechanical and laser drilling & lamination of new materials
• Metallization & Electrodeposition — desmear, electroless copper, direct metalization and semi-additive processing— improved throwing power copper fill, enhancing through hole and microvia reliability, copper thickness requirements for thermal reliability and process controls
• Process control coupons, DOE, Reliability and testing—in-process coupons for HDI and reliability coupons
• HDI Exercises at NSWC-Crane Laboratory
• Fine line Direct Imaging/etching- 25 um traces/25 um spaces (~1 mil lines/spaces) using new sacrificial super-foil “DFF”
• Lamination of new thin Laser Drillable Prepreg, like 1086LD or 1067LD for power integrity and impedance control
• Copper “Super-fill” plating to plate up microvias from 75~150 um in diameter
• Drilled via filling with epoxy to plug buried vias
• Etching & laser drilling ceramic BC materials for buried capacitors and distributed capacitance
• HDI process control coupons to monitor the HDI fab process
• IST coupons to test the reliability of the finished HDI board.

High Density Interconnect Webcast Series

• IST coupons to test the reliability of the finished HDI board

September 15, 2009 - Fine-line and Via-Formation

Imaging and etching — achieving fine lines and spaces, controlled copper etch

• Lamination & Via formation — mechanical and laser drilling & lamination of new materials
• Fine line Direct Imaging/etching- 25 um traces/25 um spaces (~1 mil lines/spaces) using new sacrificial super-foil “DFF”
• Semi-additive processing (SAP) using new molecular interface technology to achieve 25 micron traces and spaces
• Etching & laser drilling ceramic BC materials for buried capacitors and distributed capacitance

September 16, 2009 - Material Control and Lamination

• Lamination of new thin Laser Drillable Prepreg, like 1086LD or 1067LD for power integrity and impedance control

September 17, 2009 - Via-Fill

• Drilled via filling with epoxy to plug buried vias
• Copper “Super-fill” plating to plate up microvias from 75~150 um in diameter

September 18, 2009 - Metallization & Electrodeposition

• Metallization & Electrodeposition — desmear, electroless copper, direct metalization and semi-additive processing— improved throwing power copper fill, enhancing through hole and microvia reliability, copper thickness requirements for thermal reliability and process controls

Improving your personal performance is a large topic.  But a critical area is high-frequency electrical performance for the board in both signals and plane PDN.  Other new trends are incremental design/validation methodologies and the improved use of constraint-autorouting, as well as re-use of circuits and DfT.  More on this in future BLOGS.

Here is where I suggest that you start looking for where you can learn these new topics.  First, if you have not downloaded my new HDI HANDBOOK, this is a good place to start.  The 631 page e-Book is FREE, so there is no excuse not to have it.  You can download it from my BLOG at http://communities.mentor.com/mgcx/community/pcb/pcb_blogs/happy_holden .  My Chapter-4 “HDI Electrical Performance” is written by Dr. Eric Bogatin, and Dr. Bogatin has many more resources available for learning.  His past Web Series on “No MYTHS Allowed” can be downloaded from www.gigatest.com/Publications/PubsIndex.jsp This site has 105 documents, lectures and tutorials available from Dr. Bogatin.  Figure 1 shows a typical slide form one of his lectures. Dr. Bogatin’s current Internet Site is http://www.BeTheSignal.com and it also has many free tutorials on it .

Another very useful design ‘Toolkit’ is provided by Kenneth Wood, owner of Saturn PCB Design in Deltona, FL.[3]  His Toolkit is shown in Figure 2 and provides software to calculate physical and electrical characteristics of vias and conductors; signal bandwidth and max. lengths; differential-pair impedances; padstack designs; drill/wire gauge conversions; min conductor spacing for voltages; and microstrip/stripline impedances.  This can be downloaded at:  (http://www.saturnpcb.com )

Another source of training and learning is to use Google and Yahoo to search the Internet for college classes in signal integrity, EMI Compliance, Design for Manufacturing or high-speed design.  One such search yielded the “EE166: High-Speed PCB Design” course at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, CA.  HMC has the distinction of being awarded “One of the Top Undergraduate Engineering Schools in the US”.  In this case it was the lecture notes and labs by Prof. Sarah Harris   -(www3.hmc.edu/~sharris/class/e166/)[4].

The IPC Designers Council and the IEEE are constantly running courses for designers.

Last, to reduce schedules is one of “Push Left”, “Do it right the first time” and distribute more activities in parallel.  Move critical activities and checks/audits up earlier in the design process.  Find any problems or mistakes early.  IF [errors] found in manufacturing, critical schedules and costs are bound to be impacted.  Now is the time to “learn to use the autorouter correctly” and “how to apply signal and power integrity”!

Finally, if you are “surplused”, “made redundant”, “sacked”, “displaced”, “sacrificed” or just “let GO”, Mentor has the “Displaced Worker Program”. [5] You may take Mentor classes on a “Space Available” basis, for free, and that includes online courses as well as in-class courses in Austin, Boston (Marlborough, MA), Chicago, Minneapolis, Dallas, Denver (Longmont, CO), Portland (Wilsonville, OR) and San Jose.  Go to http://www.mentor.com/training_and_services/training/dwp to check on availability.

1.      HDI Handbook and other tech papers, tutorials at http://communities.mentor.com/mgcx/community/pcb/pcb_blogs/happy_holden

2.      Eric Bogatin’s “No MYTHS Allowed” at GigaTest Labs, there is 105 doc. www.gigatest.com/Publications/PubsIndex.jsp & www.bethesignal.com

3.      Free PCB Tools (www.saturnpcb.com) –vias, conductors, signals, diff pairs, padstacks, min. conductor Spacing & impedance.

4.      University course lectures (like EE166 High Speed PCB Design by Dr. Sarah Harris of Harvey Mudd College-(www3.hmc.edu/~sharris/class/e166/)

5.      If ‘out of work’, Mentor has the “Displaced Workers Program” allows you to audit our training for free, go to http://www.mentor.com/training_and_services/training/dwp

For those of you not familiar with Paul Hansen, he has been producing analysis of the automotive electronics market since the late 80's (you can download a sample here). To quote the Wall Street journal it is "the bible of the automotive electronics industry". Each issue covers a range of topics providing an uncannily accurate assessment of our industry and the changes and challenges it faces. About half of each issue profiles a particular supplier, and in April's edition (sorry this is late, but we've covered my abject failure as a blogger) Paul profiled Mentor Graphics and our various automotive offerings.

Paul has presented at the last two IESF events in Detroit (2007 and 2008), and therefore I feel he has a better than average understanding of what it is that we do, and our vision. As a result the profile he has produced is very well balanced combining his industry-insider insight with a comprehensive knowledge of our tools. You can subscribe to his report directly from his web-site http://www.hansenreport.com/ . We have been lucky enough to be able this section of the report, and you can download it directly from the mentor.com web-site at: http://www.mentor.com/solutions/automotive/hansen-report_reg

It's well worth the read, and for those of you that are not just interested in CHS, addresses the complete Mentor Graphics offering for the automotive market, including in-vehicle networks, mechatronic simulation, PCB, and embedded software.