Printed Circuit Design & Fab - December 2008 - (Page 29)

DESIGN BaSicS different ways and are invariably used by different people within different design teams. This would typically encompass several divisions within an organization, including electronics design, mechanical CAD, manufacturing, procurement, distribution and marketing. As the data set evolves and changes throughout the design process, the data management system aims to provide everyone involved with access to the correct and current version of design information, while simultaneously managing and tracking changes. This is an undeniably impressive feat when all those goals are achieved. The system is, nevertheless, complex and must be accessed outside of the design system itself. Both of these factors slow the design process, and in many cases, encourage designers to bypass the data management system as deadlines loom. A quick approach of simply passing the latest revision to a colleague or directly accessing the component information from a previous design can save significant time, but this puts data integrity at risk. On the other hand, checking out the latest design files and then checking them back in when you’re done or finding them by trawling through the appropriate database library are the correct methods, but they are clumsily disconnected from the actual design process. This conventional approach to design data management exists as a supplemental process to the design workflow. It forces engineers to leave the design environment to source, deliver or process design data. Since that system is also based on the data from a disparate set of design tools, with different data structures and versions of the same information, the added complication of conflicting data is likely to arise. For example, the component data for a device might be hosted and interpreted differently in the schematic capture, PCB and embedded design applications, and therefore, destined for inconsistency. Problems such as missing or outdated information may only be uncovered during procurement, or worse, manufacturing. In short, successfully managing and maintaining the integrity of all data created in the design of a product is an enormous challenge for today’s design teams (FiGurE 1). Current data management systems are far from ideal and tend to pull designers away from the primary process of using their skills to create innovative and successful designs. As increased globalization puts the squeeze on product manufacturing costs and project deadlines; errors and delays in the design process are becoming more costly through missed market opportunities. Restoring Order Taking a broader view of the design data management problem shows that it is largely centered around two problems: the task of managing design data from multiple unrelated sources and the use of management systems that are disconnected from the design process. The first step to resolving the complexity and the inconsistency issues of multiple design data sources is to use a single model of the project design data. This requires DECEMBER 2008 printEd CirCuit dESign & fAB 29 http://www.wssi.com/pcdm http://www.wssi.com/pcdm

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Printed Circuit Design & Fab - December 2008

Printed Circuit Design & Fab - December 2008 Contents Our Line Market Watch Around the World Happenings ROI Global Sourcing EMC for the Real World Interconnect Strategies On the Forefront Final Finish Forum Test and Inspection Electronic System Design Data Management 101 Designers Take on Technology Challenges in 2008 PCB Signal Integrity, Power Integrity and EMC Challenges What’s in a Name? Ad Index PCB Dielectric Materials for High-Speed Applications Off the Shelf Marketplace BGA Bulletin

Printed Circuit Design & Fab - December 2008

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