Printed Circuit Design & Fab - May 2008 - (Page 26)

FROM THE FIELD The Next Generation DESIGN TOOL CHALLENGE An interview with Henry Potts of Mentor Graphics. by KATHY NARGI-TOTH Printed Circuit Design & Fab recently had the opportunity to talk with Henry Potts, vice president and general manager of Mentor Graphic’s Systems Design Division, on the topic of next generation design tools. One of the hot topics today is the idea of co-design, and with it collaboration and concurrent design. Potts shared his thoughts about the fundamental importance of this approach with PCD&F. It is clear that these methodologies will form the cornerstone of the electronics design process as we move into the next generation of design tools and electronic device requirements. Co-design methods will facilitate the design of electronic products across all disciplines, from chip to package to board. These collaborative design efforts will provide a platform for future success. The industry is quickly coming to the realization that the best way to shorten the design cycle, get products to market faster and avoiding costly respins is to embrace some form of co-design system. These systems will allow all of the individual design specialists an opportunity to work concurrently towards an optimized design. We are entering a new era of innovation in electronics design solutions. I am sure that the increased communication that will be fostered by these multi-disciplined, multifaceted, and even multinational system design teams is going to reshape the industry for the better. PCD&F: In second half of 2007, sales of EDA tools to the printed circuit segment were down, compared to the previous year. How would you characterize this decline? Is it cyclic or have some fundamental market forces changed? Potts: Actually, Mentor Graphics did not experience a decline in the second half or year-to-year (2006 to 2007). Revenues actually increased for us in the PCB Systems Design category. That said, a downturn in the total market could be due to the cyclic nature of term deals that tend to run at 2-3 year intervals. PCD&F: In the same period, there has been a notable shift 26 in the sales of EDA tools outside of North America. What do you see with regards to the migration of PCB design outside of the U.S.? What areas are growing and what has been their growth rate over the past 3-5 years? Potts: Of course we see Asia as a growing market over the past few years. Part of this growth is due to the migration of electronics companies’ design and production to that region, and part of it is due to the increasing complexity of the designs that they are doing. No longer can they use just low-end layout tools, but now have to use full design flows with sophisticated high-speed analysis, library and data management, and support for advanced technologies such as HDI and Embedded Passives. We also see them continually looking for ways to improve productivity and decrease design cycle times. We are now providing them with capabilities that enable multiple designers to work on the same design simultaneously and enterprise-wide management of libraries and design data – very leading edge technology that they are willing to pay for to meet their aggressive business needs. PCD&F: Do you see companies hesitant to pay for the next generation PCB design tools, viewing them as commodity products? Potts: Quite the opposite. We see more and more companies understanding that the design of the PCB is, in fact, where they can achieve a competitive edge and meet their very aggressive business needs. Getting a lower cost, morefunctionality-in-a-smaller-box product to market quicker than their competition comes down to how well they can innovate on the PCB, the productivity of their designers, and efficiency of their complete product development and delivery process. Companies that understand this look at the return on investment in their PCB systems design technologies and are willing to pay for the most sophisticated and innovative design technologies. PCD&F: You specifically mentioned the need to offer a “complete product development and delivery process.” Are MAY 2008 PRINTED CIRCUIT DESIGN & FAB

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

Printed Circuit Design & Fab - May 2008 Contents Our Line Market Watch Around the World Happenings ROI EMC For the Real World PCB East Conference Brochure Positive Plating Don't Let your Signals Stub Their Toes Improve PCB Layout With Skill Utility Programs The Next Generation Design Tool Challenge Thermally Conductive Microwave Materials PCB Dielectric Degradation in Lead-Free Assembly Applications A Tale of Two Trade Shows Eliminating Board Defects Off the Shelf Marketplace Ad Index BGA Bulletin

Printed Circuit Design & Fab - May 2008

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