Evaluation Engineering - 23
DESIGN FOR TEST
Keysight Technologies
ENABLING THE NEXT
LEAP FORWARD IN
ELECTRONIC
DESIGN
by Anna McCowan
Figure 1. Keysight's PathWave
software is enabling the next
leap forward in electronic design
to create a connected product
development workflow.
In this age of engineering marvels,
technological advancement is hard
to miss. Horse-drawn carriages have
given way to autonomous driving, landlines have been replaced by smartphones,
and the list goes on. Throughout history,
as technology has advanced, the design
process has also had to advance to keep
pace and support new development efforts. Proof of that fact is everywhere.
For example, before the advent of
electronic design-automation (EDA)
software, electrical engineers designed
with lightboards and stencils, similar
to the process used by mechanical and
architectural engineers. By the 1970s,
the circuitry and overall size of circuit
boards began to shrink. During this
time, development for the first "place
and route" software tools occurred.
These tools consisted of two steps: placing all electronic components, circuitry,
and logic elements and routing all wires
needed to connect the placed components. With this advance, designers
gained the ability to graphically place
components and wires on a board with
greater accuracy and precision.
In the late 1970s, the use of silicon
increased the complexity and variety
in the types of chips in development. In
response, larger electronic companies
like Hewlett-Packard began producing
the first of what is today recognized as
EDA software. Although initially used
as an internal tool, EDA software soon
grew into an entire industry.
Another evolutionary leap forward
in the design process was necessary in
the 1990s. Designing electronics by hand
grew impossible as chip sizes decreased,
and chip complexity increased. To keep
advancing state of the art chip development, designers needed a new way of doing things. The answer came from EDA
software, and it quickly emerged as an
essential tool in every design engineer's
tool kit. Integrated circuits (ICs) became
the differentiator. More companies started specializing in IC design-completely
changing how they designed and manufactured electronics.
The fork in the road
Today, the electronics industry is at another crossroad. Modern electronics include chips with hundreds of thousands
of gates, and support multiple types of
wireless technology. They are smaller,
faster, and less expensive. Also, designers
are continuing to push the limits of what's
possible to quench consumer demand for
electronic devices with even more functionality at less cost.
Exciting times are ahead, and that
bodes well for consumers. However, it
also puts even more pressure on modern design and test engineers who are
struggling to keep up with demand. The
DECEMBER 2019 EVALUATIONENGINEERING.COM
23
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Evaluation Engineering
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Evaluation Engineering
Editorial: Storytelling, Art Boost STEM
By the Numbers
Industry Report
5G: Innovations from Semiconductors to Digital Twins Drive 5G
Switching: Balancing Density and Performance Tradeoffs
Software: Models and Simulation Support Digital Twins and Industrial IoT
RF Test: Instruments Offer Multiple Formfactors, Functions
Digitizers, AWG's: SPECTRUM Executives Comment on Company's 30-Year History
Design for Test: Enabling the Next Leap Forward in Electronic Design
Power Supplies/Loads: Test Solution Targets V2G
Featured Tech
Tech Focus
Cybersecurity: Ramping Up as Electronic Infrastructure Surges
Evaluation Engineering - Cover1
Evaluation Engineering - Cover2
Evaluation Engineering - 1
Evaluation Engineering - 2
Evaluation Engineering - By the Numbers
Evaluation Engineering - Industry Report
Evaluation Engineering - 5
Evaluation Engineering - 5G: Innovations from Semiconductors to Digital Twins Drive 5G
Evaluation Engineering - 7
Evaluation Engineering - 8
Evaluation Engineering - 9
Evaluation Engineering - 10
Evaluation Engineering - 11
Evaluation Engineering - Switching: Balancing Density and Performance Tradeoffs
Evaluation Engineering - 13
Evaluation Engineering - 14
Evaluation Engineering - 15
Evaluation Engineering - Software: Models and Simulation Support Digital Twins and Industrial IoT
Evaluation Engineering - 17
Evaluation Engineering - RF Test: Instruments Offer Multiple Formfactors, Functions
Evaluation Engineering - 19
Evaluation Engineering - 20
Evaluation Engineering - Digitizers, AWG's: SPECTRUM Executives Comment on Company's 30-Year History
Evaluation Engineering - 22
Evaluation Engineering - Design for Test: Enabling the Next Leap Forward in Electronic Design
Evaluation Engineering - 24
Evaluation Engineering - Power Supplies/Loads: Test Solution Targets V2G
Evaluation Engineering - 26
Evaluation Engineering - 27
Evaluation Engineering - Featured Tech
Evaluation Engineering - 29
Evaluation Engineering - Tech Focus
Evaluation Engineering - 31
Evaluation Engineering - Cybersecurity: Ramping Up as Electronic Infrastructure Surges
Evaluation Engineering - Cover3
Evaluation Engineering - Cover4
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