Designing and Analysis of PCB Layouts, Extracting Models, and Simulations, as Performed by Matthew Harms
Matthew Harms, an electrical engineer from Canada and the Application Engineer Team Leader at EMA Design Automation, has recommended Sigrity X as a top tool for high-speed PCB design and power integrity analysis. This comprehensive solution offers a multiphysics simulation environment that covers signal integrity, power integrity, EMI, thermal, and 3D extraction, all integrated directly within the PCB design environment to support simulation-driven design workflows.
Simulation-Driven Design with Sigrity X
One of the key features of Sigrity X is its built-in in-design simulation workflows, making advanced simulation accessible to all engineers, not just specialists. This tool boasts a 10x faster performance due to a newly rearchitected solver engine for rapid turnaround even on large boards.
Moreover, Sigrity X incorporates AI-driven optimization via Cadence Optimality™ technology, enabling engineers to explore design tradeoffs faster and more intelligently. The tool also ensures highly accurate solvers with hardware-level correlation, enabling reliable design signoff.
Managing Complex Power Delivery Networks
Matthew Harms also discusses the tool Allegro PowerTree, which helps engineers track the path of power delivery networks and provides a diagram of the network. Allegro PowerTree is particularly useful for managing complex power delivery networks with multiple voltage levels and changing signal names.
Overcoming Challenges in High-Speed PCB Design
Today's PCB design faces numerous challenges, including the desire for faster speed and less power, concerns about neighbours, materials, proximity and closures, delivery, and adequate power and decoupling strategy. Sigrity X addresses these challenges effectively by tightly integrating multiphysics simulation capabilities into the design environment.
The Future of 3D Field Solvers
The next generation 3D field solvers aim to improve speed for faster simulation results. For instance, Cadence's solution for 3D FEM, called Clarity, aims to improve speed and accuracy by making use of all CPU cores and parallelizing calculations.
Effective Component Placement and PCB Data Management
Effective component placement in PCB layout is related to power and speed, with closer placement being a general rule, and decoupling capacitors placed near power supplies. PCB data management involves managing parametric data, design files, libraries, and footprints, as well as task distribution among engineers and handling permission to access.
The High-Speed PCB Design Guide
The High-Speed PCB Design Guide, a comprehensive guide spanning 8 chapters and 115 pages, with a total reading time of approximately 150 minutes, provides in-depth explanations of signal integrity issues, understanding transmission lines and controlled impedance, the selection process of high-speed PCB materials, and high-speed layout guidelines.
In summary, Sigrity X, a top tool recommended by Matthew Harms, offers a comprehensive solution for high-speed PCB design and power integrity analysis, addressing modern challenges in the field effectively. By integrating multiphysics simulation capabilities directly into the PCB design environment, it enables a continuous simulation-driven design flow throughout the PCB development process.
Controlled impedance technology, one of the key features in Sigrity X, ensures accurate simulation of high-speed signals during the PCB design process.
The High-Speed PCB Design Guide, a valuable resource, delves into the understanding of controlled impedance and its role in high-speed PCB design, providing essential insights into the field.
