Electronic Design Automation(EDA) is a method
used by circuit board designers to design the layout of electronic circuit
boards. The main advantage of EDA is that it preserves all information
pertaining to the design,which makes it much easier to incorporate changes in
the design itself.
Brief History:
Before invention of EDA, integrated circuits
used to be designed and laid out manually. Some designer used geometric
software which produced the digital copies of mechanically drawn diagrams.
During the mid-1970s, placement and routing tools were invented,which started
automate not only drafting but design also. By the end of 1970s, Very Large
Scale Integrated(VLSI) systems,which used programming languages for chip
design, were introduced. Consequently,design verification tools, which used
logic simulation,came into being to facilitate VLSI design. Since the ship
designs could be simulated much before fabrication, the probability of errors
in the final product reduced considerably. This method of describing the chip
function in textual programming languages and then allowing the tools to
generate the elaborate physical design became a common practice, which is still
followed today. Berkeley VLSI Tools and Espresso heuristic logic minimizer are
the earliest examples of EDA. In early 1980s, various companies like Valid
Logic Systems, Mentor Graphics, Daisy Systems, which focused only on EDA, were
set up. Gateway Design Automation introduced a high level language named
Verilog in 1986. In the next year,US Department Of Defense created VHDL, a
hardware description language for programming Field Programmable Gate
Array(FPGA) and Complex Programmable Logic Device(CPLD).
Net List Creation From Schematic Diagram:
The first step of EDA is to convert the
circuit diagram into net list. The net list shows the circuit nodes and
component pins. The design engineer generates the net list from Computer
Automated Design tool and feeds it into the Printed Circuit Board(PCB) layout
design process. Net list creation process could be made easier with the assistance
from a PC support provider.
Device Positioning:
The next step is how to position the device.
The best way of positioning a device is to specify a grid of numbered columns
and lettered rows. Once the positioning is done, the first pins of all devices
will then be assigned to outlined grid positions by the design software. The
circuit design engineer decides the areas in which the devices are placed.
Device positioning is a very critical task and should be done under the
guidance of a network support provider.
Device List Compilation:
After finalizing the device positions, the
design software compiles the device list into a pin list by employing specific
templates. The device manufacturers provide these templates in libraries,which
come as parts of design packages related to the particular device. The template
displays the pins of the particular device with complete drill hole layout and
pad. If the designer face any compilation problem, an experienced PC support
provider should be consulted.
High Power Components Identification:
The design software is capable of identifying
the high power components in the device library. These components are marked to
draw the attention of the circuit design engineer because these components
require wider path to carry current of high magnitude. After that the pin list
is merged with net list. The physical co-ordinates of the pin list is
transferred into the net list,sorted by a net name. This whole process is
complex and needs guidance from a network support provider. see more about electronic product designer services.
Design Optimization:
The next step is to optimize the design by
shortening the copper wire length. The power pins of the board should be
identified and connected to the nearest power conductor. The entire circuit
should be shielded from noise, which could be done the help of a PC support
provider.
Network Support for EDA Problems:
Comments
Post a Comment