Geometry creation at our company was a time-consuming, costly, tedious, and error-prone task. In order to improve this process the company decided to create a geometry generator to take the black magic ("art") out of our creation process.

Our generator is rule driven. The Geometry Generator automatically creates component geometry footprints for use with the Mentor Graphics design automation toolset. The tool supports the creation of Flatpack, SOIC, LCC, J-Lead, Discrete, and Connector surface mount and throughhole geometries that abide by TRW-specified design rules and definitions. The tool is designed to support design rules and definitions for other manufacturing processes as well.

This presentation will cover the benefits of creating your own generator, the process our team used to create a plan and implement it, and our final success story-cost reduction and ease of use.

Bio:
Monika Riffle is currently working for the Concurrent Engineering Team at TRW ASD in San Diego as a CAE Support Engineer for the Mentor Graphics CAD Library. Her primary tasks involve the development of technology files and schematics-based/VHDL models, testing and training of the QuickVHDL Pro tool for mixed simulation, member of Geometry Generator Team and general Mentor tool support. Monika graduated June 1995 from UCSD with a BSEE, Communications Theory.

David Seider is lead consultant for CAE Consultants in Escondido, California. He has supported process automation and library development for Mentor Graphics and its customers since 1985, after serving as one of Mentor's original applications engineers. David has a BSEE from Cal Berkeley and a MSCE from USC. He has worked with TRW ASD's Concurrent Engineering Group since 1993. David is the designer/ implementer of TRW's Geometry Generator.

Mary Anne Jones is team leader for Concurrent Engineering's Component Library at TRW / ASD. Her primary tasks include managing the Component Library, Model development, geometry generation, support of Mentor Tools including DA, Librarian, QuickSim, QuickPath, Logical Cable (with CLS Library), and To-Layout. Mary Anne was team leader for the Geometry Generator. She graduated May 1979 from Purdue University with a BSEE.