In this paper, we describe a software called the Life Cycle Modeling (LCM) Tool that is used for modeling the life cycle of Printed Wiring Board (PWB) products. The life cycle spans manufacturing, assembly, use, and disposal. Each phase of the life cycle can be described in the LCM Tool to the desired level of detail. For manufacturing and assembly, we can represent a production facility right down to the unit processes.

Once a life cycle model has been created, it facilitates the transfer of manufacturing and assembly information to PWB designers from the earliest stages of the design process. The LCM Tool is an integral component of another SAIC product called EcoBoard=A8, which is a software that facilitates the design of PWB products that have minimal environmental impact during their production, use, and disposal.

The LCM Tool has been implemented using Mentor Graphics' WorkXpert workflow management software. Significant additions described in the paper, were made to the WorkXpert tools. We required a capability to view a process both as a flow and as a hierarchy and the ability to view and edit process step details, such as parameter values, in an executable mode. We have identified enhancements to the WorkXpert tools that would add significantly more value to the PWB design process.

During the LCM Tool operation, manufacturing or process engineers use Mentor Graphics' XpertBuilder tool to create new or modify existing life cycle models. Electronics engineers or PWB designers use the Mentor Graphics FlowXpert tool to select among process alternatives and to alter process parameters values for conducting design trade-offs.

Bio:
Dr. Karandikar is a Senior Consulting Engineer at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). He is the program manager for the DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) program concerned with the development of EcoBoard=A8. Dr. Karandikar's responsibilities include R&D and business development activities in environmentally conscious design and manufacturing, technical and operational assessment of systems using virtual prototyping, enterprise modeling, first principles modeling of manufacturing processes, probabilistic risk analysis, and concurrent engineering. Before joining SAIC, Dr. Karandikar was at the Concurrent Engineering Research Center (CERC). He managed a group that was responsible for researching and developing strategies for implementing integrated development of products and services and deploying advanced manufacturing and collaborative information technology in industry.