In 1985, Board Station provided the capacity to ensure a PCB was correct-by-construction. That is, the schematic defined a set of connectivity rules that controlled the layout of the printed circuit board. In the years following its introduction, DRCs were added to Board Station and ERCs were added to Design Architect. DFM is the technology du jour and is yet to be proven. First-pass manufacturing success is still a hope to be verified when the first product comes of the manufacturing line.

Ultimately, it is your engineers' experience designing with a particular technology and to a specific manufacturing line that brings you closer to first-pass success. Lose an engineer to the job market and you take a major step away from achieving your goals of first-pass manufacturing success.

Using available technology you can now: build a knowledge base from a manufacturing line, combine it with a specification, and derive the ERCs, DRCs, and manufacturing data to achieve first-pass manufacturing success, or zero design defects (ZDD). Apply workflow technology to add repeatability and process control to the design process from specification to manufacturing.

Bio:
David Ransier has been with Intercept Technology Inc.'s Engineering Consulting Group since April, 1997. David was previously with Mentor Graphics for nearly 15 years. Most notably, David was the project lead for GUI development of all Board Station products for about six years followed by six years with Mentor Graphics' OpenDoor Program and Mentor Consulting.

Mac Feezor has been part of Intercept Technology Inc.'s Engineering Consulting Group since July, 1997. Mac was with Mentor Graphics for nearly nine years where he was the South East Area Board Process Applications Engineer and, for the last three years, providing process improvement solutions with Mentor Consulting.

Mac and David continue to provide consulting services to Mentor Graphic's customers.