Companies that design mixed technology (RF, analog, and digital) circuit boards have faced challenges in the past when using Mentor layout tools to control critical copper shapes or create shielding between various circuit functions. The new area fill technology now enables designers to create stable, editable, predictable copper shapes. The technology also provides very significant automation of tedious tasks by its plowing, healing, and area fill rules capabilities.

However, complex shapes or structures are still a very intensive design challenge. Entering precise points to create a desired shape can take a very long time as well as an enormous number of keystrokes. Users who need to create such complex objects need another level of functionality to allow them to think and interact with the tool in terms of the overall shape or structure they are trying to create.

This paper will detail how custom userware is being used to create these complex objects simply by specifying the key parameters and then digitizing the desired graphical positions of the shapes. By this method objects such as transmission lines, radial stubs, tapers and arcs can be easily created. Similarly, complex multi-layer shielding structures with rows of vias can be created by just digitizing the desired path.

Bio

Engineer with Hewlett Packard doing software engineering, specializing in CAD tools and processes. For 2 decades I've worked on developing custom CAD tools and processes for worldwide sites of Hewlett Packard. During the 1980's I worked on teams that developed 2 CAD systems based on internal company software. For the last decade I've worked with a geographically dispersed team on the Mentor tools, developing custom userware and processes for use in a worldwide engineering company.