Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1299286
16 PCB007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2020 Horner: The product that I manage is to bring unity to the fronts that can be managed. The tool brings our expertise on the die design, ex- traction, validation, and analysis capabilities of EDA tools to the package level. Without a defined standard, it's easier to allow people to continue with their silos and using point tools. Moving forward, we need more collaboration to get those end-to-end solutions in place. But to collaborate, you also need to define a stan- dard language between the different pieces of the puzzle. There are attempts happening. Even IEEE is defining some of these interfaces. IEEE has 2401, which is defining the XML lan- guage that the data is transferred in. Over time, as people realize there is a need for collabo- ration, it's going to happen. And it's already happening on the die-to-die connection with the standard-based electrical specifications, all the way to the package. We need EDA tools that can easily be communicated to each other, from die level to package and PCB level, for faster design convergence. Shaughnessy: Thanks for speaking with us, Rita. We appreciate it. Horner: You're welcome. PCB007 With 3D-printing technologies increasingly becom- ing a mainstay in modern manufacturing operations, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), software houses, 3D-printing factories, and contract manufac- turers are striving to fine-tune the efficiency and re- peatability of these production methods. Variability in the 3D printing of products has been a major concern of management for decades. Production engineers and managers pay special attention to product consisten- cy with respect to dimensional accuracy and materi- al properties, such as porosity, strength, temperature, and chemical resistance. Current levels of consistency in 3D printing—also known as "additive manufacturing"—are sufficient for many products. They include molds, toys, dental devic- es, optical lenses, eyewear, printed circuit boards (PCBs), some antennae and sensors, and non-weight-bearing metal and plastic spare parts for locomotives, heavy in- dustrial equipment, airplanes, and military equipment. However, that is still a relatively small portion of the po- tential market where this manufacturing technology could be applied if the consistency of its output could be raised. Understanding this, the additive manufacturing industry is launching a full-scale assault on the problem. The as- sault is a three-pronged effort using hardware, software, and management systems to reduce the variability of the objects printed. Hardware: It's hard to improve the output of 3D printing without considering the hardware of the printers them- selves (e.g., motors, print heads, lasers), as well as hard- ware devices such as temperature sensors, humidity sen- sors, and X-ray cameras to monitor quality and catch er- rors layer by layer during the printing process. Velo3D, a Californian printer manufacturer, is one example of a com- pany whose machines can monitor metal parts during the printing process. Through the use of sensors, its printers can be aug- mented with a system that monitors things such as oxygen levels, humidity, and un- used powder levels. This level of visibility and control allows them to achieve higher yields and greater repeatability for many types of products without the need for post-processing (refining the product after it has come out of the 3D printer). (Source: Richard A. D'Aveni and Ankush Venkatesh, Harvard Business Review) How to Make 3D Printing Better