Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1359517
APRIL 2021 I DESIGN007 MAGAZINE 11 they need to measure, and why it takes years to master most simulation tools. en, we have a conversation with Todd Westerhoff of Siemens EDA that covers simulation from the EDA tool company viewpoint, including some of the rea- sons why some companies ignore simulation, oen until the 11 th hour of a complex design. Next, Martyn Gaudion of Polar Instruments discusses the simulation of stackups, and why results are only as good as the source data. Bill Hargin of Z-zero takes a philosophical approach, beginning with a question he asks conference attendees: "Why do we simulate designs?" Dan Beeker of NXP Semiconductors explains how engineers can avoid using simula- tion entirely by managing EM fields correctly and focusing on the spaces—not the traces. And John Coonrod of Rogers Corporation dis- cusses how he uses different simulation tools for different tasks, and he compares and con- trasts 2D and 3D field solvers. Do you have a great story about simulation— successful or otherwise—that you'd like to share? Shoot us an email at editorial@iconnect007.com. We're always looking for good content. See you next month! DESIGN007 Andy Shaughnessy is managing editor of Design007 Magazine. He has been covering PCB design for 20 years. He can be reached by clicking here. ulation was a popular answer. Some respon- dents said that their design teams didn't fully understand how to operate simulation tools, while others faulted their company for not using simulation at all or waiting until the design was far behind schedule before sending the job to a third-party SI consultant. Com- ments included, "Management always budgets for re-spins" and "Time-to-market stresses won't allow simulation." Of course, if you fail EMI, your time to market is a moot point. When we started speaking with SI experts for this issue, we were surprised to find that there were several schools of thought regard- ing simulation. Should you try to get by with- out simulating your design and only call a third-party consultant when it's almost too late? Or should your company invest in a simu- lation tool, which also means hiring someone with years of experience to operate it? Plus, there is another viewpoint put for- ward by Dan Beeker: If you design your board correctly from the start and manage your electromagnetic fields properly, you may be able to eliminate the need for simulation alto- gether. Is your company already practicing this approach? So, this month we asked some of the indus- try's premier experts on simulation to weigh in on the topic. First, we have an interview with Barry Olney of iCD, who lays out when and why engineers need to use simulation, what