Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1512857
DECEMBER 2023 I DESIGN007 MAGAZINE 9 Andy Shaughnessy is managing editor of Design007 Magazine. He has been covering PCB design for 23 years. To read past columns, click here. because some parts must be rotated at crazy angles to follow the curve of the PCB's edge. Most autorouters are not optimized for rout- ing parts at angles other than 90 or 45 degrees. Acute angles are more likely to lead to acid traps when a traditional router encounters pads that are not in the standard orthogonal shape. Odd-shaped boards also pose paneliza- tion and depanelization issues. Designing boards in crazy shapes oen requires PCB designers to import data from an MCAD tool into their ECAD tools. If you've been designing with 2D ECAD tools for decades, you might have to learn how to work with 3D MCAD tools, which are inte- grated with most EDA tools. In this issue, we will discuss some of the challenges, pitfalls, and mitigations to consider when designing non-standard board geom- etries. We will share strategies for designing odd-shaped PCBs, including manufacturing trade-offs and considerations required for dif- ferent segments and perspectives. First, Kris Moyer and Kelly Dack provide an overall look at designing PCBs in unconven- tional shapes. en Stephen Chavez explains how EDA tool companies approach the design of oddly shaped boards. John Watson points out the need for designers to focus on physics when designing non-standard boards, and Kelly Dack's column focuses on the need to understand dimensioning and toleranc- ing when working with oeat board shapes. We also have columns from Matt Stevenson and Barry Olney, as well as articles by Anaya Vardya and Chris Keirstead. It's been a busy year. I'll see you in 2024! DESIGN007 Samsung Foundry certified Ansys RaptorX™ on-chip electromagnetic (EM) solution for ana- lyzing high-speed products manufactured with Samsung's 8nm (nanometer) LN08LPP Low Power Plus silicon process. The silicon-validated accuracy of RaptorX enables joint customers to harness Samsung's manufacturing process capabilities to achieve greater product reliability and higher performance for 5G, WiFi, automotive, and HPC. The requirement for EM modeling extends beyond niche applications as chip frequencies continue to increase. The semiconductor indus- try relies on Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tool certification by foundries as a critical step to ensuring the accuracy and reliability of simula- tion models, which are essential for developing high-speed products. RaptorX's accuracy was validated across a multitude of demanding lay- out geometries, including dense dummy-metal fill, and its models correlated very well with sili- con measurements. The ability to reliably pre- dict circuit behavior allows designers to optimize their products with confidence knowing that they will behave as expected and meet performance specifications. "Our customers are designing the next gen- eration of technology products that rely on the higher frequencies made possible by Samsung's advances in manufacturing technology," said John Lee, vice president and general manager of the electronics, semiconductors, and optics business unit at Ansys. "The certification of RaptorX guar- antees the required level of accuracy is achieved to ensure that data-intense products meet speci- fications at all levels." (Source: Ansys) Ansys RaptorX™ Certified by Samsung Foundry for High-Speed Design