Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/679419
56 The PCB Design Magazine • May 2016 for creating complex documentation. The tradi- tional methods for creating PCB documentation that exist today just aren't cutting it any more. Companies are all coming to this conclusion as they look to improve their NPI and they turn to DownStream Technologies because we've got a robust PCB documentation tool. They're going to look at BluePrint to address their documenta- tion needs, and today they can easily bring in such a tool because they can plug it into their process using the intelligent, neutral, design formats. The IPC-2581 standard is multifaceted in terms of how it benefits the industry, the cus- tomers, and the OEMs. I believe that one of the key benefits is to the industry as a whole; if there's something we need in EDA, it's new ideas. By having this kind of format, it's en- abling that kind of free thinking that maybe will allow new companies and new technolo- gies to emerge. Shaughnessy: What do you see down the road for DownStream? Clark: Well, our business is doing very well, and of course technology is constantly evolv- ing. Couple this with companies now focusing on how to improve new product introduction, which must include and take into account man- ufacturing, and there's no shortage of opportu- nities for us. And as I said, embedded compo- nents and flex are going to be significant game changers. Companies have to deal with that from a design to manufacturing and documen- tation perspective so again, that represents op- portunities for DownStream to offer solutions. We're continually improving our product line. It's an interesting place where we fit into the new product development process. Because we are at the backend of the process we tend to be the set of tools that is used less frequently than the "upstream" tools such as schematic or PCB CAD. One of the key things for us is to make sure our tools are easy to use and intuitive, because you have to pick it up, do the job, put it away and go on to the next design. You spend most of your time actually creating the design, and the goal is to ensure that the post-processing phase of NPI—where we execute our DFM checks and create our PCB documentation—is fast. The re - sult of this is we are constantly looking for ways to improve the ease of use of the tools, and that keeps us busy. For example, we're currently in the process of re-doing our graphical user interface and adopting a more ribbon-like methodology. The same is true for our CAM350 and DFM- Stream products. We're working with major companies to continue to refine and define the key DFM checks, the ones that really matter, and address the new ones that are coming all the time. We're also constantly adding to our PCB doc- umentation capability as well. A recent example of this is our assembly panel design tool. When a designer creates a schematic they are design- ing the circuitry, but at the end they'll have a picture which doubles as the document of the actual electrical circuit. Our assembly panel tool is analogous. One "designs" the assembly pan- el, and the end result is a picture which serves as the document. Our assembly panel tool is aimed at making it easy for the user, the PCB designer, to create exactly what the fabricator actually needs and will use to fabricate the us- ers assembly panel, rather than the traditional tools which force the designer to function as a CAM engineer. Again, ease of use and the right tool for the specific task. And the task of cre- ating assembly panels gets very complicated when you get into flip panels, and multi board panels where you have different PCBs in the same assembly panel. Shaughnessy: It sounds like you'll have a plan to move forward. DOWNSTREAM: WHAT A LONG EDA TRIP IT'S BEEN " I believe that one of the key benefits is to the industry as a whole; if there's something we need in EDA, it's new ideas. "