PCB Design Rules For Wiring And Crosstalk


Today’s electronic devices market demands miniaturized printed circuit boards (PCBs) with a multitude of high-speed functions integrated on a single board. This causes the designers to have traces routed very close to each other to optimize packaging and space. This proximity may cause unintentional coupling of electromagnetic fields, a phenomenon which we know by the name of crosstalk (see f... » read more

High-Fidelity Optical Edge Case Analyses For Lidar Simulation


Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicles (AV) rely on heavily on four main sensor modalities for perception: radars, cameras, ultrasonic and, most recently, lidars (light detection and ranging). Lidar is a crucial sensor to the ADAS toolset because it can measure precise three-dimensional images (point clouds) of everything from cars to traffic lights to pedestrians in ... » read more

Using Model-Based Systems Engineering To Design Complex Systems


By Anthony Dawson and Jane Trenaman The benefits of using simulation early and often in the product development process are clear. You can verify requirements and begin studying and exploring design alternatives before prototyping and investing time in designs that ultimately won’t meet requirements. What may not be clear is how to integrate all the simulation tools that different engineer... » read more

Building Better Batteries With Parameter Characterization


By Chris South and Theresa Duncan The global economy is rapidly transitioning to portable and storable electricity, which impacts every major technology sector, especially consumer electronics, clean energy, and mobility/transportation. The electric vehicle (EV) market, in particular, has seen a significant uptick in sales in the past decade. According to BloombergNEF, by 2040 over half of ... » read more

Innovations In High-Frequency Electromagnetic Simulation


High-frequency electromagnetic simulation has evolved from “wow, now I can see how electromagnetic fields behave” to needing to know how various EM fields interact in large, complex systems. During that time, I have been an R&D engineer and I have managed a team implementing various solver technologies. We’ve been presented with plenty of challenges as electronics have continued to pr... » read more

Faster Than Moore’s Law: Exponential Innovation In Electromagnetic Simulation


Moore’s Law is the most iconic statement of exponential technology advancement, doubling transistor count and hence functional performance every 24 months. Many pundits [1-3] have observed that while technology advancement is exponential, human expectations are linear. We often fail to anticipate when a technology may arrive in short order. Electromagnetic simulation has delivered exponential... » read more

PCB Design Rules For Electromagnetic Compatibility


When it comes to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and printed circuit boards (PCBs), rules are not meant to be broken. Following some simple guidelines for electromagnetic compatibility when designing PCBs will save time and costs. Simulation software can help. All high-speed signals on a PCB should be referenced to a solid plane. A current flowing in any trace on a PCB must complete the e... » read more

Ten Reasons 3D-IC Will Profoundly Change The Way You Design Electronics


The history of electronic design has been defined by repeated waves of major technological change and accompanying business realignment. Many companies have foundered and disappeared when they were unable to anticipate and adjust to these powerful forces of change. Consequently, I am not alone in believing that now is the time to get ready for the next significant change to your electronic desi... » read more

Modeling PCBs For Common Causes Of Failure


By Theresa Duncan and Michael Blattau When designing printed circuit boards (PCBs), keep in mind the major causes of electronic failure: thermal cycling, vibration, and mechanical shock and drop. You can perform a variety of physical tests to determine how and why electronics fail, however, a much faster and cost-effective solution is PCB modeling and simulation. When simulation is used i... » read more

Improving Automotive Electronic Hardware With SAE J3168


By Theresa Duncan and Craig Hillman The race is on for fully autonomous vehicles. Industry giants like Tesla, Google, Uber and almost all major automotive companies are competing to deliver state-of-the-art self-driving vehicles. However, the development of new, cutting-edge technologies demands a similar wave of reliability, repairability and warranty standards that automotive manufactur... » read more

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