Tool improves collaboration between electrical and mechanical engineers
By Gabe Moretti -- EDN, May 27, 2004
Laptop users know that many electronic systems have a heat-dissipation problem. Engineers must find a way to dissipate the heat so that it does not impair the proper functioning of the system. To solve the problem electrical engineers must collaborate with mechanical engineers responsible for designing the system enclosure and heat-dissipation system. Often, the mechanical design-system does not involve the EDA tools available to electrical engineers. This situation increases the difficulty of quickly creating a working system.
To address this problem, Flomerics has for some years marketed thermal-analysis tools that designers could use in the EDA flow but only after they completed the layout. The company has introduced a product that both disciplines can use and that covers the entire design flow. Flo/PCB promotes a conceptual design process that starts with a functional block diagram and progresses to physical layout and thermal analysis. A single mouse click toggles between the three views, and it back-annotates the changes you make in one view to the other views, maintaining the integrity of the design.
This approach allows a design team to analyze the functional, thermal, and packaging issues early in the design phase. The result is a functional diagram and topological layout of the electronic system that will meet the heat-dissipation requirements of the finished product. Engineers can view a 3-D airflow and temperature rendition for both sides of the board, export or import the design information to and from mechanical design software using IDF, and generate reports in HTML or Word.
Flo/PCB is compatible with Windows XP, NT, and 2000 operating systems. Flomerics has packaged the product in two configurations. The fully featured product sells for $7900 for a one-year use license, and the company offers a 35% discount for the purchase of three to five units. A version of the product that supports only block diagrams and physical layouts sells for $1500 for a one-year use license.
Flomerics, 1-508-357-2012, www.flomerics.com.
