Electronic design engineers (EDEs) must go through a variety of complex processes to prepare a design for production; whether as a completely new project or a legacy product. Identifying components, verifying parameters and confirming availability for production usually requires information from several sources.
This can be time consuming and laborious, and requires engineers to cease technical and creative thought to check information on components from many manufacturers.
The answer, of course, cannot be to neglect such “non-design” activities; they are vitally important if the product is to be buildable, deliverable, saleable and supportable.
Failing to deal with these issues risks seeing even the most brilliantly conceived products under-perform commercially. A late launch date, for example, is a well known cause of market failure and can be the result of design delays such as discovering that an important component is about to become obsolete.
A better approach is to make the information more easily and quickly accessible. The Internet has greatly reduced the amount of time engineers spend looking for components and data. It has all but replaced hard-copy datasheets.
However, breaking away from a CAD workstation to browse supplier websites can still divert attention excessively. On the other hand, the Internet has increased the number of candidate devices found. This, too, slows down completing a design.
Also, data must often be transferred manually from the web into the customer’s own systems, either by re-keying or pasting. This is particularly time consuming and vulnerable to errors.
Another way is now emerging. Dedicated search capabilities are embedding into engineers’ CAD tools, to provide direct access to suppliers’ own databases containing technical data as well as information such as price and availability.
This promises more convenient and direct access to the information EDEs need throughout the product design flow.
Altium is among the first to announce this capability, having embedded Premier Farnell’s DesignLink search tool into its Designer CAD package. EMA Design Automation has also embedded it into its Component Information Portal (CIP), which is an interface to OrCAD Capture CIS combining the features of a schematic design application and a component information system (CIS).
Accelerated Designs has also incorporated this new type of search capability in its Ultra Librarian parts manager application, which provides a common parts library accessible to a variety of schematic capture and PCB layout tools. Other CAD vendors are expected to make similar announcements.
This approach can succeed because searching a broadline distributor database provides access to a meaningful diversity of components from a cross section of manufacturers. Also, because the core data comes from the distributor’s own library, there is a strong motivation to keep the data accurate.
The new generation of tools allows EDEs to import component parametric data directly into the local database of the CAD package, and to access availability, pricing and component status in the local language and currency.
This is all done from within the CAD environment. The user can also determine the type of information imported and the way it is presented.
Emerging search tools allow designers to perform component engineering without leaving the CAD environment.
As each component is selected, the BOM is populated automatically. Building the BOM this way embeds the component information in the schematic, where it is always available having been fed by the distributor.
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Later in the project, any necessary component changes or substitutions can be completed in real-time, without ceasing actual design work, by querying the distributor’s database directly. This may be necessary, for example, if a preferred component is withdrawn, if availability becomes difficult, or if the price has increased.
Associating all of this information directly with the design files for the project can save the overheads of manual data entry and can also free EDEs to focus on creating innovative features that will add value and differentiate the end product in its target market.
By effectively automating the process of shopping for components, this approach also allows EDEs to control the bill of materials and make important procurement decisions.
The benefits of having immediate access to live product information can also help with legacy design support. Upon opening an existing design, availability information for all components can be assessed immediately. Looking for trends such as increasing price or lower availability can help to anticipate impending obsolescence.
Positive responses from early tests show that the CAD environment is the right place for this type of tool, connecting designers directly with their suppliers’ databases.
This could provide the “missing link” that will enable companies to converge their product-realisation processes for greater competitive advantage. It could certainly replace web browsing as the fastest and most convenient interface for EDEs to get the information they need to bring their ideas to fruition.
Author is Randall Restle, director of technical marketing at Premier Farnell