Shrinking Portable Products Taking On More Functionality

Feb. 17, 2003

Shrinking portable products taking on more functionality pose stiffer challenges to system designers. It's more important than ever for EDA tools to bring 3D visualization capabilities to the table. Zuken's Cadstar 3D 4.2 is an upgraded version of the company's 3D verification module. With it, designers can directly import complex board outlines directly from mechanical CAD tools and transfer them to Zuken's Cadstar 6.0 pc-board design-tool suite.

The Cadstar 3D module links the 2D pc-board design world to the 3D mechanical design environment. In the process, it eliminates the need for an intermediate file format by making associated design information compatible with both environments. Design-rule checks within the tool identify potential collisions between any and all objects on the board and between the board and its enclosure. This renders physical prototypes superfluous and substantially reduces design time.

Company: Zuken USA Inc.
Product: Cadstar 3D 4.2
Price: Perpetual licenses will cost $3000 until March 31, 2003. They will cost $5000 thereafter.

Other features of the upgrade include the ability to reload component geometries, the capability to import and/or export a solid board outline showing component pin holes, and a design browser dialog.

Zuken USA Inc.
www.zuken.com
Tim O'Neill, (408) 998-3090

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About the Author

David Maliniak

MWRF Executive Editor

In his long career in the B2B electronics-industry media, David Maliniak has held editorial roles as both generalist and specialist. As Components Editor and, later, as Editor in Chief of EE Product News, David gained breadth of experience in covering the industry at large. In serving as EDA/Test and Measurement Technology Editor at Electronic Design, he developed deep insight into those complex areas of technology. Most recently, David worked in technical marketing communications at Teledyne LeCroy. David earned a B.A. in journalism at New York University.