Valor products are the world’s leading software for printed circuit board (PCB) design for manufacturing (DFM) and manufacturing execution (MES) systems. Valor’s solutions target three key segments in the PCB manufacturing market: design of the physical layout of the PCB, fabrication of the bare PCB, and assembly of PCB components. With the acquisition of Valor, Mentor is now positioned as the only EDA supplier to provide the electronics industry with a PCB systems solution from concept through manufacturing.

“Valor’s expertise and products in the manufacturing segment are an excellent fit to Mentor’s in the PCB design area as together we provide a concept-through-manufacturing design solution to our customers,” stated Henry Potts, vice president and general manager of the Systems Design Division of Mentor Graphics. “This acquisition will reinforce our number one position in PCB design while enabling Valor to leverage the strengths of Mentor and accelerate their delivery of differentiated design for manufacturing and manufacturing execution products.”

By acquiring Valor, Mentor is the first major EDA vendor to extend its scope into the market for PCB systems manufacturing solutions. This will benefit the electronics industry by enabling electronics companies to finally eliminate the long-standing technical barriers and inefficiencies between the worlds of design and manufacturing. Mentor will be in a unique position to deliver an efficient, bi-directional engineering process between designers, their partners in systems manufacturing, and the product supply chain.
“This is a very exciting opportunity for all of us,” said Dan Hoz, former Valor CEO and now general manager of the newly-formed Valor division of Mentor Graphics. “With both companies occupying leading positions in their respective markets, our combined expertise can deliver a breakthrough in operational integration between the world of design and the supply-chain oriented world of manufacturing, for the benefit of the entire electronics industry. We foresee a promising future for Valor as a division of Mentor Graphics.”

The development of solutions for the manufacturing market will remain a core activity of the Valor division, reinforcing Valor’s and Mentor’s long-term commitment to deliver solutions and support to the manufacturing market, as well as powerful integration of design for manufacturing functionality into Mentor and non-Mentor PCB design environments. For more information regarding the acquisition and the go-forward strategy, visit www.mentor.com/valor.

About Mentor Graphics

Mentor Graphics Corporation (NASDAQ: MENT) is a world leader in electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products, consulting services and award-winning support for the world’s most successful electronics and semiconductor companies. Established in 1981, the company reported revenues over the last 12 months of about $800 million and employs approximately 4,425 people worldwide. Corporate headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-7777. World Wide Web site: http://www.mentor.com/.

(Mentor Graphics is a registered trademark of Mentor Graphics Corporation. All other company or product names are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owners.)

I have spent some time exploring the virtual show floor and various exhibits.  My gut response? I miss shaking hands.

A virtual trade show has some great benefits.  The reduced costs associated with travel is the first to come to mind.  There is also the advantage of being able to go about your day at work, and to hear a notification that someone has stepped into your “booth”.

However, my first interaction with a virtual show hasn’t been the best.  Please do not read that as a condemnation of virtual shows.  I just don’t fit the description of someone who would truly benefit from this show.  It seems that this style of show (virtual) really weeds out the moochers.  What I mean is – there are a few very specific strengths of the show, and if you fit within the target of those strengths, it will be great.  However, if you’re on the fence, you won’t like it.

With 2,300 attendees, Virtual PCB has been great for the exhibitors.  Many have stated that their booths have been consistently busy.  And it would be awesome to be an attendee looking for some services provided by the exhibitors.  The ability to switch in between various companies and instantly chat with them is great.  Exhibitors also have access to attendee lists, which is a very valuable resource when used correctly.

But for me, as a competitor to most of the exhibitors and being a marketing guy without technical expertise, there was not a whole lot of benefit.  Had we exhibited, I might be singing a different song.  This is a great benefit for the exhibitors… having a firewall/deterrant of sorts to their competitors.  There is very little cherry-picking.

What are your thoughts or experiences concerning virtual shows?  They are definitely a piece of the puzzle as it relates to the future of our industry.  UP Media is leading the charge, and sincerely I commend them.  Did you find the show helpful?  Are there aspects you wish were different?

BANNOCKBURN, Ill., USA, February 4, 2010 — Complacency with having survived the trials of 2009 is a naïve posture that, in 2010, will lead to continued struggles warns Walt Custer. The noted industry analyst and president of Custer Consulting Group will join IPC Director of Market Research Sharon Starr for the “Global Business Outlook: Where Do We Go Next?” keynote session at IPC APEX EXPO on Wednesday, April 7 in Las Vegas.

“If a company hasn’t been planning for the recovery,” Custer says, “it has considerable catching up to do or it will risk losing market position.” Custer will share his insights into the leading global indicators he tracks to help companies understand timing sensitivities for phasing in recovery plans.

Custer and Starr will provide forecasts and trends for electronics equipment and component markets and discuss how seasonal and cyclical trends affect the industry and the supply chain.

Starr will present the findings of the latest IPC market research and explain how companies can use this data to assess their own performance and identify promising markets. IPC’s market research studies show the latest trends in demand, production and industry-specific benchmarks for the PCB, EMS, process consumables, solder, assembly equipment and laminate industries.

In addition, Starr will preview a new series of industry market forecasts at IPC APEX EXPO. Focused on specific industry segments and product categories within the industries IPC serves, new forecasts are in development now for the materials and equipment, PCB, EMS and select OEM industry markets.

“It’s exciting to be able to offer this type of new data to the industry,” said Starr. As she explains, keeping track of economic indicators and specific market data can help companies be more nimble and competitive. She adds, “Any company, regardless of size, can create competitive advantages by watching the indicators and planning appropriately.”

The Global Business Outlook keynote session is free to all registrants of IPC APEX EXPO 2010. The world’s premier technical conference and exhibition for printed board design and manufacturing, electronics assembly and test, IPC APEX EXPO will take place at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Convention Center in Las Vegas, April 6–9, 2010. For more information, visit www.IPCAPEXEXPO.org.

# # #

About IPC

IPC (www.IPC.org) is a global trade association based in Bannockburn, Ill., dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its 2,700 member companies which represent all facets of the electronics industry, including design, printed board manufacturing, electronics assembly and test. As a member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy, IPC supports programs to meet the needs of an estimated $1.7 trillion global electronics industry. IPC maintains additional offices in Taos, N.M.; Arlington, Va.; Garden Grove, Calif.; Stockholm, Sweden; Moscow, Russia; and Shanghai and Shenzhen, China.

I have spoken with several individuals in the last few weeks who hold high expectations, and look to DesignCon as being the most valuable show of the year.  Although that is personal opinion, I can easily see why those sentiments have been shared.

If you’re in the area, be sure to register and attend the show.  You can buy your various passes here.

Also, be sure to follow @DesignCon2010 on twitter.

U.S. Consulates Help IPC APEX EXPO Exhibitors Reach Across Oceans and Borders to Develop Business and Partnerships

BANNOCKBURN, Ill., USA, December 18, 2009 — The U.S. Department of Commerce has chosen IPC APEX EXPO^TM as one of a select group of U.S. trade shows to participate in its International Buyer Program (IBP) for 2010. The event, produced by IPC — Association Connecting Electronics Industries®, was chosen by a vote of U.S. embassies, consulates and commercial centers worldwide. One measure was the show’s appeal to overseas visitors. In 2009, 15 percent of attendees came from 42 countries other than the United States.

“We’re pleased to be able to provide this exclusive opportunity to our exhibitors to help them expand their businesses globally,” says Kim Sterling, IPC vice president of marketing & communications. As one of only 36 U.S. trade shows in the IBP, IPC APEX EXPO has secured support from Commercial Service officers around the world who will reach out to their local regions to recruit qualified buyers, sales representatives and business partners to the event.

Country and industry experts from the U.S. Commercial Service will be on-site during IPC APEX EXPO to help companies with hands-on export counseling, marketing analysis and matchmaking services. In addition to the increased global promotion of the event, a special Export Interest Guide will be provided to all international attendees to give them an easy way to identify IPC APEX EXPO exhibitors who are interested in exporting to specific international markets.

Only IPC APEX EXPO 2010 exhibitors may participate in the IBP as suppliers. Information is available at www.IPCAPEXEXPO.org/IBP for current exhibitors. Companies that are interested in exhibiting should contact IPC Director of Trade Show Sales Mary Mac Kinnon at +1 847-597-2886 or MaryMacKinnon@ipc.org.

For more information on IPC APEX EXPO, visit www.IPCAPEXEXPO.org. Individuals who are interested in visiting the show as part of an international delegation should contact their local U.S. commercial specialist, embassy or consulate. Links to local consulates as well as information on obtaining visas, translated in eight languages, is available at www.IPCAPEXEXPO.org/international.

# # #

About IPC

IPC (www.IPC.org) is a global trade association based in Bannockburn, Ill., dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its 2,700 member companies which represent all facets of the electronics industry, including design, printed board manufacturing, electronics assembly and test. As a member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy, IPC supports programs to meet the needs of an estimated $1.7 trillion global electronics industry. IPC maintains additional offices in Taos, N.M.; Arlington, Va.; Garden Grove, Calif.; Stockholm, Sweden; Moscow, Russia; and Shanghai and Shenzhen, China.

Contact:

Anna Garrido, IPC Director of Marketing and Communications
+1 847-597-2804
AnnaGarrido@ipc.org

In addition to a large number of PCB enterprises in Taiwan, many PCB operations are located in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces.

Among them are leading PCB makers earning hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenues and employing thousands of workers.

They also spend huge sums on environmental protection, including the disposal of manufacturing wastes from production processes and everyday operations.

The major pollution source of PCB industries is the copper content in the spent etchant and wastewater streams.

Traditionally, liquid resin is used to chelate spent etchant, forming copper ions and converting them into a copper sulfate solution for industrial applications.

Although this process can recover most of the copper from PCB waste streams, a considerable amount of the metal is unrecoverable. This metal is discharged into the environment, which can cause severe water pollution problems.

For any major plant, the daily amount of wastewater, along with untreated sludge, can total thousands of tons. This wastewater and sludge contains copper and also lead, tin and other metals used in soldering processes.

Stricter environmental protections adopted in recent years have forced PCB manufacturers to seek new technologies to promote better, yet cost-efficient waste recycling methods.Shortly after the State Council announced its 4 trillion yuan stimulus package to boost the domestic economy, attention turned to reviving industrial sectors battered by the ongoing global economic crisis.

During a series of meetings by the State Council in January and February this year, an “industrial restructuring” policy was adopted that focused on “10 key sectors.” The PCB industry is among those key sectors.

The government asked that PCB manufacturers focus on two elements: cleaner production (CP) and a circular economy (CE) to make this industry environmentally clear and economically stronger.

A semi-annual PCB technical conference in May at Suzhou, Jiangsu province, answered this CP/CE challenge with green technology sessions and economic discussions.

Hundreds of Chinese companies were represented – all eager to learn innovative technologies and international market trends.

Papers were presented on energy-saving measures, emissions reductions and also proposed CP/CE practices.

Seven universities in Taiwan established an incubator to study “best practice” CP/CE applications at the Center for Innovation and Incubation at Chung Yuan University.

The center has invited the participation of industry representatives, academic institutions and the government.

A persistent challenge is the incomplete recovery of copper from plant discharges, wastewater and sludge.

A recovery procedure recently developed by Taiwan-based Trinity Resource Technology Inc has employed a CP/CE solution.

The procedure involves separating copper compounds from wastewater in a way that recovers most of the copper, resulting in near-zero discharge.

Through a chemical treatment method operated outside the plant premises, the recovered copper compound is purified to form copper oxide, which can be recycled and used in the PCB electrolysis process.

Trinity is working with Chung Yuan University to build a pilot plant employing this new procedure.

This new approach is an example of the innovation that is being sought by the PCB industry to produce useful, profitable and environmentally sound products.

The author is a scientist and advisor to Trinity Resource Technology Inc of Taiwan
(For more biz stories, please visit Industries
(China Daily)

With an eye to recycling, circuit boards are being used in asphalt

By Mark Fischetti

Millions of printed circuit boards from discarded electronics are tossed into landfills every year. In addition to the volume of waste, the material can leach chemicals into the soil. As an alternative, researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China are finding various ways to reuse the panels, including as an additive in asphalt.

Xu Zhenming and his colleagues stripped the boards of all components, pulverized the remains into a powder and used an electrostatic separator to remove fine bits of any remaining metals, leaving a pulp of glass fibers and resin. They then added those remnants to warmed asphalt, to see if the pulp would act as a binder. Binders such as ground tire rubber and charcoal are typically added to improve asphalt’s stiffness at high temperatures (to reduce rutting) and its pliability at low temperatures (to prevent cracking). The pulp improved both properties, especially when the powder grains were made as small as possible. Zhenming’s team is testing the modified asphalt to check how it holds up to outdoor conditions over time. It is also experimenting with forming the pulp into sheets that could be made into structures such as park benches and fences.

Note: This article was originally printed with the title, “Old Circuit Boards Hit the Road.” Sourced from Scientific American.

Altium Goes for the Masses
Breaking the EDA Mold… Again

by Kevin Morris, FPGA and Structured ASIC Journal

This week, Altium is introducing a new model for the purchase of electronic design tools, in an attempt to create a grass-roots revolution that will change the nature of the electronic design automation (EDA) market.  For the past several years, Altium has been marching to a different drummer – focusing on an integrated desktop design tool suite that spans the gamut of electronic design from system-level specification to board and package layout and verification to FPGA design and to embedded software development and debug.  We characterize this approach as the “Microsoft Office” of EDA – bundling together key capabilities that most design teams require and integrating them into one simple solution.

Now, Altium is doing the same thing with their pricing models, swerving very close to the “software as a service” concept by offering seats of their design suite for a very affordable monthly fee.  In addition, they’re reducing the prices on their perpetual licenses and on their development boards.  The result is that just about anyone who can afford to spend time doing electronic design can also afford a highly capable, comprehensive tool suite.  The price – comparable to what a professional graphic designer would pay for a high-end software suite from Adobe – is a mold-breaker for EDA and on a level playing field with what FPGA companies charge for their vendor-specific tool suites.  Altium is not competing with FPGA vendor tools, however.  Instead, they surround and complement them with a wide range of system- and board-level capabilities that extend far beyond FPGA pins.

Those familiar with the EDA industry may feel that Altium has gone too far, and that the price reductions will serve only to erode revenues in a market that is historically price-inelastic.  These experts are most likely wrong – because they’re familiar with the EDA industry.

The EDA industry began, about three decades ago, taking advantage of economy of scale in what was then the center of the electronic design market – ASIC design.  In those days, ASIC was the up-and-coming, well-funded middle.  The high-flying, cutting-edge, big-budget work was all full-custom IC design – practiced by big-company engineers who wore pocket protectors with their parachute pants (it was the early 80s, after all).  These companies often had their own semiconductor fabs and paid premium prices for Calma stations and other tools of the trade of the times.  The low-budget, lower-tech operations had to make do assembling their designs out of standard parts on custom boards.

ASIC, however, brought down the barrier to entry into custom chip design.  Now, smart design teams with modest resources could create custom chips that dramatically improved their competitiveness.  If you could add an ASIC to your design, reduced costs, improved integration, better performance, and smaller form-factors were all yours.  A plethora of ASIC companies emerged to capitalize on this new market, and the EDA industry soon emerged – producing ASIC design tools that enabled middle-of-the-road design teams to take advantage of the ASIC revolution.

Over time, however, ASIC design slowly moved from the middle of the market to the upper edge.  With each process generation, ASIC design became more complex and expensive, and the demands on design tools became more extreme.  EDA companies followed these customers into the stratosphere, producing more and more sophisticated ASIC design tools for their more and more demanding designers.  As this progressed, however, the field of design teams narrowed.  More expensive non-recurring engineering (NRE) and mask costs, more expensive and complex tools, and a more sophisticated design process whittled down the number of design teams that could do ASIC design competitively.

Today, only the most sophisticated, best-funded engineering teams attempt ASIC design.  Only the highest-volume, most-demanding design projects can justify the cost and risk of an ASIC design start. Technologies like FPGA and ASSP have moved in and taken over the vast majority (estimates are more than 95%) of electronic design starts from ASIC.

The EDA industry, however, has not followed along, for the most part.  EDA has thrived and/or survived over the years because their pricing could be relatively inelastic.  If a design tool could help you avoid a costly ASIC re-spin, a six-figure price tag was almost irrelevant.  Following on that fact, EDA became an industry of big-ticket software, big customers, and huge deals.  It grew an expensive, high-touch, direct sales channel whose primary activities were golfing, wining, and dining in order to maintain relationships with corporate-deal executives so their software catalog would be on top of the pile when it came time to negotiate and re-allocate the next two- or three-year multi-million dollar “remix” all-the-software-you-can-use contract.  With these sales channels established, EDA cruised along following the money.  Bigger investments went into more complex, more sophisticated tools.  The prices increased.  The size of the ASIC-designing customer base decreased.

Most of the electronic designers on Earth, however, couldn’t afford the big-ticket EDA tools even if they needed them.  Small- and mid-sized companies doing everything except ASIC design are generally forced into the cheap seats by the EDA industry.  Sure, you still pay nine dollars for a beer and seventeen-fifty for a souvenir photo program, but you’re watching the game from behind a post, high-up in left field (on the sun side), while the ASIC teams enjoy free cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the air-conditioned box-suite.

Altium’s new pricing model aims to serve the vast majority of design teams who aren’t at the top of mainstream EDA’s party invite list.  This should have a particularly big impact in emerging engineering countries like India and China, and it could enable more robust competition from startups and mid-sized companies worldwide.  “Engineers are smart people,” says Altium CEO and founder Nick Martin.  “They will catch on to the fundamental changes occurring in electronic product design, and they will drive those changes within their organizations.”  Martin points out that today, product success is often predicated on an entire ecosystem consisting not only of hardware, but also software, services, and communication between those elements.  Driving that change requires coordination among engineers in a wide range of disciplines, and an integrated, affordable tool suite could be pivotal in realizing that vision.

by Kevin Morris, FPGA and Structured ASIC Journal

April 21, 2009

A little over a  month ago I applied for membership with IEEE and joined a variety of societies pertaining to my line of business.  However, I have yet to really feel the benefit of membership aside from the barrage of emails asking me to sign up for conferences.  In an effort to effectively use my membership, I open the floor to you – my reader and potential IEEE confederate.  How have you taken advantage of the various services IEEE offers?  Has it been an effective networking/educational tool for you?  Share your story of how it has been a blessing – or a bust.

All the best,

Liam