OUR PRODUCTS

CirVibe

CBTAS - Heat Transfer Analysis

 

OUR PRODUCTS

CirVibe¨
PCB Mechanical Analysis (Vibration / shock), Mechanical Stress Screening, Circuit Card and Electronics Reliability, Test Development, Prognostics and Health Management (PHM)

Product Description
Evaluating fatigue life of electronic circuit cards is a very complex problem (Modal Illustration). For years, simple empirical formulae have been used to estimate life capabilities. These formulae were used to replace the very detailed analysis required for prediction of fatigue life, since detailed analysis was beyond the capability of all but the largest of corporations. But product understanding could not be accomplished with equations and as a result, extensive and expensive test programs were used to obtain product quality.

Modern computers provide the number crunching capability necessary to solve the complex fatigue evaluation, CirVibe provides the model development and methods. Testing remains an important part of understanding product life, but CirVibe makes the product development process efficient.

Stress Screening:
Environmental Stress Screening vibration has been established as the most effective means of detecting mechanical production flaws. CirVibe was developed for establishing, evaluating and optimizing environmental vibration stress screens for assurance of quality of components, PWAs and electronic assemblies. However, its ease of use makes it an ideal tool for all stages of the design and development process including design ruggedization. CirVibe performs detailed Finite Element Analysis (FEA), but is not a typical FEA program. Methods used in CirVibe were developed by a team of engineers including test, analysis, reliability and production specialists, with the primary goal of product understanding. FEA model generation is highly automated. Automated model generation, modal analysis, detailed component stress calculations and fatigue evaluations are performed from simple geometric descriptions of the hardware. CAD interface programs further simplify the analysis setup, allowing models to be developed in minutes.

CirVibe methods provide product understanding during demanding product development schedules. CirVibe's highly automated pre- and post- processors eliminate the need for a user to be a FEA specialist, yet FEA specialists can use CirVibe for time saving advantages. Time is spent evaluating and applying results, rather than spent with input detail and error chasing. The ease of analysis permits evaluation of parameters, support modes, and component position for developing optimum screens or for obtaining maximum life when used during the design process. Since actual test data can be entered into CirVibe, fatigue damage differences due to changes in frequency or transmissibility response of test units can be easily evaluated. By concentrating on the results, the user can gain an understanding of life-usage and draw on experience to optimize environmental stress screens or optimize design capabilities. The ability to rapidly analyze variations in support conditions and vibration requirements make CirVibe an ideal tool for evaluation of Commercial Off The Shelf , COTS hardware.

Benefits to End User of CirVibe:
•Simulate product prior to hardware availability.
Capability to include actual test data after hardware is available.
•Optimize stress screening for effectiveness
•Reduce Environmental Stress Screen costs, Development Costs,
and time to market
•Increase Product Reliability
•Understand vibration life usage at component level (life fractions can be defined for all components)

Electronic CAD Interfaces:
Mentor Graphics Board Station:
The Uni-directional interface with Mentor Graphics allows geometric data required by CirVibe to be read directly from Mentor Graphics Board Station. Board shape, component details and positions are transferred into CirVibe for use in detailed analysis.

OrCad:
Similar to Mentor Graphics Interface programs, uses "*.MIN" file output by OrCAD.

Zuken Redac:
Similar to Mentor Graphics Interface programs, uses "*.CAD" file output by Zuken Redac.

PADS PowerPCB:
Similar to Mentor Graphics Interface programs, uses "Design Database ASCII file" output by PADS PowerPCB.

Cadence Allegro:
The Uni-directional interface with Cadence Allegro allows geometric data required by CirVibe to be read directly from data files containing component and "pin" location information.. Component details and positions are transferred into CirVibe for use in detailed analysis.

General CAD Interface:
The General CAD Uni-directional interface reads component names and reference geometries from one ASCII file and pin location for all components from a second ASCII file. Component details and positions are transferred into CirVibe for use in detailed analysis.

Product Capabilities and Features:
• Highly Automated - Detailed Analysis
• Models can be developed in minutes
• Accelerated Life / Fatigue Damage Calculation
• For use in DT&E (Design, Test and Evaluation), Product Development, Environmental Stress Screening and Reliability
• COTS vibration life usage evaluation
• For use with Component, Board or Assembly Electronics
• Analytical Optimization of ESS Vibration

Value of CirVibe for COTS - Vibration

All electronic systems experience shock and vibration - loading that occurs when transported by ground, air, sea or rocket. Often an equivalent life vibration requirement (Accelerated life test) is established for testing equipment to verify its capability to survive the loads experienced over a life of service in the field.

All involved in the COTS final usage (the designer, producer, system developer and end user) should be confident of the capability of the hardware to meet the design goals. Often hardware is qualified for use with a single qualification test and application of a simple empirical formula for life verification. One test is not much assurance that all similar products can meet the requirements. Electronic systems have potential for large variations in geometric features and material properties that can have substantial effects on vibration life capability.

Expensive testing programs can be used to cover uncertainty associated with changing requirements (upscreening), or allowance for parameter variations.

CirVibe tools make the testing process effective and cost efficient. With CirVibe tools, rapid analysis of variations in geometries, properties, vibration spectrums and support conditions is possible. Results are shown in life usage on a component level basis, providing product understanding never before available at this level of effort.

Through experience in test programs supported by CirVibe analysis, all involved in COTS can have understanding and confidence in the vibration life capabilities.

CBTAS - Heat Transfer Analysis

Product Capabilities and Features :

• Sister Program to CirVibe -- Currently under development
• Uses eased input similar to CirVibe