A Free PCB Package
2002-06-05 by Larry Edington
I received this today via email and thought some of you may be interested in it. #5 is the PCB related news. I downloaded it and installed it but haven't played with it yet. I don't know if it's worthless or useful, but hey it's free! later, Larry E. ================================================================= TEST & MEASUREMENT WORLD ONLINE UPDATE NEWSLETTER Presented by Test & Measurement World Online http://www.tmworld.com. June 5, 2002 ================================================================= Test & Measurement World is your resource for information about electronics testing. 1. June issue of T&MW now online 2. IEEE MTT-S keynote report: From microwaves to Microsoft 3. Agilent adds datacom and mixed-signal options to 93000 SOC tester 4. RFIC tester accommodates mixed-signal and digital instruments 5. Kovac Software releases free PCB design software 6. Quality Vision acquires RAM Optical Instrumentation 7. IEST moves headquarters to new location ============ Sponsor: Raytheon, Reliability Analysis Lab ============ If a component fails to meet specs, what then? Read about the latest techniques for analyzing electronic parts and semiconductor components in Raytheon's "Reliability Analysis News," a FREE publication for design engineers, quality labs, and production personnel. Articles include Analysis Tips, Recent Findings from the Lab, and such features as "Failures in Microelectronics Packaging." Subscribe today at http://email.tmworld.com/cgi-bin2/flo?y=eHPy0Eierw0DbU0Bngc0Av ==================================================== 1. June issue of T&MW now online Check out these features from our most recent issue: "DFT puzzle comes together" Senior Technical Editor Rick Nelson takes a look at both digital and analog design-for-test techniques. http://email.tmworld.com/cgi-bin2/flo?y=eHPy0Eierw0DbU0Bni70AF "Sharpen x-ray images" New techniques help increase the resolution of x-ray systems and sharpen images of tiny components and defects. http://email.tmworld.com/cgi-bin2/flo?y=eHPy0Eierw0DbU0Bni80AG "Test VSR optical interfaces" While the Very Short Reach (VSR) optical interface cuts the cost of connecting network components, it requires measurements on each of 12 channels. This article provides an overview of the necessary tests. http://email.tmworld.com/cgi-bin2/flo?y=eHPy0Eierw0DbU0BnjA0AQ "Calibrate VNAs over the Internet" A new service from the UK's National Physical Laboratory (NPL) eliminates the need for engineers to transport verification devices to a national measurement institute. http://email.tmworld.com/cgi-bin2/flo?y=eHPy0Eierw0DbU0BnjB0AR 2. IEEE MTT-S keynote report: From microwaves to Microsoft The IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S) kicked off its 50th anniversary celebration at the International Microwave Show being held in Seattle this week. At the plenary session, MTT-S president John Barr of Agilent Technologies traced microwave engineering's evolution from Marconi's December 12, 1901, trans-Atlantic transmission to today's wireless Internet. An indication of the evolution of concerns of microwave engineers from Marconi's time to the present was afforded by the selection of a software executive--Juha Christensen, corporate VP of Microsoft's mobility group--as keynote speaker. Marconi didn't worry much about the user interface--his software was the Morse code. Today, though, a user's experience with a mobile product determines whether that product is successful. Customers aren't looking for the most technologically sophisticated, highly integrated single-chip radios inside mobile devices; instead, they are looking for out-of-the-box ease of use. For the rest of the story, visit: http://email.tmworld.com/cgi-bin2/flo?y=eHPy0Eierw0DbU0BnjC0AS ============ Sponsor: Edmund Industrial Optics ============ Edmund Industrial Optics is a worldwide leading supplier of optical components and imaging systems for Test and Measurement. EO designs and manufactures a wide array of lenses, micro lenses, prisms, thin- film coatings and optical sub-assemblies. Our optical engineering team designs stock and custom precision products for test & measurement, machine vision and factory automation applications. http://email.tmworld.com/cgi-bin2/flo?y=eHPy0Eierw0DbU0Bl5w0AP ==================================================== 3. Agilent adds datacom and mixed-signal options to 93000 SOC tester Agilent Technologies (Palo Alto, CA) has expanded its 93000 Series test platform to support test of high-speed data-communications and mixed-signal devices. The company's XP (for eXtended Platform) option adapts the Agilent 81250 ParBERT benchtop tester for high-volume production-test applications, integrating 10-Gbits/s bit-error-rate test capabilities within the 93000 Series system. For more, visit: http://email.tmworld.com/cgi-bin2/flo?y=eHPy0Eierw0DbU0BnjD0AT 4. RFIC tester accommodates mixed-signal and digital instruments Credence Systems (Fremont, CA) has introduced the ASL 3000RF mixed-signal, radio-frequency integrated-circuit (RFIC) test system for wideband, wireless communications devices, including those targeting 802.11 wireless local area networking (WLAN) standards and third-generation (3G) mobile communications services. The system offers both RF and mixed-signal instrumentation, and its scaleable architecture enables users to upgrade their systems with analog, digital, and enhanced RF test capabilities. The ASL 3000RF features four parallel RF receivers, each with a dedicated digital signal processor (DSP). The system accommodates up to eight RF ports at 6 GHz and up to 64 50-MHz digital pins. Price: $400,000 (RF only) to less than $1 million (fully configured). 5. Kovac Software releases free PCB design software AutoTRAX EDA, an electronic board-level design software suite that runs on desktop PCs, is now available at no charge from Kovac Software (Stafford, UK). The software combines schematic capture, circuit simulation, PCB layout, and 3-D modeling of both parts and the final board. AutoTRAX EDA features a drag-and-drop schematic capture module with integral SPICE simulation and virtual instruments such as oscilloscopes, function generators, and spectrum analyzers. Engineers can rapidly create a final board using the PCB design wizard. You can download the software and print out the manuals at http://email.tmworld.com/cgi-bin2/flo?y=eHPy0Eierw0DbU0BnjE0AU 6. Quality Vision acquires RAM Optical Instrumentation Quality Vision International (Rochester, NY) has acquired RAM Optical Instrumentation (ROI) from Newport Corp. (Irvine, CA). Newport has spun off ROI as part of its sale of the majority of its Industrial Metrology Systems Division. ROI will continue to produce noncontact dimensional inspection equipment. 7. IEST moves headquarters to new office The Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology (IEST; www.iest.org) will relocate to Rolling Meadows, IL, as of July 1. The new address will be IEST 5005 Newport Dr., Suite 506 Rolling Meadows, IL 60008-3841 Ph: 847-255-1561 Fax: 847-255-1699 ==================================================== [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]