AWR

Connected™
Mentor Graphics
Expedition™

Overview
RF and printed circuit board (PCB) design have been quietly merging for years
as RF layer and component counts have increased frequencies or clock rates
have risen. Yet the ability to concurrently design RF/microwave circuitry and
realize it on a manufacturable, design-rule-check (DRC) correct PCB has not
been on the same trajectory.

Now with AWR Connected for Mentor Graphics Expedition, a highly efficient flow
that achieves concurrency between RF/microwave design, electromagnetic
(EM) analysis, and circuit simulation with PCB library management, digital/
analog mixed signal (AMS) implementation, and manufacturing verification and
preparation is finally here.
AWR & Mentor
Features at a glance
Collaborative
 Complete database-to-database integration
RF PCB Design
•  Full and incremental bidirectional schematic
•  Real-time component library synchronization and task automation
• AWR parts library automatically generated and updated with every
transfer from Mentor
• Mentor library automation to synchronize to AWR microstrips and
striplines and EM-based parts
• Auto-create AWR process design kit (PDK) from Mentor tools upon
data transfer
•  AWR footprints/symbols from Mentor upon data transfer
  Access to AWR circuit simulators throughout the flow
• Full concurrency from Mentor to AWR while completing PCB
• Connect one Mentor PCB to many AWR projects over the Internet
among multiple platforms
 Full, incremental, and multiple EM extraction and management between
Expedition and AWR

Achieve concurrent
RF PCB design flow
with AWR Connected.
 AWR
Connected
(additional positioning
line here ???)
Mentor
MG Graphics
Expedition™
Expedition

how it works
AWR Connected for Mentor Graphics Expedition is built at the
database level, so your design decisions are preserved while allowing
you to exploit all the features of both software suites. With on-
demand library creation as part of every file transfer, parts become
available in AWR as soon as you place them in your Mentor design,
so there’s no need for librarian work to begin using any parts in your
LMS, DMS, or local project library.

Concurrency is assured throughout the design flow, giving you

access at all times to all aspects of AWR circuit simulation, from EM
analysis to ACE™ automatic circuit extraction. Circuit simulation can
be accessed directly from Mentor’s DxDesigner™, Design Architect™,
NEW IMAGE HERE
and Expedition. And when you run Mentor’s real-time DRC or
design for manufacturability (DFM) tools with AWR Connected in
auto-simulate mode, you can instantly access the effect of any layout
change by circuit simulation or analysis, including any EM solver
plugged into AWR’s EM Socket™.

summary
AWR Connected for Mentor Graphics Expedition’s delivers the first
true integrated flow between RF/microwave engineering and PCB
system design. Library creation is automatic, on-demand, and
includes continuous synchronization as needed with each schematic/
layout transfer. Crucial access to circuit simulation is provided at
all steps of the flow, regardless of the toolset from which design
modifications are being made. Concurrent circuit simulation, EM
analysis, and realtime PCB DRC during the critical final stages to
manufacturing release eliminate costly translation steps, design
iterations, and board spins. NEW IMAGE HERE

RF/microwave designs are accelerated with AWR and

Mentor Graphics Expedition co-design. The real-time
bidirectional link between the tools is the key factor in
achieving a concurrent design flow.

AWR, 1960 East Grand Avenue, Suite 430, El Segundo, CA 90245, USA
Tel: +1 (310) 726-3000 Fax: +1 (310) 726-3005 www.awrcorp.com
Copyright © 2010 AWR Corp. All rights reserved. AWR and the AWR logo are registered trademarks
and AWR Connected, AWR Design Environment, ACE and EM Socket are trademarks of AWR Corp.
All others are property of their respective holders.
DS-ACMG-2010.5.10