Designer 15 for PCBs
Altium Ltd., announced the upcoming release of its professional printed circuit board (PCB) and electronic system level design software, Altium Designer 15. It includes powerful new enhancements for designing the next generation of high-speed printed circuit boards and keeping up with industry trends, with support for new fabrication output standards as well as support for both IPC-2581 and Gerber X2. In addition, designers will no longer require external software or have to maintain complex lists of signals and nets, but instead will be able to plan and route groups of high speed nets with much greater efficiency and accuracy.
Altium Ltd.
www.altium.com
CST STUDIO SUITE 2015
Computer Simulation Technology AG (CST) unveiled the upcoming version of its flagship electromagnetic simulation tool, CST STUDIO SUITE® 2015. The software is used by engineers and researchers working across the electromagnetic spectrum to model systems and optimize designs. Its tightly-integrated solvers cover a broad range of frequencies and geometrical scales and are complemented by more specialized technology for applications such as PCBs, cables, thermal analysis and charged particle devices. With CST STUDIO SUITE 2015, the links between the different simulation domains have been tightened and new tools have been added to allow users to go beyond what can be done with electromagnetic field simulation alone.
Computer Simulation Technology AG (CST)
www.cst.com
Impedance and Power-Handling Calculator
Isola’s free impedance and power-handling calculator predicts the design attributes for microstrip and stripline based on the design’s target impedance and dielectric properties of the company’s RF, microwave and millimeter wave laminate materials. The software computes changes in the effective dielectric constant due to dispersion at higher frequencies. It then computes the total insertion loss, including the dielectric loss, conductor loss and the loss due to surface roughness. Visit isodesign.isola-group.com/phi-calculator to sign in and download.
Isola Group
www.isola-group.com
PXI Reference Solution
Keysight Technologies announced a new PXI Reference Solution for RF power amplifier (PA) characterization and test. The Reference Solution, which performs S-parameter, harmonic distortion, power and demodulation measurements, enables rapid, full characterization of next-generation power amplifier modules, such as power amplifier-duplexers (PADs). The Reference Solution is optimized for high throughput and highly accurate measurement quality. It is the only small footprint, full characterization solution for design validation and product test of the RF power amplifier, as well as all of the passive devices surrounding the power amplifier, such as filters and duplexers.
Keysight Technologies Inc.
www.keysight.com
ChipScan-ESA 3.0
The ChipScan-ESA analysis software from Langer EMV-Technik GmbH has been designed for the clear and comparable recording of a spectrum analyzer’s measurement curves. It allows users to visualize measuring curves quickly and interactively, perform complex analyses and export the curves easily. The software has been custom developed for measurements in the field of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), specifically pre and post measurements during the EMC optimization of the device under test. The ChipScan-ESA software can also generate and export image data and measurement curves for documentation. (System requirements: Windows XP and later).
Langer EMV-Technik GmbH
www.langer-emv.com
Modelithics COMPLETE Library 11.3
Modelithics announced this year’s major release of the Modelithics COMPLETE Library, version 11.3 for NI AWR Design Environment/Microwave Office circuit design software. New simulation models have been added for passive capacitor, inductor, coupler and diplexer families, as well as active semiconductor devices from popular vendors, including AVX, Mini-Circuits, Coilcraft, MACOM, Passive Plus, Rohm and Murata. Other additions include over 60 new substrate- and part-value-scalable passive Global Models™, non-linear MACOM varactor diode models, Rohm and Toshiba non-linear transistor models, and over 15 coupler and diplexer models for AVX components.
Modelithics Inc.
www.modelithics.com
RF Calculators and Conversion Tools
Pasternack has created and published a new set of RF calculators and conversion tools to assist engineers with answering complex RF-related product and design questions. The new RF calculators and converters include link budget, coax impedance, RF power conversion (such as dBm to W), attenuation, frequency, wavelength, VSWR/return loss, torque, noise, Free Space Path Loss (FSPL), unit conversion, microstrip and more. Each calculator page includes a diagram or illustrated depiction of what the calculator is used for as well as the mathematical formula for the chosen calculator. The calculator will also produce a “Find Related Products” button that directs users to Pasternack products that meet specific needs.
Pasternack Enterprises Inc.
www.pasternack.com
ROG Mobile
Rogers Corp. launched ROG Mobile, a free mobile app for Apple and Android devices. The new app allows users to access Rogers’ calculators, including the popular MWI (Microwave Impedance) simulation tool, literature, technical papers and to order samples, all while on the go with their smart phones and tablets. ROG Mobile includes tools and technical information to assist users with Rogers Corp.’s high performance printed circuit board materials. Users can also stay up to date by viewing articles and tech tips written by Rogers’ experts.
Rogers Corp.
www.rogerscorp.com
New Vishay iPad App
Vishay Intertechnology announced the availability of a Vishay app for the Apple iPad® that makes it easy for users to access the company’s Super 12 and Engineer’s Toolbox collections of semiconductor and passive devices. Vishay’s Super 12, a dozen key semiconductor and passive components, features new and improved technologies that can significantly improve the performance of end products and systems. Vishay’s Engineer’s Toolbox highlights innovative components that Vishay manufactures to help design engineers develop superior end products. The app provides key features, potential application ideas and links to datasheets and support materials for each product.
Vishay Intertechnology Inc.
www.vishay.com