1) What is your Job title?  Manager of PCB Layout Services
2) Are you involved in PCB Design or some other activity - (please
indicate)?  Scheduling, assignment, checking, release, and logistical
support for all layout activities.
3) What type of boards do you create?  Single punched, double and
multilayer drilled boards.
4) How large is a typical design team at your company?  Usually 4 persons.
5) What is the duration of your typical design time?  First iteration
turned-around for test in 4 weeks.
6) What percentage of the time spent is on Schematic Development?  20%
7) What percentage of the time spent is on PCB Design or Layout?  50%
8) What percentage of the time spent is on Manufacturing support?  25%
9) What percentage of the time spent is on Signal Integrity analysis?  1%
10) What percentage of the time spent is on Thermal/EMI?  2%
11) How many boards are typically in your projects?  12
12) How many FPGA's or ASIC's  are used in your projects?  1/2 dozen
13) What is the average layer count of your PCB designs?  1-6
14) What is the typical clock speed or frequency your designs operate at?
Medium Frequency (television)
15) Do you consider your designs to be 'high speed'?  No
16) Will you be doing much more, more, the same, less, or much less
designs
next year?  Less
17) What CAD tool(s) do you use?  Mentor Graphics Boardstation
18) Do you plan on spending more, same or less on CAD tools next year?
Same
19) Are Signal Integrity tools important to the success of your board
designs?  No
20) Are you very satisfied, satisfied, or not satisfied with your design
tools?  Not satisfied
21) What does your CAD tool do Right? Or Wrong? What do you like about it
and not like about it.  Mentor Graphics is very learning intensive and not
very intuitive.  Once you learn it, it's as good or better than others,
but it is not for the casual user.  The old THEDA software was lightyears
ahead of Mentor Graphics from just a layout tool, it just didn't have the
peripheral enhancements and extra baggage, which most layouters don't need
anyway.

Mike Huffman  ([log in to unmask] )
CID+, IPC Certified Advanced Interconnect Designer
Electrical CAD Manager
Philips Consumer Electronics, BCT Projection TV
PHONE 865-521-3448, FAX 865-540-8021
One Philips Drive,  P.O. Box 14810, Knoxville, TN. 37914-1810

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