What design files does Zuken’s DFM Center require for PCB manufacturability checks? How can the data be uploaded?
Hello Steve!! How does CR-8000 handle component libraries, and what options are available for managing and creating libraries?
How user-friendly is the CR-8000 interface, and what resources are available for users to get started? Do you offer training?
Hi Poulomi, thanks for your questions. The main features of CR-8000 are that it’s a system level PCB and Advanced Packaging design tool. It leverages 64 bit architecture and multi-core, multi-threading processing capabilities to ensure a responsive environment. It’s very good in modular design, design reuse, variant design and has an excellent work in process data and library management capability that’s available as well. The tools use an integrated constraint mechanism to manage rules across the design process. CR-8000 also has time domain and frequency domain engines integrated in the platform for SI and PI analysis. CR-8000 focuses on a fast SI/PI screen process to avoid unexpected mistakes for PCB layout designs before handover to SI/PI specialist for signoffs.
Zuken CR-8000 has an integrated DRC capability that manages rules for the online DRC functions. These rules can be set at a technology level and then loaded into a design(s). Once local they can be edited, but there is a comparator tool to validate the rules prior to release. Post layout analysis can be performed in any number of tools and we have strong interfaces to ensure rapid data portability and easy reloading of changes to the original design.
I’m not sure if I understand the question correctly, but if you’re asking if our schematic data can be used to drive other PCB level design tools, then that would be only be possible in a very rudimentary level. We can output some custom netlists that could be used by other tools, but you’d lose some of the strength of a design environment in that back-annotation and cross-probing would not be possible.
DFM Center is a product design for usage by manufacturing facilities. It allows for advanced data manipulation that would need to performed based on process compensation. From a design perspective we have a tool called ADM for manufacturability checks. It has a library of checks, (as well as the capability to create custom rules), that can be characterized into rule decks and then check execution takes place within the CR-8000 Design Force tool. Cross-probing and reports can be utilized to evaluate those check results. Also we can use standard interfaces to port data to other checking tools.
Hi Dilip! CR-8000 handles libraries as a small number of databases with side files to represent the symbol information. Customers can have one or many libraries established based on the variations of environments they need to serve, (most customers just use one). The library can have a one to many relationship set in that there can be one part number with variations on footprints that would be called based on the technology being design to. For instance there could be a surface mount part that has a high yield footprint as well as a prototype technology footprint all organized under the same part number. Library creation can take place in the native CR-8000 Component Editor tool or also under the umbrella of our DS-CR library management modules, but in the end the same editors are called, it’s just different mechanisms to get there and manage the data. There are also some strong partners that have capability to migrate third party libraries into the Zuken dialect!
The CR-8000 interface is very intuitive, especially in the Design Force tool where much of the development focus was placed the wide variety of operations that need to be performed at the designer level. All of the interfaces are highly customizable at the user level to allow the freedom to tune the tool behavior to individual needs. Much of our training is free web based training and for customers we offer a variety of different programs to get them up and running quickly on the tools.
Hello Steve, I’m a fairly new CR8000 user. Previously I have used Altium. I find the documentation of CR8000 not very detailed. I have struggled to understand some parts of the tools even after reviewing the documentation. Another aspect I’m missing is the user forums.
Are these points something that Zuken is planning to improve? What is hte best way to learn the tool? Thanks!
Could you provide the link to the “free web based” training? I would be really interested. Thanks
Following the answer about ADM.
What files does ADM accept? Could we import into ADM gerbers generated with other CAD tool for check?
Hi Jesus, thanks for the questions. Documentation is something that we’ve been working to improve and we know there’s more that we can do here and are working to address it. Another resource that we have is the Zuken Community, I’ll post the link below. It’s a resource that you can register for and once you have access it has many how to videos for common and uncommon operations in various CR-8000 tools. Most of the videos have been driven by common customer questions so you will likely find useful items here to help you ramp up on Zuken tools. Also, there’s a forum there that allows you to post questions to other users as well as the Zuken Application Engineer members. Additionally there is a link there that will take you to the free online training. Using the online training and reviewing the how to videos should get you up and running quickly. Link to Zuken Community:
[Zuken User Community - Zuken US](https://Zuken Community)
Thanks!
Zuken’s ADM tool works within the Zuken CR-8000 Design Force toolset, so no migration or import is needed. However if you have a 3rd party design that you’d like to check with ADM, then using the ODB++ importer to Design Force will create a very intelligent Zuken database to execute ADM checks against. One could also import gerbers to Design Force to create a Zuken design, but the leg work needed to add the needed intelligence to that design would be significant. Gerber has no part numbers, component information, netlist information, so many of the intelligent checks in ADM would be rendered useless.
Good morning.
Dear Zuken team,
Maybe you can help and show us some light on what is happening.
In the past Nissan Brazil bought 03 Cabling Design lifetime licenses from Zuken, however we’re not get any mail back from the salesperson when we requested some help with the issue that we’re having through the Software.
Nissan Brazil has 03 lifetime licenses from Cabling Design, but a pop-up says License error.
Could you help us understand what this error would be and how to fix it?
Is there a package/feature that we are using that we do not have access to and that is why it presents this error?
We would be grateful if you could get back to us with this help or the email of someone in the technical support area who can help us out, please.
Many thanks.
Best regards,
Rodrigo Miceli
Good morning Rodrigo,
I’m sorry to hear that you are experiencing some challenges with the licensing.
It would be helpful if you could share your email address and contact information with me so that we’re not communicating via the SierraConnect portal. Once I have your details, I’ll be able to connect you with one of our technical experts, who will be able to investigate further.
Kind regards,
Amy
Hello.
Many thanks for your help.
Please following my mail: rodrigo.miceli-external@nissan.com.br
Thank you,
Miceli