[SI-LIST] Re: Using general purpose computer tools to solve SI problems

Reanderson,
 
I liked this thread. It is particularly relevant in this bad economy.
 
Sitar
Ray Anderson <reanderson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Engineers quite often utilize specialized software to solve specialized 
problems in their work. A few general examples of these tools might be: 
spice simulators, field solvers, model generators, netlist generators 
etc. The list goes on and on.

As has been discussed recently, sometimes more general purpose computing 
tools such as spreadsheets can be used to advantage to solve engineering 
problems if applied appropriately. In the example of the spreadsheet, 
even though the most common use of the tool is to automate 'book 
keeping' functions, beneath the hood lives a powerful math engine and 
graphics interface. Quite often those intrinsic qualities of the tool 
can be utilized in imaginative ways to solve engineering problems that 
would otherwise require specialized software that might not be available 
to the user.

The non-availability might be due to the fact that the type of problem 
to be solved is uncommon enough that acquisition of a special tool 
isn't cost effective, that a commercial tool is cost prohibitive, or 
perhaps that a tool designed to solve some particular problem just does 
not exist.

I was wondering if list members might share (the concept, not 
necessarily the tool) examples of innovative uses of general purpose 
computing tools to solve problems that they've either used or seen used.

To start off, I'll volunteer the use of an Excel spreadsheet to 
recursively calculate the DC drop on a PCB from the VRM to the core 
power pins of a CPU packaged in a BGA package accounting for PCB 
cutouts, swiss-cheesing effects of anti-vias etc. There have recently 
become available elegant commercial tools that very accurately deal with 
this problem, however, in the past the problem of determining and 
visualizing these distributed voltage drops accurately (or even 
inaccurately) has been problematic.

One other example, although not strictly SI related, is a shareware 
application a friend of mine developed called MultiNEC. Based on the 
Excel spreadsheet and utilizing the VB macro capability of that tool, it 
performs pre and post processing functions for NEC (Numerical 
Electromagnetic Code) simulations. It allows antenna geometries to be 
defined and then it generates the appropriate input decks for the 
simulator. It also analyzes and graphically plots the results from the 
NEC solve engine. Interface from the spreadsheet to the NEC simulator is 
seamless. There are many other capabilities integrated as well which all 
depend on the spreadsheet framework.

I for one, would be interested in learning of other interesting 
applications of general purpose computing tools that engineers have come 
up with to deal with SI and other engineering problems. If anyone 
actually wants to share a particular tool that would be great, but just 
the general knowledge of what has been or can be done may provide the 
impetus for others to develop their own applications.


-Ray Anderson
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