Intercept Technology Inc. announced the availability of a new and improved low cost electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) solution. The software solution pairs the EMSAT post-layout EMC and SI design rule checkers, developed by IBM® and sold through Moss Bay EDA, with a customized Pantheon EMSAT viewer that displays each violation on the board in real-time.

New user interface features include a tree view that mimics the EMSATuser interface, along with descriptive error reporting. The tree view is highly interactive, allowing users to view a detailed report on any number of errors or click through each error to view the violation on the board. Violations are displayed using easy to understand arrows and highlight objects to make it as clear as possible for users to understand what needs to be corrected.

Viewed errors display in grey italics to help users track what has been identified. Corrections can be made directly in Pantheon and exported back for analysis in EMSAT using the DSN output file.

Using this process along with any of Intercept’s numerous database translators allows any design environment to utilize the time-tested and proven EMSAT rules to ensure a successfully manufactured design.

“While we fill a niche need with our EMSAT viewer,” says Abby Monaco, Director of Products and Marketing for Intercept, “we also hold ourselves to a high standard when it comes to our user interface. This redesign aimed to take a simple viewer to the next level, making error viewing and checking easy and cost effective for anyone to accomplish.”

The EMSAT EMC and SI software solutions provide a low cost, post-layout option that checks for the common violation types in a layout that lead to EMC or SI degradation. These rule types can be tailored to each design. Rule checking is accomplished by first reading in one of the following board file formats: .brd, .dsn, .hyp, .mcm, or .xml. Then, critical objects in the layout are designated, such as I/O nets, power/ground nets, clock nets, and decoupling capacitors. Once set, then each of the EMSAT rules are run on the design and errors are reported and stored in output files.

Intercept's Pantheon can utilize any one of its 35+ database translators in tandem with the EMSAT viewer and EMSAT violation file to create a violations list that can be viewed real-time in the layout.  Customers already using Intercept’s Pantheon can add the EMSAT analysis option, which allows them to view and correct EMC and SI errors in the design during the design process, without having to wait for the board to be fully routed. 

On and above this customized EMC and SI software solution, Intercept’s EDA software provides users with scalable design and engineering software that can be tailored for simpler designs to the most complex PCB, Hybrid, RF, high speed, and mixed signal boards, panels, and panel arrays. Its software suite includes schematic, layout with DFM checking, and library management software, all complemented by powerful interfaces to mechanical, manufacturing, analysis, simulation, RF modeling, and documentation. Migration to Intercept products is made easy with its offering of over 35 database translators of various CAD, CAE, and library formats. Contact sales@intercept.com to request a free 30 day trial, or to speak with a sales representative.

EMSAT is supported on WinXP/7, Linux Redhat 7 or later, and AIX 5.1.

Intercept products are supported on WinXP/7/8, 32 or 64 bit, and Linux Redhat 5 or later