Composite Solid Model for PCB Part Substitution
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing design flow for electronic devices with printed circuit boards faces challenges in part substitution due to varying physical characteristics from different suppliers, leading to potential unbuildability and increased costs, as designers attempt to compensate with additional spacing tolerances.
Innovation Solution
A computing system generates and utilizes a composite solid model that combines multiple parts' component models, allowing for placement in a layout representation, ensuring compatibility with any associated parts, thus enabling the construction of electronic devices with parts from various suppliers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If designers use additional spacing tolerances to compensate for part substitution, then part interchangeability is improved, but device size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal composite solid model that represents multiple parts from different suppliers with a single unified model. This composite model integrates the bounding box information of multiple supplier parts, allowing the layout tool to work with one universal representation that accommodates all supplier variations without requiring additional spacing tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary consolidation of multiple component models into a single composite solid model before the layout design process. By pre-integrating the maximum dimensions and bounding boxes of all potential supplier parts into one composite model, the system eliminates the need for designers to add extra spacing tolerances later, as the composite model already accounts for all dimensional variations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If designers use additional spacing tolerances to compensate for part substitution, then part interchangeability is improved, but implementation cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The composite solid model serves as a universal representation that works for all supplier parts, eliminating the need for multiple separate design iterations or costlier verification processes. By using one composite model that encompasses all supplier variations, the system reduces manufacturing complexity and associated costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified composite solid model that copies and integrates the essential bounding box information of multiple supplier parts. This composite copy allows designers to work with a single representative model rather than managing multiple detailed component models, reducing design complexity and implementation costs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple component models are used for parts from different suppliers, then part selection flexibility is improved, but layout complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple component models from different suppliers into a single composite solid model that contains the integrated bounding box information of all supplier parts. This consolidation reduces layout complexity by eliminating the need to manage and switch between multiple separate component models, while still preserving part selection flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite solid model acts as a universal representation that maintains flexibility for selecting parts from different suppliers while providing a single unified interface for the layout tool. This universal model simplifies the layout process by presenting one consistent geometric representation regardless of which specific supplier part is ultimately selected.
Data Source
AI summary
This application discloses a computing system implementing tools and mechanisms to generate a composite solid model for a set of parts and utilize the composite solid model during the layout process. The tools and mechanisms can identify multiple parts available for inclusion in a circuit design, combine component models corresponding to the multiple parts into a composite solid model, and place the composite solid model in the layout representation of the circuit design. The composite solid model can have physical dimensions that overlap with physical dimensions of the component models corresponding to the multiple parts.