Altair PollEx 2022 Release Notes

Highlights

  • Changed the unit draw of the PollEx Verification feature to 30AUs from 50AUs. The related PollEx products are DFM, DFA, DFE, DFE+, and Logic DFE.
  • PCB: Import Zuken CR-8000 ASCII design data.
    Figure 1.


  • PCB: Import variant models.
    Figure 2.


  • Verification: Enable to lock the DFx input file so the input parameters cannot be modified.
    Figure 3.


  • Verification: Enable to cross-probe between DFx Excel results and the PollEx PCB.
    Figure 4.


  • Verification: Added a Link to an ECAD feature with the Altium Designer and Pulsonix.
    Figure 5.


  • SI: Added a Common Mode analysis feature for Differential Pair Net analysis.
    Figure 6.


  • SI: Added a feature to check the syntax of S-Parameter.
    Figure 7.


  • PI: Added a feature to report the DC IR drop analysis report.
    Figure 8.


  • SI: Added a feature to perform Impedance analysis in the Layer Stack dialog.
    Figure 9.


    Figure 10.


  • PI: Added a feature to measure the DC IR Drop analysis result.
    Figure 11.


  • SI: Added an environment temperature parameter in the Electrical Analysis Constraints dialog.
    Figure 12.


  • PI: Added the menu of Display Target Impedance for the PDN analysis result in the Network Parameter Viewer dialog.
    Figure 13.


  • UPE: Enhanced the UI of the Mount Information dialog. From the menu bar, click Properties > Mount Data to open.
    Figure 14.


New Features

PollEx Modeler
PCB
  • Added a feature to import variant models.
  • Added a feature to search variant models in Explorer.
  • Added a function to import or export a variant data from/to PDBA.
  • Added a function to import or export the voltage value to Excel file. From the menu bar, click Properties > Nets > Edit Power Voltage.
  • Added a function to import or export the Target Impedance value to Excel.
  • Added a feature to import DXF file format.
PollEx Verification
DFM
  • Added a feature to link the DFM Excel results to PollEx PCB.
  • Added a feature to lock the DFM input file.
DFA
  • Added a feature to link the DFA Excel results to PollEx PCB.
  • Added a feature to lock the DFA input file.
DFE
  • Added a search function to the Net's Input Setting dialog.
  • Added a feature to link the DFE Excel results to PollEx PCB.
  • Added a feature to lock the DFE input file.
DFE+
  • Added an Import from UPFs menu to the Component Group input. Component Group can be created automatically using the information of the UPE if this menu is enabled.
  • Added an Import from net class definition menu to the Net Group input. Net Group can be created automatically using the information of Net Class Definition.
  • Added a feature to lock the DFE+ input file.
PollEx Analysis
SI
  • Added a function to check syntax when importing the S-Parameter.
  • Added a Common Mode analysis function when analyzing the Differential Pair Net.
  • Added an Environment Temp field in the environment to change the simulation temperature.
PI
  • Added a function to open multiple S-Parameters in the Network Parameter Viewer.
  • Added a marker function to check voltage at any point in the IR-Drop Analysis Result dialog.
  • Added a function to export IR-Drop Analysis result to Excel.
  • Added a function to export decap information like the type and location to Excel for each generated case.
  • Added a function to display the target impedance line in the AC PDN Analysis Result dialog.
PollEx UPE
  • Added a function to specify the package length and package delay time to the electrical pin.
  • Added a function to display a pop-up menu of New, Open, Recent File, and Setting when right-mouse clicking before opening the UPF project.
PollEx Interface from ECAD
Altium Designer
  • Added a feature to work with the Altium Designer extension, called the AltairPollEx.
Cadence
  • Added attributes for the generic symbol when importing OrCAD.
Zuken
  • Added a feature to import CR-8000 design data of *.dsgf and *.mdgf.
  • Added a function to import a variant file *.dst when importing Zuken design data.

Enhancements

PollEx Modeler
PCB
  • Enhanced an import speed of Altium design data.
  • Enhanced an ODB++ importer to handle 7-zip format.
  • Added an option to specify an ECAD tool for the Link to ECAD feature of DFx in the PCB environment menu.
  • Modified the thermal information value to be set based on the footprint when creating a local part.
Logic
  • Added an option to display a block symbol with a different color in Explorer.
  • Enhanced the display of the Net Property dialog with a tree structure.
CP
  • Added a feature to support *.xlsx format result export.
  • Enhanced the result display between the PCB and Logic comparison.
  • Enhanced the result display to show the part names difference between the Logic and Logic comparison.
PollEx Verification
DFM
  • Enhanced the Link to ECAD feature to the Altium Designer.
  • Enhanced the Screw2 item to check various objects like component, pattern, copper, and via.
  • Enhanced the Screw2 item to recognize a slit near the screw area.
  • Enhanced the Gas Hole item to recognize a pin padstack.
  • Enhanced the Component Count item to check under different conditions like per layer, type, or group.
  • Added an option in the Dummy Pad 2 item to check the clearance between the centers of pins, and to exclude vertically placed parts against the soldering direction from checking.
  • Added an option in the Ref Name Silk item to check mirrored silkscreen.
  • Fixed a bug of Lines between Two Pins where the result area was not highlighted.
DFE
  • Modified the Import from UPFs so it can be enabled only when PDBB is in a project folder.
  • Added an option to set the Net Classification using middle string.
  • Enhanced the Link to ECAD feature to the Altium Designer.
  • Modified to express Polygon as a Mesh shape when displaying the result of the Antenna Ground item.
  • Enhanced the Serpentine item to check only when the Start Component of Differential Net are the same.
  • Added a Via Escape option to the Serpentine item.
DFE+
  • Added an option in the Timing Skew item to reflect Package Length.
  • Added an option in the Crosstalk item to control coupling parameter between nets.
Logic DFE
  • Modified to display the input file path and name in the title bar of the input dialog.
  • Modified to open the result when the loaded PDBB is matched with the result file.
PollEx Analysis
SI
  • Added an option to set the inclusion of a termination port when extracting S-parameters.
  • Modified the S-Parament Naming rule in the Network Parameter Viewer dialog to use the same name as S11, S12, and so on instead of using a pin name.
  • Modified to select any nets as an aggressor when using the manual mode in the Crosstalk Analysis.
PI
  • Enhanced the IR-Drop Analysis result to change the color of the Via.
  • Added a Voltage Drop option in the IR-Drop Analysis Result dialog to display the voltage drop map.
  • Added an option to display the on/off option in the Via display in the IR-Drop Analysis Result dialog.
PollEx UPE
  • Enhanced the Mount Data Information dialog.
  • Enhanced the default footprint configuration table to generate for the package type automatically.
  • Enhanced the default logic symbol configuration table to generate parts automatically.
  • Enhanced the mount information export to include if the master library is locked.
  • Enhanced the Package Generation Wizard by removing unnecessary dimension inputs of chip inductors.
  • Enhanced the Package Length Excel format for use in both DFM and DFE+.
PollEx Interface from ECAD
Altium Designer
  • Added option to specify the ECAD Part Name for import into PollEx.
Cadence
  • Added an option to specify an ECAD Part Name for import into PollEx from the Allegro Expansion.
  • Enhanced the Specctra importer to display the board outline and copper keep-out area correctly, and to apply component values into the part names.
Eagle CAD
  • Enhanced the Eagle CAD importer.
ODB++
  • Enhanced the ODB++ importing speed by using the multi-thread.
  • Enhanced the ODB++ exporter.
Zuken
  • Enhanced the process of applying the material properties described in the *.ruf file to the Material Library when importing Zuken data.
  • Enhanced the process of applying the material names and values described in the *.ruf file to the Material Library when importing Zuken data.

Resolved Issues

  • Fixed a bug that picks when the line width is zero in Logic.
  • Fixed a bug that displays a slot hole correctly in CAM.
  • Fixed a bug where a Remainder of the Component Class was editable in DFM.
  • Fixed a bug where a pin pad rotation angle is incorrect when generating a footprint in UPE.
  • Fixed an error where shape positions are twisted when moving symbol pins and body at the same time in symbol editor of UPE.
  • Fixed an error where an unintended symbol pin is selected when selecting symbol pins by mouse dragging in UPE.
  • Fixed an error where a ghost image remains in the mark editor, lead editor, package editor and measure functions in UPE.
  • Fixed an error where package delay and package length values are not saved when the device model type is not specified in UPE.
  • Fixed a bug that imports the correct layer thickness from the Eagle CAD.
  • Fixed a bug that reads a layer thickness correctly from the Mentor PADs.