iCD Introduces New Materials Planner Software

Estimated reading time: 1 minute

In-Circuit Design Pty Ltd (iCD), Australia, developer of the iCD Design Integrity software, has released the new iCD Materials Planner software to add to the Stackup Planner functionality. This will be rolled out to iCD support customers as an update to their current software.

The Dielectric Materials Library, which complements the iCD Stackup Planner, has

• Over  33,000 rigid and flexible materials up to 100GHz
• Produced by over 60 different manufacturers
• Containing over 700 series of materials

So, it is often a daunting task to ascertain which is the best material for an application. The iCD Materials Planner allows you to compare dielectric materials based on manufacturer, fabricator, frequency, dissipation factor (loss) and dielectric constant. This enables the designer to make an informed decision on which material is best for his application.

Generally the selection metric, for dielectric materials, is the amount of loss that a transmission line can tolerate and this is proportional to the frequency and rise time of the signals. The iCD Materials Planner is subdivided into five default TABs which gives the novice high-speed PCB designer a heads-up as to what to select for his application.  

• Ultra Low Loss (Df ≤ 0.005)
• Low Loss (0.005 < Df < 0.010)
• Mid Loss (0.010 < Df < 0.015)
• Standard Loss (0.015 < Df < 0.02)
• Basic FR-4 (Df ≥ 0.02)

This is similar to a typical competitive analysis that a material manufacturer may present for, say, Isola vs Ventec and Rogers, but it is far more comprehensive, with over 60 vendors and 700 series of materials to choose from. Alternatively, a profile for each PCB fabricator that you usually deal with can be set up. This will display the complete range of materials that each Fab shop stocks ranging from basic FR-4 to low loss materials. This also enables the comparison of competitive Fab shop capabilities.

Watch below for a quick demonstration video of the iCD Materials Planner:

About In-Circuit Design Pty Ltd

In-Circuit Design Pty Ltd, based in Australia, developer of the iCD Design Integrity software incorporating the iCD Stackup, PDN and CPW Planner software, is a PCB Design Service Bureau and specialist in board level simulation. For further information or to download a free evaluation of the software, please click here.