-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- design007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueLearning to Speak ‘Fab’
Our expert contributors clear up many of the miscommunication problems between PCB designers and their fab and assembly stakeholders. As you will see, a little extra planning early in the design cycle can go a long way toward maintaining open lines of communication with the fab and assembly folks.
Training New Designers
Where will we find the next generation of PCB designers and design engineers? Once we locate them, how will we train and educate them? What will PCB designers of the future need to master to deal with tomorrow’s technology?
The Designer of the Future
Our expert contributors peer into their crystal balls and offer their thoughts on the designers and design engineers of tomorrow, and what their jobs will look like.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - design007 Magazine
Barry Olney’s High-Speed Simulation Primer
April 9, 2021 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamEstimated reading time: 2 minutes

The I-Connect007 editorial team recently spoke with Barry Olney of iCD about simulation. Barry, a columnist for Design007 Magazine, explains why simulation tools can have such a steep learning curve, and why many design engineers are still not using simulation on complex high-speed designs.
Barry also highlights common mistakes that design engineers make using simulation tools, and he offers a variety of tips and techniques for anyone dealing with simulation challenges. Among them: Don’t trust reference designs and datasheets.
Andy Shaughnessy: What are some of the biggest problems in simulation? In our surveys, engineers say that they have trouble doing simulation and analysis. What is so tough about it?
Barry Olney: I think the biggest problem, Andy, is time, and that’s the same with PCB design in general. The PCB design is the last process in the design flow, and when I get a job for a board layout, it’s already behind schedule. I’ve never ever had a job where it was on schedule and everything was running smoothly. So, you’re pushed for time during the whole process, and to add simulation on top of that, that pushes it back another week or so. Management is reluctant to do it because they think, “Well, it may work and then we can get it through just a little bit behind schedule, but if we leave it another week then it delays things even further.” It seems they don’t have time to do it right the first time, but they’ve got the time for a re-spin.
A lot of engineering managers actually schedule in a re-spin because they believe they need at least two iterations before they get a working product. So, time is the biggest factor. That’s why they generally tend to skip simulation. There’s also the learning curve associated with the high-end tools that requires experience—not just with the tools, but with high-speed design rules. Sourcing IBIS models is another big issue. Maybe you can’t find the model, so you have to compromise. IC vendors are now supplying most IBIS models, but for FPGAs, in particular, if you get the default IBIS model from the vendor’s website, it has a default pin assignment, but once the EE places and routes the actual FPGA chip, you need to redefine the pin assignments for each signal.
Now, the pin assignment of the FPGA that someone designs isn’t the same as the one on the IBIS model, and that’s where it all goes haywire. You think, “That simulation is simple. You just have to import the IBIS models into the transmission line model and click Go.” That should happen, but, it doesn’t. Where you don’t have pin assignments matching, you have to manually select the required FPGA sub-models from the thousands of pins with 50 or so sub-models. And these have all got cryptic names that are different for each IC vendor. So, you actually have to find the model or driver model that matches the transmission line that you’re trying to simulate. Or maybe you cannot find the model at all. Good luck sourcing a connector model. So, again, this all takes time. It took me years to figure out how to do it properly, quickly, and efficiently.
To read this article, which appeared in the April 2021 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.
Suggested Items
Molex Releases New Report on Strategies for Advancing Rugged, Reliable Connectivity in Modern Aerospace and Defense Applications
04/01/2025 | MolexMolex, a global electronics leader and connectivity innovator, has released a new report from AirBorn, a Molex company, which explores the unrelenting demands for constant, continuous connectivity to support the rigors of modern aerospace, defense and space-industry applications.
Electronic Design Automation Market to Reach $17.47 Billion by 2030, Growing at a CAGR of 10.7%
03/31/2025 | PRNewswireThe growth of the EDA market is driven by the increasing complexity of integrated circuit (IC) designs, rising adoption of connected devices, and growing demand for EDA solutions in the aerospace and defense sectors. Additionally, the increasing integration of AI and machine learning in chip design is further boosting market expansion.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
03/28/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007I’ve spent my week recovering from a busy and interesting week in Anaheim for the 25th IPC APEX EXPO. I think back to my first APEX EXPO, and the changes since then are too numerous to count. I first attended in 2004, also in Anaheim, back when there was almost no design content in the conference or expo portions of the show. It was just a few years after the downturn, and attendees and exhibitors alike were skittish, almost afraid to show confidence in our industry. A few unemployed design friends handed out copies of their resumes. Travel budgets were still down, and the aisles weren’t exactly packed with traffic.
It’s Only Common Sense: 7 Tips to Focus on What Works
03/31/2025 | Dan Beaulieu -- Column: It's Only Common SenseIn business, there’s always the temptation to be all things to all people, whether it’s expanding product lines, chasing every lead, or trying to keep up with competitors. The fear of missing out can lead to spreading our time, resources, and energy too thin. However, success doesn’t come from doing everything; it comes from doing the right things well.
HARTING 3D-Circuits Leads 3D-MID Innovation: Transforming Consumer Electronics with Advanced Technology
03/27/2025 | PRNewswireThe consumer electronics industry is experiencing a remarkable transformation, propelled by rapid technological advancements and an increasing demand for compact, efficient, and multifunctional devices. Central to this evolution is 3D-MID (Three-Dimensional Mechatronic Integrated Devices) technology, which redefines design standards and drives innovation.