CAD/CAM/CAE : electronic design automation, 1992 - Archive Server

4-2 CAD/CAM/CAE—Electronic Design Automation Applications
Figure 4-2
North American PC Board Design Size
PCB Board Design Size
Less than 10 sq. inches
10-19 sq. inches
20-49 sq. inches
50-99 sq. inches
100-249 sq. inches
250-499 sq. inches
Greater than 500 sq. inches
Source: Dataquest (October 1992)
Another factor contributing to the slow growth in PCB design tool
growth is the lack of a widespread trend to decrease board size.
While in the ASIC world, design start average gate densities continue
to increase dramatically, requiring new productivity enhancement
tools, Dataquest research has determined that board design
sizes will not dramatically decrease. While consumer and portable
commtinication devices will drive sizes downward, increase the
complexity, and cause radical form factor changes, this is limited to
relatively few companies, and overall design sizes will not decrease
dramatically, as shown in Figure 4-2.
An emerging growth opportunity may be fotmd in the MCM market.
While still in its infancy, Dataquest anticipates that this market
will post strong growth in the coming years. The three basic types
of MCMs these tools will be targeting are as follows:
• MCM-L (Laminated)—^Fabricated using typical PCB processes and
materials; targeted at low-end apphcations requiring interconnect
densities of 50 to 150 cm/sq-cm at up to 100 to 200 MHz;
favored by that automotive industry because of its relatively low
cost; typically uses chip-on-board (COB) assembly, wire-bonded to
the substrate, then encapsulated for protection.
• MCM-C (Ceramic)—Ceramic substrates (both cofired and lowdielectric
constant ceramics) offering economical intercoimect
densities between 100 and 250 cm/sq-cm; traditional thick-film
hybrid process; favored by the Aerospace and Mihtary sectors
because of it ability to withstand harsh environments; COB
and flip-chip assembly commonly used; metal encapsulated
20 25
Percentage of Those Responding
30
G2001689
October 12,1992 ©1992 Dataquest Incorporated CCAM-EDA-MT-9201