Integration Technologies

The first step in developing the hardware is analyzing the entire system. As hardware design engineers, we use standard office software to draw the first level diagram and noise budget, sometimes as simple as MS Excel. Of course, we can use some more sophisticated and expensive tools, but most projects do not need such an overkill, and the benefit is usually not very high.

Our long-term experience allows us to get the same performance from the standard cheap tool as from an expensive high-power tool.

We efficiently utilize the Spice family's tools for the linear and non-linear analysis at low frequencies. Although they are very often free of charge, in most cases, they are sufficient.

Another step we take is the simulation of each hardware component.

• LTspice
• Tina CAD 
• OrCAD simulator 
• Micro-Cap

As a vital part, our mechanical engineer creates a 3D model for the product from the mechanical point of view. The model is then modified and optimized to achieve the requirements defined in the main definition phase and to be compatible with the electronic design.

• DesignSpark Mechanical 
• AutoDesk Inventor 
• SolidWorks

We use the most common brands of tools according to their purpose. Some tools allow full EM analysis, others are very powerful in non-linear simulations. Using a combination of them will help us to reliably demonstrate the stability of a nonlinear system.

If they technically meet all the requirements, we also use tools that are free, which allows us to minimize the cost of simulation time and save some of the development budget.

We export the data for further development stages as soon as we optimize the PCB structure via these tools.

• AWR Microwave Office 
• PathWave Advanced Design System (ADS) 
• QUCS Studio

Once we have all the necessary components simulated and optimized, we go to PCB design. We design the wiring diagram, interconnect all the components and forward the final model to the PCB design team.

They then convert the model into the form of concrete circuit boards. This process is carried out manually and the know-how of our expert team and their many years of experience in PCB design are significantly involved. The electronic parts must of course also be designed with the desired physical form of the product in mind. The PCB development is therefore carried out in close communication with the mechanical engineers using their 3D models.

As soon as they are finished with the PCB layout, they export PCB production and assembly data for review. 

• OrCAD Capture CIS
• OrCAD PCB Designer
• Altium Designer
• Mentor PADS
• Mentor Expedition
• PentaLogix ViewMate

The phase after we get the first samples from the production is exciting. We use many sophisticated and expensive instruments to prove whether our prototypes fulfill the requirements stated in the definition phase. If they exceed some of the limits, we do a diagnostic activity to find the root cause and solution.

We measure the hardware manually or use test tool framework software developed by our team.

• Rohde & Schwarz
• Keysight
• Tektronix