Ansoft Releases TPA v5.

New Version Targets Package Extraction and Design Automation Needs for Advanced SiP, CSP and Stacked Packaging Technologies

PITTSBURGH -- Ansoft Corporation (NASDAQ:ANST) announces Turbo Package Analyzer[TM] (TPA) v5. This latest version of TPA introduces new automation, design flow and simulation capability needed for the extraction of the electrical characteristics of complex high-performance ball-grid array (BGA) style packaging, including wirebond (WBBGA), flip-chip (FCBGA), chip-scale packages (CSPs) and System in Packages (SiP).

TPA v5 increases the capacity of the solver to address larger-sized packaging problems and introduces greater automation for generating and/or modifying 3D package layouts. TPA v5 introduces a new user interface that includes new 2D editing and 3D viewing capabilities, unlimited undo/redo capability, powerful new editing and automation features, such as geometry validation checking and support for VB scripting.

Combined with AnsoftLinks[TM], a tool for simplifying data import and export between EDA and CAD packages, TPA v5 generates resistance, inductance and capacitance (RLC) models directly from popular package design tools. It accepts CAD data and fully characterizes the entire package in three dimensions. Extracted sub-circuits can be exported into Nexxim([R]), the company's high-performance circuit simulation software, or existing SPICE tools (SPICE/IBIS format) for subsequent transient analyses, such as crosstalk, overshoot and TDR.

TPA v5 highlights include:

   -- AC RLC computation for 3D structures
      -- Automated coupled full-package AC RLC extraction using
         efficient surface triangulation algorithms

   -- DC resistance computation for 3D structures
      -- Automated net-by-net full-package DC resistance extraction
         using a volumetric (tetrahedral) mesh

   -- Ability to designate source and sink terminal assignment on any
      given net

   -- New 2D layout editor and 3D viewer
      -- Create advanced wirebond or flip-chip designs from scratch or
         modify/correct designs imported from third-party layout tools
      -- System-in-Package (SiP) design with multiple wire bond
         configurations including Trace-to-trace, Die-to-die and
         Cascaded
      -- User-defined wirebond profiles expanding shapes from
         JEDEC 4- and 5-point to include arbitrary polylines
      -- Complex solderball models capture true shape and subsequent
         electrical performance of solderballs and flip-chip
         solder-bumps
      -- New layer stack-up editor
      -- New via pad stack editor

   -- VB scripting support

   -- Validation check to verify setup, including detection of
      self-intersecting polygons; disjoint nets; overlapping
      (DC-shorted) nets, vias and bond wires; illegal connections
      between bonding pads and bond wires

   -- Microsoft Windows(R) XP Professional x64 support

Pricing and Availability:

TPA v5 is available for Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Windows XP x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003. Contact your nearest Ansoft sales office for pricing information.

To download a high-resolution TPA v5 image, please go to ftp://ftp.ansoft.com/techsup/download/web/primg/tpa_50.tif.

About Ansoft

Ansoft is a leading developer of high-performance electronic design automation (EDA) software. Engineers use Ansoft software to design state-of-the-art electronic products, such as cellular phones, Internet-access devices, broadband networking components and systems, integrated circuits (ICs), printed circuit boards (PCBs), automotive electronic systems and power electronics. Ansoft markets its products worldwide through its own direct sales force and has comprehensive customer-support and training offices throughout North America, Asia and Europe. For more information, please visit www.ansoft.com.