Mentor Graphics Enables PCB Design Companies to Comply with Hazardous Materials Regulations.

WILSONVILLE, Ore. -- Mentor Graphics Corporation (Nasdaq:MENT), the market and technology leader in printed circuit board (PCB) design solutions, today announced PCB tool support that enables original equipment manufacture (OEM) customers to achieve Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) compliance. Mentor's solution helps OEMs ensure compliance early and throughout the design process, eliminating costly iterations. Customers are able to leverage the component library data field flexibility to implement filtered search and Bills of Material (BOM) capabilities, enabling OEMs to design for RoHS compliance and avoid expensive redesign time.

Using component data captured in Mentor's DMS(TM) (Data Management System), LMS(TM) (Library Management System) and DxDataBook(TM) systems, designers can now search for approved, hazardous material-free parts for their PCB designs, as well as produce work-in-process BOMs containing summations of hazardous material content in their products.

RoHS Regulations

The RoHS regulations that go into effect July 2006 require electronics companies to provide proof that they have complied with regulations limiting the amount of six hazardous materials, including lead, in their products. Today, these materials can be found in the components, fabrication of the PCB, and in the assembly parts. Component suppliers are being asked to document the material content of their parts in data supplied to the OEMs. By adding this material content to the component library data and flagging parts that are RoHS compliant, OEMs can ensure that their designers have the information they need to make the proper choices.

"The compliance deadline may be over a year in the future, but many OEMs are starting to plan processes, develop the infrastructure and incorporate RoHS-compliant practices in their design methodologies," stated Henry Potts, vice president and general manager of Mentor's Systems Design Division. "We are working to provide our customers the capability to flow through the entire design process in a more efficient manner."

Board Material Requirements

Mentor is also aiding its customers in making changes to new board materials required for RoHS compliance. To accommodate lead-free soldering, the external layers of the PCB are now made from different materials than the internal layers. These new materials must be correctly modeled for their electrical characteristics when designers perform delay and signal integrity analysis. Mentor's automated layer stack-up analyzers, driven by the manufacturer's materials data, allow designers to quickly and accurately model the new heterogeneous layer stack-ups and accurately perform high-speed signal integrity and EMI analysis. In addition, special component placement rules and new solder mask configurations can be followed by Mentor's Board Station(R), Expedition(R) and PADS(R) PCB layout and manufacturing checking products.

About Mentor Graphics

Mentor Graphics Corporation (Nasdaq:MENT) is a world leader in electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products, consulting services and award-winning support for the world's most successful electronics and semiconductor companies. Established in 1981, the company reported revenues over the last 12 months of over $700 million and employs approximately 3,850 people worldwide. Corporate headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-7777; Silicon Valley headquarters are located at 1001 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, California 95131-2314. World Wide Web site: http://www.mentor.com/.

Mentor Graphics, Board Station, Expedition and PADS are registered trademarks and DMS, LMS and DxDataBook are trademarks of Mentor Graphics Corporation. All other company or product names are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owners.