DAC 2022

Machine Learning in the Fab at #59DAC

It used to be true that a foundry or fab would create a set of DRC files, provide them to designers, and then the process yield would be acceptable, however if the foundry knows more details about the physical implementation of IC designs then they can improve the yield. Using a digital twin of the design, process and metrology steps is a better methodology that understands the bidirectional information flow between the physical synthesis tool and fabrication steps.

EDA in the Cloud with Siemens EDA at #59DAC

Tuesday at DAC I had the pleasure of attending the Design on Cloud Theatre where experts from Siemens EDA gave an update on what they’ve been offering to IC and systems designers. I remember attending a cloud presentation from Craig Johnson in 2021, so I was keen to note what had changed in the past 12 months.

Axiomise at #59DAC, Formal Update

Monday at DAC I was able to meet with Dr. Ashish Darbari, the CEO and founder of Axiomise. Ashish had a busy DAC, appearing as a panelist at, “Those Darn Bugs! When Will They be Exterminated for Good?”; and then presenting, “Taming the Beast: RISC-V Formal Verification Made Easy.”

Calibre, Google and AMD Talk about Surge Compute at #59DAC

In 2022 using the cloud for EDA tasks is a popular topic, and at DAC this year I could see a bigger presence from the cloud hardware vendors in the exhibit area, along with a growing stampede of EDA companies. Tuesday at DAC there was a luncheon with experts from Siemens EDA, Google and AMD talking about surge compute. I already knew Michael White of Siemens EDA who was moderator, while Peeyush Tugnawat of Google, and Philip Steinke of AMD were new faces to me. There was an award presented from Google Cloud for Industry Solutions Partner of the Year 2020, and Michael Buehler-Garcia graciously received it for Siemens EDA.

New Mixed-Signal Simulation Features from Siemens EDA at DAC

It’s the second day of DAC, and the announcements are coming in at a fast pace, so stay tuned to SemiWiki for all of the latest details. As a long-time SPICE user and industry follower, I’ve witnessed the progression as EDA vendors have connected their SPICE simulators to digital simulators, opening up a bigger world of Analog Mixed-Signal (AMS) verification. Engineers designing chips for automotive, imaging, IoT, 5G, HPC and storage devices all need AMS verification tools. Siemens EDA has a rich history in both the SPICE and digital simulator worlds, so it’s no surprise that their AMS tool would also be offered and updated, especially as design challenges and standards emerge. I was able to view a presentation from Sumit Vishwakarma of Siemens EDA to get an update at DAC of their new mixed-signal verification features.

What’s New With Calibre at DAC This Year?

When I worked at EDA vendors and attended DAC, one of the most popular questions asked in the booth and suites was simply, “What’s new this year?” It’s a fair question, and yet many semiconductor professionals are so focused on their present project, using their familiar methodology, that they simply aren’t aware of all of the industry changes, and specifically EDA tool updates. I was made aware of several changes to the popular EDA tool family called Calibre RealTime and Calibre Recon from Siemens EDA, announced this week at DAC, so here’s my take on them.