PathWave Electrical Performance Scan (EP-Scan) 2023

Keysight Introduces Signal Integrity Simulation Software for Hardware Engineers

After completing a PCB design, hardware engineers hand the design over to SI specialists to validate its performance before going to prototype. SI specialists perform simulations on a large number of nets, which can take days to weeks to complete. As a result, hardware engineers have difficulty predicting how much analysis time it will take to find errors or performance issues in the design. Uncertainty about the length of the SI analysis phase creates a bottleneck in the design cycle and delays time-to-market.

EP-Scan addresses SI analysis bottlenecks by giving hardware designers diagnostic tools to correct designs earlier and meet development schedules. As a stand-alone software product, EP-Scan performs electromagnetic (EM) simulation on signal nets and reports SI metrics such as channel return and insertion loss. In addition, EP-Scan automates performance comparisons between different versions of a design and generates simulation reports that expedite verification prior to building expensive physical prototypes.

EP-Scan requires only the layout geometry and substrate stack-up information for the PCB design as inputs. After engineers specify the desired nets for investigation, EP-Scan reports simulation results including the characteristic impedance and delay of traces, return loss, insertion loss, and impedance time-domain reflectometry (TDR). By analyzing common fabrication formats such as ODB++, EP-Scan shows engineers the performance of their design as it would be when fabricated. EP-Scan enables hardware engineers to quickly validate designs and identify layout issues before the final verification, which reduces time-to-market, and can contribute to more PCB design wins.

Keysight'sPathWave, an open, scalable, and predictive software platform, offers fast and efficient data processing, sharing and analysis at every stage in the product development workflow. Combining design software, instrument control and application-specific test software, it enables engineers to address increasing design, test, and measurement complexity and develop optimal electronic products.
PathWave High-Speed Digital Applications (HSD Apps)provides signal integrity software to help hardware engineers and printed circuit board designers create high-speed design prototypes, perform validation, and generate performance reports. Each application is lightweight and requires little effort to be productive.
PathWave Electrical Performance Scan (EP-Scan)enables hardware design engineers to import ODB++ layouts and perform preliminary signal integrity analysis quickly. Analysis results include trace impedance, time delay, channel S-parameters, TDR impedance Description. The software checks for violation against standard specification and can generate simulation reports.

EP-Scan Great Demo Video

Keysight Technologies Inc.is the world's leading electronic measurement company, transforming today's measurement experience through innovations in wireless, modular, and software solutions. With its HP and Agilent legacy, Keysight delivers solutions in wireless communications, aerospace and defense and semiconductor markets with world-class platforms, software and consistent measurement science. The company's nearly 10,500 employees serve customers in more than 100 countries.