DESIGN COMPLIANCE ASSESSMENT TOOL (DCAT) FOR ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS

MOVING FROM PROTOTYPE TO PRODUCTION DESIGN IS NOT ALWAYS A SMOOTH TRANSITION. INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PARTS CAN SURFACE THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY UNNOTICEABLE BUT ARE NOW WORRISOME OR EVEN FATAL TO THE GOAL OF THE DESIGN. IN ORDER TO ELIMINATE THIS COSTLY SCENARIO, DESIGNERS NEED A TOOL THAT WILL EXPOSE THESE INTERACTIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE - PREFERABLY, BEFORE THE DESIGNERS ARE COMMITTED TO A GIVEN IMPLEMENTATION. THIS PROJECT OBJECTIVE IS TO INVESTIGATE AND DETERMINE THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT ELECTRONIC DESIGNS IN THIS TRANSITION AND USE THIS INFORMATION TO CREATE A DESIGN COMPLIANCE ASSESSMENT TOOL. BY USING KNOWLEDGE BASES FROM ALL AREAS OF ELECTRONIC DESIGN - MATERIALS AND LAYOUT TO ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY - THIS TOOL WILL PROVIDE DESIGNERS WITH THE IMPLICATIONS TO THEIR DESIGN DECISIONS AND SUGGEST ALTERNATIVES WHEN THESE IMPLICATIONS INDICATE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS.