gradient design automation, the pioneer in full-chip thermal analysis for

flomerics and gradient plan to develop an integrated software solution combining both companies’ products. gradient’s "firebolt" software is a chip-level thermal analysis tool that enables ic designers to predict temperature anywhere within a chip and evaluate how to improve the design with respect to timing, leakages, and reliability. flomerics’ "flopack" product is a package-level thermal analysis tool that characterizes the package surrounding the chip and automates model creation through wizard driven, intelligent geometry macros called smartparts. smartparts produce thermal models in detailed or two-resistor and delphi (jedec-compliant) compact forms.

together firebolt and flopack will form a complete silicon-to-environment thermal analysis solution that enables temperature-aware silicon design within the context of the surrounding environment that includes the package, pcb and chassis.

"this partnership will enable flomerics to provide the most complete thermal analysis solution possible with a range of tools that support thermal design from the chip to the room. in addition, the tools are fully integrated. data from one level can be abstracted automatically and used for design at adjacent levels which broadens the context for thermal design." said sherman ikemoto, business development manager for flomerics.

"the complexity and circuit density of digital and mixed-signal ics are producing extreme on-chip temperature variations. if they are unknown, they’ll have to be lumped into the random on-chip variations (ocv), which are also growing ominously. that and the simplistic assumption of constant die-temperature and worst-case temperature-corners are just causing the

gradient design automation provides thermal analysis solutions for the power-intensive and temperature-sensitive digital and mixed-signal ics that are used in the networking, wireless, communications, computer, and consumer application segments. firebolt integrates easily into existing ic design flows, and provides a rich set of visual analysis capabilities. for the first time, designers can have visibility into the fine-grain temperature profile throughout the design process, locate temperature hotspots, and simulate their effects on the design parameters. gradient is located in santa clara, california, usa.

flomerics is a world-leading player in the rapidly expanding field of "virtual prototyping" – the provision of software enabling engineers to test virtual models of their equipment by computer simulation before building physical prototypes. flomerics’ business model, "design-class analysis", is drastically different from traditional analysis. design-class analysis focuses on real engineering design problems within specific industries, and selects the appropriate analysis techniques to solve them as quickly and simply as possible. flomerics’ headquarters is in hampton court, united kingdom.

for further information, please contact:

sherman ikemoto