Micro Magic Shipping Chip Layout Software
Electronic News
Nov 20, 2000 --- Sunnyvale, Calif.-based chip design house Micro Magic Inc. today reports that it is shipping Artwork Conversion Software's plotting engine, GDSPLOT, with every copy of its MAX and MAX-LS chip layout programs. The plotting engine module lets physical designers view and understand the place-and-route process in complex IC designs, MMI said.
MMI customers designing their processors with MAX will have use of the plotting module at no extra charge.
The advanced software lets users generate plots from the MAX GDS-II database to the newest generation of laser, inkjet, and large-format color plotters. Designers using other software face a lack of print options, the need for expensive plotting and viewing software, or a thicket of system administration that requires the user to route a print job around a busy network, MMI said.
"To get this kind of plotting capability from a competitors' offerings, users will generally spend an additional $10,000 or more for add-ons or software," said Steve DiBartolomeo, applications manager at Artwork Conversion Software Inc. of Santa Cruz, Calif.
MMI's MAX software comes with continuous design rule check (DRC), connectivity tracing, schematic cross-probing, wiring tool, extraction, and schematic-driven layout. MAX-LS integrates Micro Magic's SUE design manager with the MAX layout editor and includes interactive cell generation based on layout-versus-schematic and DRC correct layout, and can handle the largest SOC/IC design databases. Its GDS II output can go directly to mask composition products for IC fabrication.
MAX is now available for $35,000 per year. MAX-LS is priced at $55,000 per user. MMI also contracts for design services, including a successful completion at network processor firm Malleable Technologies.
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