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WESTFORD, Mass., Oct. 10 -- Zuken announced today a strategic partnership with Ansoft Corporation, the industry leader in IC package analysis, to build on the success of its Advanced Packaging Solution. During the first phase of the partnership, the companies will co-operate to extend Zuken's correct-by-design methodology into the electrical domain, by tightly linking three different analysis tools from Ansoft into the Zuken design solution.

Development of these interfaces will create a means to quickly and accurately reiterate between the design and analysis tools for parasitic extraction and SPICE simulation, and reduce interactive and error-prone duplication of geometry, saving engineers significant effort and time in the design/analysis progression for advanced packaging.

Under the terms of the agreement, Zuken will develop the interfaces while Ansoft will provide links for the interfaces. Ansoft's simulation tools allow engineers to determine performance and compatibility before a design is committed to fabrication. The links will connect Ansoft's HFSS and SI3D analysis tools with Zuken's CR-5000 Board Designer, part of its Advanced Packaging Solution. In addition, Zuken will develop a direct interface from CR-5000 to Ansoft's Turbo Package Analyzer (TPA).

``Zuken can continue to deliver the most advanced solutions to our customers with the addition of Ansoft as a strategic partner to our Valence program,'' commented Paul Ewing, vice president and general manager of Zuken USA. ``We have a dedicated program in effect that is focused on integrating new applications into customers' design environment and optimizing design flow to ensure shortened time-to-results and overall design productivity.''

By using the Zuken interfaces, accurate geometry is automatically converted from the packaging design tool, CR-5000, to the Ansoft analysis software, reducing input error and eliminating geometric approximations. The interfaces will provide a means to capture the entire module design and analyze specific sections or nets, or the entire design, depending on customer requirements. At the present time, engineers must build these interfaces manually which can delay the analysis and design process for days, even weeks.

``Automating the analysis to characterize the package is a significant advancement for demanding time-to-market requirements,'' said Nicholas Csendes, Ansoft Corporation CEO. ``Zuken's advanced packaging capabilities combined with Ansoft's leading analysis software will ensure our customers have error-free, correct design before manufacturing begins.''

Developing these interfaces will allow for a more interactive design process and automate geometry translation from Zuken's software to Ansoft's. The interface features include editing of any stack up information, such as individual layer thickness, dielectric constant and conductivity in the design, and automatic generation and editing of bond wires, solderballs and vias.

About Ansoft

Ansoft is a leading developer of high performance EDA software. Ansoft software is used by engineers to design state of the art technology products, such as cellular phones, internet networking equipment, satellites, computer chips and circuit boards, electronic sensors and electric motors. Ansoft markets its products through its own direct worldwide sales force, and has comprehensive customer support offices throughout North America, Asia and Europe. For more information, visit http://www.ansoft.com .

About Zuken

Zuken is one of the world's leading providers of professional software solutions for the design of PCB/MCM/IC packages and systems. These advanced tool sets facilitate schematic capture, placement, routing and analysis, and manufacture and test. Used by the world's top 30 electronic product manufacturers, the solutions operate under both UNIX and Microsoft Windows. Zuken is the market sector leader in Japan and has offices throughout Europe and the USA. It is a global organisation employing over 1000 people and the company is listed on Level 1 of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. For more information, visit http://www.zuken.com .