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The Design Reliability Team also finds that the software is useful
for quickly assessing the relative impact of conflicting design
requirements or design tradeoffs. Such simulations can help to check
the robustness of the design when particular design parameters are
varied. For example, in a printed wiring board (PWB) performance
simulation, they can look at the effect upon line impedance as a
result of variation in dielectric constant, loss tangent, or circuit
design. By simulating 5000 combinations of design model variables,
a desktop computer can determine the relative robustness of a design
solution in about two minutes. In contrast, an exact solution would
require tens of hours of simulation on a far more powerful workstation.
"I call Crystal Ball my 95-percent correct solution,"
said Dr. Olson. "Providing that the model is appropriately
structured, Crystal Ball Pro can return an answer that is 95% correct
in less than 5% of the time it would take a higher level simulation
tool to return a comparable result. In many instances, the time
savings more than compensate for the increased uncertainty and result
in a better, more timely decision."
Dr. Olson believes that skillful application of Crystal Ball can
address a remarkable range of problems, from engineering applications
involving electrical and mechanical design to projecting potential
revenues from new businesses or projects. "In my experience
I have found this tool to be as versatile and applicable as Microsoft
Excel. I hope your experience is the same."
Dr. William L. Olson
Design Reliability Team Leader
Motorola Labs - MATC
G11373@email.mot.com
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