Electronic design automation

Electronic design automation (EDA) is a kind of computer software that helps people design electronic things. The software is used to design integrated circuits (small chips inside computers and phones) and printed circuit boards (the flat boards that hold the chips).

A modern computer chip can have billions of small parts inside it. People could not design these chips by hand. EDA software helps engineers design and check the chips before they are made.

History

Before EDA, people designed chips by hand. They drew the plans on paper. This took a long time and was hard work.

In the 1950s, IBM started using computers to help design electronics. This was one of the first uses of computer-aided design.

In the mid-1970s, the first software tools were made to help with chip design, including tools for placing parts and connecting wires.

In 1980, two scientists named Carver Mead and Lynn Conway wrote a book called Introduction to VLSI Systems. This book changed how chips were designed. After the book, engineers could write what they wanted the chip to do, and the software would help build the design.

In 1981, EDA became its own business. Companies like Daisy Systems, Mentor Graphics, and Valid Logic Systems were started to make and sell EDA software.

What EDA software does

EDA software helps with many parts of designing a chip:

• Design — drawing the plans for the chip.
• Simulation — testing the chip on a computer before it is made. This helps find mistakes early.
• Checking — making sure the chip will work correctly and can be made in a factory.
• Making files for the factory — turning the design into files that a factory can use to make the chip.

Companies

Some of the biggest EDA companies in the world are:

• Synopsys — an American company.
• Cadence Design Systems — an American company.
• Siemens — a German company.
• Ansys — an American company.
• Altium — an Australian company.
• Zuken — a Japanese company.