ECAD Synthelyzer Plugin
Plugin zur Komponentenreduzierung und MTBF-Vorhersage für eine einzelne Leiterplatte
Catch single / multi‑board design errors before they fly,
beyond DRC, with actionable engineering insights.
CircuitHawk® is BQR’s circuit simulation engine that finds hidden design errors across single and multi‑board systems. It augments (and surpasses) traditional DRC by combining rule‑based
logical / parametric checks, connectivity verification via pattern matching, and realistic stress estimation based on actual operating conditions including current, voltage and power dissipation. CircuitHawk® is seeded by BQR’s best‑practice library distilled from thousands of real projects and can be extended with your own rules.
CircuitHawk® is On-Prem (not cloud).
Key Modules
Circuit Simulator
Current, potential and power on each component.
Design Error Detection
Pin level parametric rule checks and derating analysis.
Schematic Rule Check
Advanced schematic rules engine with patented user custom rules.
Key Features
Automated Schematic Review:
Patented rule‑based logical & parametric analysis that flags errors that DRC and web applications miss.
Functional / Safety / Testability Rules:
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Validates correct voltage levels, and safety segregation.
Sneak Circuit & NFF Detection:
Reveals unintended pathways and conditions that drive Hidden Design Errors / No‑Trouble‑Found.
Connectivity Verification:
Detects net‑name conflicts, power/ground issues and topology mistakes using pattern‑based rules (e.g., I2C, PCIe, open ‑ drain / open ‑ collector).
ESD & Voltage Spike Rules:
Verifies protection strategy and limits to withstand transient events.
Precise Stress Simulation:
Realistic stress for analog & digital domains; bus‑level simulation for digital interfaces.
Chip Interconnection Verification:
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Checks conformance to vendor reference designs for high‑pin‑count ICs.
User‑Defined Rules:
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Author custom checks with flexible pattern logic to match company policies and technologies.
Multi‑Board Integration Analysis:
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Cross‑board connectivity review to uncover system‑level design errors early.
Advanced Analysis & Modeling
Pin Level Review
Current and potential calculation for each pin; Used for detailed pin level design error detection.
Detailed Component Derating
Accounting for temperature, operational stresses and specific derating guidelines per component type, complies with ECSS and other standards.
​Advanced Schematic Review
Customizable logical rules engine, accounting for net names, pin types and more.
Sample Error
Example of design error that CircuitHawk Identifies:
Due to selection of incorrect resistor, the voltage for the digital pin lies in the forbidden zone between logical '0' and '1'.
Core Benefits
Faster verification
Dramatically shortens schematic reviews so teams focus on fixes and innovation.
Scales to complex designs
Handles large boards and multi‑board systems with confidence.
Higher coverage than DRC
Detects logic, connectivity and stress‑related issues that standard checks miss.
Reduced rework & time‑to‑market
Catch errors before layout, fab and test.
Minimal data entry
Leverages ECAD data and rule templates; add details only where needed.
Improved product quality
fewer hidden errors → fewer field issues and customer returns.
HOW It Works
Data intake
Import schematic/BOM directly from ECAD via BQR’s Synthelyzer® plug‑ins (Altium®, OrCAD®, Siemens Xpedition®).
Automated Schematic Review
Run rule‑based logical/parametric checks and connectivity verification; triage by risk/severity with error Pareto.
Stress Setup & Simulation
execute CircuitHawk for real operating parameters (P, V, I), including thermal considerations.
Multi‑Board Analysis
Connect boards virtually to validate cross‑board interfaces and system integration.
Design Feedback & Traceability
Publish prioritized findings back to ECAD; maintain revision‑linked reports for V&V and audits.
Integration with BQR's Toolchain
CircuitHawk® operates as part of BQR’s integrated
RAMS reliability ecosystem:
ECAD plug‑ins that extract schematic/BOM and annotate initial context for analysis.
System level derating and MTBF prediction using real stresses.
System‑level RAMS (FME(C)A, FTA, RBD, allocation, testability) using CircuitHawk/fiXtress results.
Together, these tools provide a digital‑twin reliability workflow from schematic to system safety and reliability.
Additional Capabilities
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Technology‑specific rule packs and templates (e.g., power trees, high‑speed serial buses, sensor interfaces).
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Reference‑design conformance checks for complex SoCs/PMICs/DDR/SerDes devices.
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Severity ranking, error Pareto and dashboards for rapid triage.
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Cross‑probing context back to ECAD (nets, pins, components) to accelerate fixes.
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Export actionable findings to fiXtress® and CARE® for downstream analysis and reporting.
Outputs & KPIs
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Pin level overstress flags with quantitative margins (%).
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List of logical schematic rule violations by severity.
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Pin level parametric design errors list.
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Stress output for derating analysis and MTBF prediction.
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Provide actual power dissipation regarding every IC for accurate 3D thermal analysis.
Typical Use Cases
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Schematic review gate before layout.
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Supplier design assurance and incoming design reviews for OEM/ODM collaborations.
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Compliance preparation for ECSS, MIL‑STD‑1547 and corporate derating policies.
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Cost / weight optimization by identifying over‑specified components without sacrificing reliability.
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Onboarding and training aid for new engineers; codify company knowledge as verifiable rules.