Cradle PICLS (PCB Instant Thermal Simulation) is a real-time Printed Circuit Board (PCB) thermal analysis tool developed specifically for use by electrical designers during PCB conceptual/preliminary design. PICLS is designed to eliminate unnecessary PCB redesign work by creating a fast, easy to use PCB thermal analysis tool that electrical designers can use up-front in the design process.

Traditionally electrical designers identify their best PCB concept based on electrical performance before the mechanical designers downstream in the process perform their thermal analysis. When thermal deficiencies are identified by the mechanical designers, the design must go back to the electrical designers for another design iteration. This can be very time consuming.

Moving preliminary thermal analysis forward in the design process and empowering the electrical designers to perform the analysis dramatically impacts the design cycle time. PICLS enables the electrical designer to immediately address thermal management issues very early in the design phase when they have the most design flexibility.

PICLS success can be attributed to its easy and intuitive 2D interface, which is familiar to electrical designers, and instant response. The designers can rearrange components and features on a PCB and immediately assess thermal transfer and changes in the temperature distribution. This capability increases the likelihood that the PCB design will be thermally robust when mechanical designers perform the system thermal analysis later in the design process.

Implementation of PICLS enables Cradle customers to front-load their PCB design process and generate PCB design concepts that are already thermally vetted. Fewer overall design iterations are needed. Fewer detailed analyses are required, and the evaluation time is shortened. Development speed accelerates dramatically. All of this results in a dramatic reduction in design cycle time.