Mentor Blogs

A few weeks ago I wrote a post titled Pushbutton Cars in which I lamented my experience with a rental car whose ignition was activated by a pushbutton, rather than a key in the ignition switch. I still don’t understand all the reasons for using the pushbutton, but I suppose it met some marketing requirement or design specification. Since I don’t see pushbuttons in many cars, it appears the idea … Read More

IESF

If you haven’t already signed up for IESF (Integrated Electrical Solutions Forum) Automotive, here is the link:  http://lyris.mentor-info.com/t/231322/15801563/18190/5846/  IESF is scheduled for June 2 at the Hyatt Regency Dearborn (MI). If you’ve attended IESF in past years you know its value for both quality technical presentations and networking. I am looking forward to hearing John McElroy (Autoline) … Read More

IESF, IBM, General Motors, Mentor Graphics, The Hansen Report, Autoline, AUTOSAR

The next installment of Mentor Graphics’ Integrated Electrical Solutions Forum (IESF) is scheduled for June 2 in Detroit, Michigan. As I’ve mentione before, we typically host two or three IESF events each year in different cities around the United States. Topics vary a bit, depending on the location, but all are chock-full of technical content. The June 2 event focuses on automotive design and … Read More

IESF, AUTOSAR

Aren’t we just all happy people to be living in the information golden age? Maybe it just seems good now, and in a couple of centuries this will be seen as the iron age of information technology, one step on from the hunter-gatherers’ life of gleaning scraps of wisdom from the library shelves. At our disposal is a mighty array of data sources, and still, it sometimes is very significant … Read More

IESF, Detroit, Mentor Communities, automotive wiring harness, Capital, Automotive Electrical and Electronic Systems Design, CHS, Customer Support, Capital Harness Systems, Capital Library

Out and about on the last day of January I saw a house which still  sported the snowflake outdoor lights and the colored lights on the fir tree. That’s a little late, the second month just starting. And the year seems to be moving quickly to me. Capital 2010.2 released and already installed on a few computers I can mention and people are exploring the Capital Modular XC harness design capabilities … Read More

electrical wiring systems, Electrical Distribution Systems, IESF, autosar tools, Capital Harness Systems, automotive wiring harness, circuit design software, user conferences, vehicle wiring products, Detroit, car electrical system, wire harness cad, CHS, wire harness design

Since I began working in the realm of software systems for electrical interconnect design I have seen increased user choice in on-and off-road vehicles. I have read the technical papers and marvelled at the memorable phrase “combinatorial explosion” used to refer to the options a buyer of a high-end new passenger car is able to order. Choice is good right? If you are fortunate enough to be able to … Read More

John Antilla, IESF, Virtual Architect, Capital Desktop Architect, Capital Integrator, Automotive Electrical and Electronic Systems Design, Wiring Harness, Complexity Management, Electrical Interconnect Design, Chrysler, CHS, CHS Capital Costing

The heading sentence suitably filled out is a useful standby next time your manager asks you about why you have wandered into his office at 11 in the morning smelling of fried okra and stale garlic with a bemused look on your face. Hmm. On second thoughts, don’t - just stay out of her/his way and make yourself inconspicuous. In the last few weeks I have been experiencing one illustration after another … Read More

IESF, IESD, CHS

One of the highlights for me at IESF for the past three years now has been Paul Hansen’s presentation. You may know that Paul is the editor and publisher of The Hansen Report on Automotive Electronics (http://hansenreport.com), a highly respected newsletter. IESF attendees this year are receiving a free, three-month subscription. There has been a lot of negativity in the news lately, some of which … Read More

Hybrid Vehicles, Electronic Stability Control Brake Assist, Hyundai Mobis, Toyota, Aadaptive Front Lighting, Pedestrian Safety, Airbags, Tegra 2, The Hansen Report on Automotive Electronics, ABS, Tire Pressure Monitoring, IESF, Driver Assistance Systems, Kia, Electric Vehicles, Nvidia, Back-up Cameras, Paul Hansen, CSM Worldwide

In my last blog post, I highlighted Mentor Graphics’ IESF Automotive 2010 event which is now officially in the history books. While I didn’t get to sit-in on all of the presentations (I was working a demo stand, chatting with attendees, and had a couple of presentations myself), I learned a few interesting tidbits from several of our guest speakers. John Antilla from Chrysler talked about the challenges … Read More

IESF, AUTOSAR

Ten days left to the event at the Dearborn Grand Hyatt. The number of registrations is running close to the high water mark which was reached the last event.   Join the people flocking to participate in this free conference by visiting http://www.mentor.com/events/transconf/detroit/  This time around attendees are spared a presentation or a paper delivered by myself.  Therefore my personal preparations … Read More

Cabling, Capital Harness Systems, Automotive Electrical and Electronic Systems Design, CHS, IESF

The next installment of Mentor Graphics’ Integrated Electrical Solutions Forum (IESF) is scheduled for March 18 in Detroit, Michigan. We usually do two or three of these events each year in different cities around the United States. Topics vary a bit, depending on the location. Each event is chock-full of technical sessions. The March 18 event focuses on automotive design and highlights development … Read More

IESF, Mechatronics, Rules-Driven Design

I’ll get to the business of estimating the cost of engineering changes to wiring harnesses in a minute or two.  You don’t want to overpay or undercharge. You want your estimates to be true and accurate. First a historical digression to identify where the phrase quoted after the colon in the title comes from. It is from the writings of Benjamin Franklin.  An unabashed interest in self-improvement … Read More

Harness, Electrical Distribution Systems, IESF, Capital Architect, Capital H, Automotive Electrical and Electronic Systems Design, Wire Harness, Cost Estimation, Electrical Design Systems, CHS, CHS Captial Costing

Two months to go approximately to the Integrated Electrical Solutions Forum in Detroit. It will be the tenth such event. In December 2008 in Detroit there were 600 registrations for this event. It is substantial.  Breaking news. You heard what follows first here. he Mentor Graphics Integrated Electrical Solutions Forum (IESF) 2010 is an event for design engineers, engineering management and executives … Read More

CHS, Dearborn MI, Integrated Electrical Solutions Forum, Detroit, Electrical Distribution Systems, Electrical Design, Electrical Engineering, Electrical Design Systems, Automotive Electrical and Electronic Systems Design, IESF, Wire Harness, Trade Shows

Standards inject certainty into your working life. Last week I wrote about how the development of standards and the easiest pathway to adoption of them. Adherence to standards is an integral part of successful engineering. The most attractive standards: lack complexity - are easy to understand - clear and straightforward for a person like you turn out to be robust for the niche in which you operate - … Read More

DSI, Design System Interface, ECAD, Automotive Design, Formboard, Capital H, IESF, Aerospace Design, Wire Harness, EE Standards, Capital Harness Systems, Electrical Design, CHS, Electrical Distribution System, Capital Harness Bridges, Electrical Engineering, Capital Harness Classic

Here’s a personal milestone, which is of no great interest to anyone but myself  I guess. September includes the 10th anniversary of  my first ever setting foot in the United States of America.  A decade.  Time is elastic, multi-dimensional.  After September comes the month of October.  October is the month of trade shows this year.  At the end of the month Grapevine  in Texas on Wednesday, October … Read More

CHS, IESF, Capital Harness Systems, WHMA, SAE, Trade Shows