Version 3.0 of FLO/PCB for Allegro is a thermal design software that directly links with Cadence Allegro PCB Editor software. Engineers can pull up a menu item on the Cadence software and then generate a thermal model of their design via the FLO/PCB software. Version 3.0 allows users to analyze a design from a thermal standpoint and identify problems at a stage in the design process when than can be quickly and inexpensively corrected. The FLO/PCB/Allegro interface transfers information about the PC board’s geometry and components needed to perform thermal analysis. This includes the number of metallic layers, the type of each layer (such as signal, power, or ground plane), the coverage of copper on the board, and the location and power dissipation of each component. The interface allows engineers to select the appropriate layer used to derive the physical extents of the package. To ensure bidirectional connectivity and allow for concurrent placement and thermal design, placement updates made in FLO/PCB can be passed back to Allegro PCB Editor. The Cadence/Flomerics interface is built using the membership in the Cadence Connections Program for collaboration. Combining Cadence and Flomerics technologies is said to help engineers streamline the PC board design process by allowing them to address thermal issues during the architectural phase of a project. FLO/PCB for Allegro also exchanges information with Flotherm and Flo/EMC. For example, the same PC board design used to create a FLO/PCB model can also be incorporated into a system-level model in Flotherm. As a result, engineers can address thermal management and EMC issues in a single environment and address the design tradeoffs often required between these two disciplines early in the design cycle. FLO/PCB promotes a conceptual design process that integrates electrical and mechanical design for PCBs, enabling early resolution of component placement and thermal issues. FLO/PCB combines functional, component placement, and thermal views of the design into a single virtual model in an effort to help engineers design collaboratively and resolve design conflicts quickly and effectively.