GAMMA A Fast Prototype Design, Build, and Test Process

This paper describes an integrated computer-based process which implements an engineer´s logic design into an assembled and tested printed circuit prototype module in a very short time frame. This time frame represents a significant improvement over traditional design, build, and test processes. Key innovations which made the dramatic time-to-market improvement possible include transition to a fully networked, paperless process, with computer-based tools to control the flow of design data between process steps. Other innovations include direct translation of board fabrication and test data from the engineering design data base, and the overlapping of process steps wherever possible to minimize the total elapsed time.