There would be many interesting and promissing usages of Google Earth and Google SketchUp. However, a problem arises in connecting current design flow to Google tools. That is, although Google SketchUp can read 2D DXF, it is time consuming to pull-up geometries one by one. Further, curved objects such as bondwires and solder balls are hard to handle since we need to input them from scratch. Additionally, cares should be taken in organizing database for each Google tools, to observe the model in net oriented manner. We offer tools to overcome those problems.
For SiP/LSI designers, we recommend our tool GemPackage. GemPackage provides rich functionality to perform feasibility study for complex SiP/LSIs, including exporting the design data into Google Earth and Google SketchUp. Sample data file for Google Earth can be downloaded here (pop.kmz, 200KB). To view the model, start Google Earth, and then open the file by File/Open menu. Soon you will see a huge PoP (Package-on-Package) placed on an airport. On the left hand side of the screen, you find 'Place' column, where you can turn on/off the visibility of the data items. It is a good idea to use SpaceNavigator since it enables intuitive pose control in 3D space. Sample file for Google SketchUp can be downloaded here (pop.rb, 900KB). To read the file into SketchUp, click 'Window' menu, select 'Ruby console' in the menu. In the console, type in the command like 'load "C:/xxx/xxx/pop.rb"'. Wait for 'completed' message for a while, close the console, set the unit to 'inch' using 'Window/Model Info/Units' because the data is so scaled. Global appearance can be controlled using 'Window/Styles'. Show/hide data items as you like using 'Window/Layers'. Once you have finished such setting, you can save the data in 'skp' file, which is a raw data format of SketchUp and can be read quickly by "File/Open" menu in later session. An example skp file can be downloaded here (pop.skp, 4.4MB). SpaceNavigator works fine also on SketchUp. Please refer to GemPackage pages for issues other than 3D.
For designers in discrete analog semiconductors such as photo diodes, we recommend our tool GemView. GemView provides the following functions.
- 2D DXF file can be read in, and flexible 2D observation is available inside the tool.
- 3D information can be added, such as chip thickness, substrate layer thicknesses, solder ball dimension, micro-bump ball dimension (for flip-chip bonding), bonding wire loop shapes, etc.
- 3D model file can be exported to Google Earth, as well as to Google SketchUp. The exported data is organized considering net oriented observation as well as layer oriented observation.