Altium Case Studies Cornet Technology's Advanced Network Switching Systems: A Case Study

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	Cornet Technology's Advanced Network Switching Systems: A Case Study Altium

Cornet Technology's Advanced Network Switching Systems: A Case Study

Altium

Technology Category	Processors & Edge Intelligence - Microcontrollers & Printed Circuit Boards Sensors - Camera / Video Systems
Applicable Industries	National Security & Defense Transportation
Applicable Functions	Logistics & Transportation Product Research & Development
Use Cases	Additive Manufacturing Vehicle-to-Infrastructure
Services	Hardware Design & Engineering Services Training
Challenge	Cornet Technology, a leading supplier of physical layer switching products for networks systems worldwide, faced a significant challenge in maintaining its industry-leading position. The company's extensive array of data switching and processing products required a high level of expertise from both Cornet’s engineers and the development tools they used. The typical boards designed by Cornet were large, involving 12 layers and around 2000 components with controlled impedance requirements and a high degree of circuit area duplication. The design times were short, typically two to three weeks, yet the final performance and reliability of the product - and therefore the PCB - had to be first rate. Cornet’s extensible designs demanded a high degree of flexibility from the development software, which also needed to produce concept-to-reality board designs within the short production times required to fulfill key contracts and meet market demands. Read More
About Customer	Founded in 1989, Cornet Technology specializes in the development and implementation of video, voice, and data network technology solutions for both government and private corporations. The company designs and manufactures a diverse range of video, voice, and data switch technology for a variety of applications including corporate, carrier, CLEC, ISP, military, civil engineering, SCADA, mobile transports, space/satellite ground stations, plus video in the areas of intelligent transportation infrastructure, security, and CCTV. Cornet Technology, Inc. (CTI) is a manufacturing and professional services company consisting of three divisions: Video Convergence manufacturers video products and provides comprehensive integration services to the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) market; Cornet Technology designs and manufactures data network solutions for the federal government and private corporations; and Anami Communications develops and integrates video conferencing solutions and provides information technology services to federal, state and local governments, and corporations worldwide. Read More
Solution	Cornet Technology adopted the Altium Designer unified electronic development system to meet its need for powerful yet flexible board-level design. Altium Designer’s intelligent copy and paste functions plus advanced ‘placement room’ capabilities allowed Cornet engineers to quickly create complex multilayer boards with large sections of duplicated circuitry that were typically required by high-capacity network switching products. This, coupled with Altium Designer’s powerful design rule checking, advanced layout features and intuitive user interface, created an accurate, productive design environment that kept Cornet’s products on schedule and within performance targets. The software's intuitive operation and interface allowed Cornet engineers to become productive very quickly, without the need for formal training or specialized services. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Processors & Edge Intelligence - Microcontrollers & Printed Circuit Boards

Sensors - Camera / Video Systems

Applicable Industries

National Security & Defense

Transportation

Applicable Functions

Logistics & Transportation

Product Research & Development

Use Cases

Additive Manufacturing

Vehicle-to-Infrastructure

Services

Hardware Design & Engineering Services

Training

Challenge

Cornet Technology, a leading supplier of physical layer switching products for networks systems worldwide, faced a significant challenge in maintaining its industry-leading position. The company's extensive array of data switching and processing products required a high level of expertise from both Cornet’s engineers and the development tools they used. The typical boards designed by Cornet were large, involving 12 layers and around 2000 components with controlled impedance requirements and a high degree of circuit area duplication. The design times were short, typically two to three weeks, yet the final performance and reliability of the product - and therefore the PCB - had to be first rate. Cornet’s extensible designs demanded a high degree of flexibility from the development software, which also needed to produce concept-to-reality board designs within the short production times required to fulfill key contracts and meet market demands.

About Customer

Founded in 1989, Cornet Technology specializes in the development and implementation of video, voice, and data network technology solutions for both government and private corporations. The company designs and manufactures a diverse range of video, voice, and data switch technology for a variety of applications including corporate, carrier, CLEC, ISP, military, civil engineering, SCADA, mobile transports, space/satellite ground stations, plus video in the areas of intelligent transportation infrastructure, security, and CCTV. Cornet Technology, Inc. (CTI) is a manufacturing and professional services company consisting of three divisions: Video Convergence manufacturers video products and provides comprehensive integration services to the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) market; Cornet Technology designs and manufactures data network solutions for the federal government and private corporations; and Anami Communications develops and integrates video conferencing solutions and provides information technology services to federal, state and local governments, and corporations worldwide.

Solution

Cornet Technology adopted the Altium Designer unified electronic development system to meet its need for powerful yet flexible board-level design. Altium Designer’s intelligent copy and paste functions plus advanced ‘placement room’ capabilities allowed Cornet engineers to quickly create complex multilayer boards with large sections of duplicated circuitry that were typically required by high-capacity network switching products. This, coupled with Altium Designer’s powerful design rule checking, advanced layout features and intuitive user interface, created an accurate, productive design environment that kept Cornet’s products on schedule and within performance targets. The software's intuitive operation and interface allowed Cornet engineers to become productive very quickly, without the need for formal training or specialized services.

Impact #1	The adoption of Altium Designer has brought significant benefits to Cornet Technology. Senior PCB design engineer Don Starsiak, who has been with the company since 1999, has become a strong advocate of design software from Altium and the benefits it brings to the company’s PCB design and production. He finds Altium Designer far easier to use, more productive and ultimately a much more effective development tool compared to alternative, competing software. The software's intuitive operation and interface have allowed Cornet engineers to become productive very quickly, without the need for formal training or specialized services. In addition, Altium Designer is far more cost-effective than competing products - even those that offer significantly fewer features - which along with the productivity gains, yields a direct cost of ownership benefit for Cornet.

Impact #1

The adoption of Altium Designer has brought significant benefits to Cornet Technology. Senior PCB design engineer Don Starsiak, who has been with the company since 1999, has become a strong advocate of design software from Altium and the benefits it brings to the company’s PCB design and production. He finds Altium Designer far easier to use, more productive and ultimately a much more effective development tool compared to alternative, competing software. The software's intuitive operation and interface have allowed Cornet engineers to become productive very quickly, without the need for formal training or specialized services. In addition, Altium Designer is far more cost-effective than competing products - even those that offer significantly fewer features - which along with the productivity gains, yields a direct cost of ownership benefit for Cornet.

Benefit #1	Design times reduced by 50%, from a month to two weeks.
Benefit #2	Increased productivity due to intuitive operation and interface of Altium Designer.
Benefit #3	Cost-effectiveness of Altium Designer compared to competing products.

Benefit #1

Design times reduced by 50%, from a month to two weeks.

Benefit #2

Increased productivity due to intuitive operation and interface of Altium Designer.

Benefit #3

Cost-effectiveness of Altium Designer compared to competing products.

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Overview

Cornet Technology's Advanced Network Switching Systems: A Case Study

Operational Impact

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