November 2002

The web-based Flopack software, launched by Flomerics in 1998, has become the recognized standard for rapid generation of thermal models for IC packages. Flomerics and Harvard Thermal will now combine their expertise and resources to accelerate development of the Flopack software. In parallel, Flomerics and Harvard Thermal are working with the JEDEC JC15.1 committee in the USA to develop software-independent standards for producing thermal models of IC packages.

Planned future enhancements to the Flopack software include:

• Definition of a standard export format, conforming with the new JEDEC standards outlined above, to allow export of thermal models not only to Flotherm, but also to Harvard Thermal's TASPCB, and other software tools such as ANSYS, NASTRAN and FEMAP.
• A web-based Library manager, creating a central area on the Internet where component manufacturers can upload and maintain thermal models of their parts, and where end-users can browse and download the thermal models they require.
• Enhancing the "Corporate Workgroups" features to facilitate model-sharing within organizations.
• Continuing expansion of IC package types to include System-in-Chip, and Optoelectronics components.
• Extension from steady-state to transient models. This is important because often it is the thermal behavior of IC packages whilst heating up and cooling down which creates reliability problems.
• Direct import of CAD geometry for complex package elements such as leadframes and substrates.
• Thermal solver enhancements, including a pre-conditioned conjugate-gradient solver that can handle temperature-dependent orthotropic properties.