Programmable Logic

Our services at a glance:
FPGA Development | Electronics Development | Layout | EMC | Manufacturing

FPGA Development

El Camino was established in 1999 by former long-term employees of Altera. The name of the current Altera development environment, Quartus, goes back to a suggestion from one of the founders of El Camino.

As a partner of the leading FPGA companies Intel, Lattice and Xilinx, El Camino offers all services related to programmable logic.

By using modern tools, such as Platform Designer or DSP Builder from Intel, the client receives a very well-structured project. The use of standard blocks or interfaces and their combination with modules developed specifically for the client result in transparent systems that are easily handed over, and can easily be maintained by the client.
FPGA projects can be either turnkey projects or be executed in close cooperation. The latter, in particular, results in efficient development of know-how on the client side and enables clients to manage their own future projects, even those that are challenging or large.

For FPGA development, our services include the following:

  • Design, implementation, verification, and documentation
  • Implementation with Platform Designer, DSP Builder in VHDL, Verilog, AHDL, or Schematic
  • From partial design to turnkey according to your specifications or our suggestions
  • Conversion of discontinued ASICs and ASSPs
  • Optimization of existing designs
  • Layout and production of prototypes, functional models, and evaluation systems
  • Production and testing of small series production
  • Management and support for large series production

Electronics Development

From the idea to the production-ready product, from small PLDs to complex systems, El Camino offers a comprehensive spectrum of services. We use a wide palette of the latest technologies and develop custom-tailored hardware and software solutions for our clients. In particular, our experience with very demanding applications like multi-gigabit transceivers, memory interfaces of the highest band width, or high resolution AD/DA converters enables us to achieve the best possible results.

Quality, performance, power consumption, production and development costs, availability, and precision are only a few of the many parameters that have to be coordinated during development. Our project managers and developers listen to your wishes during planning and implementation, and with their extensive know-how they can suggest various possible solutions. Last but not least, we guarantee a consistently optimal result, coordinated with the respective requirements.

The services we offer include the following:

  • Planning
  • Development
  • Layout
  • Test design
  • Prototype manufacturing
  • EMC testing and optimization
  • Production and testing for small series production
  • Management and support for large series production

Layout

Layout services have been a part of the spectrum at El Camino since its inception. With our own production line, activities in the area of EMI suppression and our own circuit design, valuable practical experience can be consistently incorporated into the layout. Even modern FPGAs with up to 56 Gbps transceivers, 1333 MHz DDR4-SDRAM interfaces, analogue PLLs and more than 1000 I/Os place great demands on the layout. Only a systematic approach, supported with simulations and experience can lead to high quality, cost-efficient PCBs that are optimized for production.

For layout of systems, our services include the following:

  • Multilayer (up to 20 layers implemented many times, up to 30 is possible)
  • Rigid Flex Circuits (RFC)
  • Micro Via technology
  • HDIS (High-Density Interconnection Structures)
  • Impedance controlled design
  • Routing adjusted to signal propagation delays

EMC

Compliance with pertinent EMC guidelines is an important factor today in the development of electronic components and systems. By using our EMC measuring laboratory, we can incorporate valuable experience into our designs from the start, and have the option of performing various test measurements at any time. Furthermore, our production and SMD rework capacities allow for the immediate implementation of  modifications and their evaluation based on comparative measurements.

In the area of EMC, our services include the following:

  • EMC anechoic test chamber
  • Stray radiation (field and lead bound)
  • Interference immunity (field and lead bound)
    • Burst
    • Network variation
    • Flicker/harmonics
    • ESD measuring station

The following tests can be performed:

Emission from power grid AC wiring
Emission radiated from housing, 3m measurement distance
HF interference, unsymmetrical
Fast transients (burst)
HF fields
ESD
Voltage drop, interruption
Harmonics
Flicker
 

Manufacturing

For fast and flexible production of prototypes and small-scale series production, El Camino has own production capacities. Component procurement can be started at the same time as circuit diagram input. Furthermore, the production of printed circuit boards in express service with the installation of the SMD machines can be coordinated with preparations for production.

The following services are among those available for the manufacturing of prototypes and small-scale series production:

  • Screen printer
  • Automatic dispenser system
  • SMD pick and place machine up to 0.3 mm fine pitch or type 0201
  • Infrared rework station
  • BGA reballing
  • Drying cabinet
  • Vapour-Phase soldering system