Fluence, Opmaxx Merger Creates Design to Test Flow

Electronic News, July 26, 1999 by Ann Steffora

Companies focus on analog, mixed-signal design and test challenges

Scottsdale, Ariz.-With electronic systems quickly moving towards the convergence of analog and digital technologies on a single chip, OEMs are facing serious challenges to design and test of deep submicron devices. Fluence Technology Inc. and Opmaxx Inc., both of Beaverton, Ore., are merging to go after this lucrative market.

"We see the sum of Opmaxx and Fluence as a one-plus-one-equals-five situation because the companies are complementary in so many ways without tool overlap," said John DiGirolamo, president and chief executive officer of Fluence. "While Fluence has primarily been focused on functional test automation, Opmaxx has been addressing analog and mixed-signal design. We are offering OEMs something they can't get anyplace else."

Fluence said it intends to maximize its capability to deliver leading- edge solutions for integrating design, test and manufacturing of analog/mixed-signal systems with the acquisition of Opmaxx. The deal is expected to close within 60 days and will be accounted for as a purchase. The financial terms of the deal will not be disclosed.

"The convergence of wireless communication and computer and consumer products is fueling the fast-growing demand for analog/mixed-signal design and test tools," DiGirolamo said, adding that merging the companies' technologies will provide the multilevel analog/mixed-signal development platform needed to achieve first-pass design success at minimized test costs.

The companies began working together last year through a strategic relationship, and merged locations and sales forces in October 1998, explained Doug Goodman, Opmaxx president and co-founder.

As part of Fluence, Goodman will serve as chief operating officer and Oregon site manager for Fluence. Bozena Kaminska, Opmaxx co-founder and chief technology officer and primary development driver of the Opmaxx technology, will be chief technology officer at Fluence.

The competition for the merged Fluence/Opmaxx is led by Synopsys Inc., followed by Mentor Graphics Corp., LogicVision and SynTest. While some of these companies offer built in self-test (BIST) and other tools, they are not truly competitive-Fluence contends-because they do not lock in tightly with test and manufacturing.

For instance, Mentor Graphics Corp.'s Design For Test group has fault simulation tools and automated test pattern generation (ATPG) tools and with the Fluence/Opmaxx tools able to snap onto the output, value can be added to existing design flows.

As with many other EDA tools, the biggest competition comes from in- house tool groups. However, internal tools are starting to break. And with product lifecycles getting shorter, if OEMs miss a market window, they are missing a sweet spot on their return on investment.

"Customers have been faced with the mixed-signal problem, and used to be able to address it by throwing more resources at the problem," Fluence's DiGirolamo said. "However, deep submicron process technology and market demand for systems-on-a-chip (SOCs) are putting a huge amount of pressure on verification of design and test. OEMs want more efficiency and productivity. Forcing design and test together is the way to address it. Deep submicron and SOCs have the muscle to make that a reality."

The merger was good news to industry expert Gary Smith, chief analyst of worldwide EDA at Dataquest in San Jose, who said that this puts Fluence on the map.

In terms of market position, "the tester community woke up last year and realized they have to be close to the BIST and Design For Test tools. Fluence had the test piece, now they have a full line of products and are now solid enough to play with the big boys," Smith said.