TYCO
Optical Network Systems Engineering Tool (ONSET)
Client Background
TYCO will design, manufacture, install, own, operate, maintain, and sell
bandwidth capacity on their own global undersea network: the TYCO Global
Network (TGN). They provide bandwidth to meet the presently increasing
industry demand with the world's longest, most extensive and most technologically
advanced undersea fiber optic telecommunications using this TGN network.
*** Prior to becoming TYCO, the company was formally a division of AT&T.
*** Source: TYCO Web Site: submarinesystems.com
The Problem
As the world of data communications keeps expanding at an exponential
rate, design time for TYCO must become more productive to meet demands.
The amount of wavelengths that are now required or demanded in designing
their systems has risen from a handful to over one-hundred forty-four
(144) and is ever increasing. Their main schematic design tool has been
through the use of a spreadsheet developed in Microsoft Excel. However,
this existing method of keeping track of all the design components and
their related components by entering massive calculations in the spreadsheet
has become inefficient. In order to change a connection from one component
to another could take a full day of an engineer’s time reassigning
formulas in the spreadsheet. The engineers were spending too much time
moving formulas around in Excel and triple checking their work instead
of spending time focusing on design work and finding the best cost effective
solution.
The Solution
AMS, already working on site with TYCO on other CADD Productivity projects,
was proactive and brought attention to the inefficient method. By working
closely with the line engineers, we were able to learn how the schematics
were being designed and how to track each wavelength’s total power,
individual power, dispersion and signal-to-noise ratio. Our solution was
to develop a system that would give the engineers the ability to very
easily drop in components and connect them any way they needed to. All
the components are brought in by special user interfaces developed in
Visual Basic (VB) that connect them to a Microsoft Access database. The
components are connected to each other with special schematic connectors.
The updating of all the tracking information is done automatically. The
engineers simply need to press the correct button to import and change
a value of a particular symbol and to press the connector button. The
ONSET software does all the calculations automatically and displays the
information that is needed instantly.
The Benefit
By developing this custom Design Automation (DA) solution, what was once
a six (6) week task of engineering a system is now cut down to one (1)
to two (2) days. They now have the opportunity to layout different conceptual
design schemes to try and configure the most cost effective system. Errors
that were once made because of the sheer complexity of steps involved
in the previous process are now totally eliminated by the automated process.
Here are some additional features of TYCO’s ONSET solution
- Intelligent design symbols connected to Access Database to ensure
correct values
- Symbol connectors that break automatically when a component is added
- Ability to add information symbols into the schematic drawing that
will graphically show data (Individual Power, Total Power or Signal
to Noise Ratio) automatically show and update values
- System Viewer that allows a user to touch anywhere on the schematic,
which will in turn show all information needed by wavelength and also
highlights the full branch of the touched connector
Where to go from here:
For more information about Design Automation and how it can help your
company be much more productive, visit the Design Automation section of
our web site. Also, visit the Customization section of our web site for
more information on customizing the AutoCAD environment. Or simply call
us today at (973) 882-8008!
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