mentorpaper_4704TECHNICAL PUBLICATION Circuit Timing Analysis: Mastering A Lost Art Matthew Hogan Timing and Signal Integrity Technical Marketing Engineer for High-Speed Design Tools September 2001 w w w. m e n t o r. c o m / p c b Francois Rebelais once said, "Nothing is so dear and precious as time." Yet, somehow, time is remarkably almost forgotten in the design of electronic circuits. Some designers enjoy the value and advantages of performing their own timing analysis. Others have had the perception that timing analysis and verification is an important part of a successful circuit design process largely eroded through the use of chipsets and other matched components. Conservative estimations used in manufacturers' design guides often sacrifice circuit performance for generalized solutions of tim……