Mentor Graphics has added Capital Architect to its CHS portfolio of automotive electrical system design tools. The graphical design tool helps OEMs and their suppliers minimize the cost and/or weight of the electrical distribution system by optimizing its physical architecture. Designers using the tool can assess the impact of various architectures at any design stage, including the impact of adding new electrical/electronic features to an existing vehicle. The tool can synthesize composite electrical distribution system designs.

The Capital Architect tool compares alternative architectural scenarios within “studies,” and it allows design engineers to view the results of several scenarios graphically and numerically. Study results can be exported to Microsoft Office documents for further analysis and reporting.

“The industry has, until now, lacked tools to rapidly evaluate the physical implementation of architectures, especially in the context of options and variants,” said Martin O’Brien, general manager for Mentor Graphics Integrated Electrical Systems Division. “Studies have been limited in scope and have resulted in excess long-term vehicle costs.” O’Brien added, “There is increased pressure on the automotive industry to reduce cost through management of electrical complexity, vehicle weight reduction and minimizing giveaways.”