The Cost Effective Application of Computer Graphics in an industrial Research Environment In One Volume KEITH EDWARD CLARKE, B. Tech, D.I.C., C.Eng, M.I.E.E Thesis Submitted For The Degree of M. Phil of the University of London. Research carried out at The Post Office Research Department Dollis Hill London. In conjunction with The Department of Computing and Control IMPERIAL COLLEGE of SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY. Under the Industrial Research Laboratories collaboration scheme. February 1975. Supervisor: W.S. ELLIOTT, M A, FIEE, F. Inst. P, FBCS Professor of Computing. TABLE OF CCNTENTS List of Appendices Acknowledgements Declaration Disclaimer Summary Abbreviations 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Motivation for the Work 1.2 Objectives of the Thesis 1.3 Computer Graphics - State of the Art at the Start of the Project 1.4 Computing in the PO Research Department 1.5 The Identification cf Suitable Applications USER ATTITUDES 2.1 Concern for Data Security 2.2 Trade Union Interests 2.3 WorkingOutside Nornal Hours 2.L Failure of Computer Teams to Meet Promised Dates 2.5 A Reluctance to Discuss Mistakes 2.6 Hostility to Changing Computer Systems 2.7 The "Trojan Horse" Effect 2.8 A Lack of Confidence when Discussing Computers 2.9 Over Confidence in Computing 3 THE SURVEY OF POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS 3.1 The Design of Printed. Circuit Boards 3.2 Errors uccuring in PCB Design by Manual Methods 3.3 Integrated Circuit Design 3.4 Integrated Circuits - Assessment of Reliability 3.5 Graph Plotting and Curve Fitting 3.6 PERT '3.7 Machine Shop Scheduling 3.8 Programming of Numerically Controlled Machine Tools 3.9 Accommodation Plans 3.10 Flow Charts and Coding for Stored Program Control Telephone Exchanges 3.11 Computer Assisted Drafting 3.12 Cn-line Production o -P Spectrograms 3.13 Legibility of Alphanumeric Characters 3.14 Decision Networks 3.15 Models of Transistors 3.16 Thin Film Technology Circuits 3.17 Text Editing 2 L SUMMARY OF THE EQ'SIPIYLN T AVAILABLE 4.1 Storage Tube Terminals 4.2 Refreshed Displays 4.3 Storage Tubes with Local Computers 4.4 Television 11,,-pe Displays 14.5 Automatic Dra..wing Systems 4.6 Other Developments 5 THE DERIVATION OF A STRATEGY 6 NON-TECHNICAL FACTORS IN THE CHOICE OF INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT 7 WORK WITH STORAGE TUBE TERMINALS 7.1 Selecting the Terminal 7.2 Choice of Communications Link 7.3 Software for Graph Plotting 7.4 The objectives of CUPID Summarised 7.5 The Design Philosophy of CUPID 7.6 The CUPID Log 7.7 Details of the CUPID Implementation 7.8 CUPID Facilities 7.9 User Reaction to the Hardware 7.10 User Reaction to the CUPID Software 7.11 Case Histories involving the use of CUPID 7.12 The Cost of Using CUPID 7.13 An Analysis of the CUPID Command Usage FULLY INTERACTIVE aRAPHICS 8.1 The Display Hardware 8.2 Assessing the PerforAlance of Problem Solving Systems 8.3 original Calclations on the Cost of PC3 Design 8.4 Evaluation of the PCB and Design Automation after 1 Year 9 RECENT DEVELOPMENTSN COMPUTER GRAPHICS 10 PROGRESS UN APPLICATIONS OTHER THAN PCBs, ICs AND GRAPH PLOTTING 11 CONCLUSIONS REFERENCES 3 LIST OF APPENDICES A A log of CUPID Usage and the CUPID Command Index B The Syntax of the CUPID Command Language C Hardware Configuration of the Refreshed Graphics Computer D Software Purchased for IC and PCB Design E Bench—mark Results for PCB Design. Drawing Office Comments NOTE ON THE ILLUSTRATIONS Most illustrations in this thesis have been copied directly from hard copy units. They are thus an exact replica of the screen information with respect to size and content but have suffered a little in line qu ality. Also, it has not proved possible to follow British Standard BS 4811 on the orientation of graphs in every case. ACKNOWLEDGE=TS The Industrial Laboratories Collaboration Scheme offers immense intellectual opportunities at the price of some administrative difficulties. The full co-operation of Professor William Elliott, my college tutor, and Mr W. E. Thomson, my industrial tutor, is acknowledged with thanks. The support and active encouragement of line managers in the PO Research Department was also crucial. This was forthcoming from Mr W Bray (Director) Dr Tillman (Deputy Director), Mr S Fedida (Head of Division) and Mr J A Treece. All successful industrial projects are team efforts and this work is no exception. Messrs Wbods, Babbs, and Silvester made special contributions noted in the declaration of originality. Almost every group in Research Department was contacted at some stage for information, and this was readily given. Of these the integrated circuit design group under the control of Messrs W D Morton and E Jackets was troubled on more occasions •than most. Other information was obtained from Telecommunications Development Department (TD9.4), Telecommunications Management Services Division (TMS2.3) and from Mr J Forrest of the Research Department CAD group. The author is grateful to all his PO colleagues for this cooperation in providing information. The computer program named CUPID is mentioned frequently in the thesis although it is not included per se. Mr B J Wood's speedy and error free implementation of this program contributed substantially to the success of that part of the project. DECLARATION The work described in this thesis is the original work of the author, with the following exceptions. The detailed design of the CUPID command language (appendix A) was the work of Mr B J Woods, while working under the direction of the author. The PCB design bench-mark tests (appendix E) were performed by Mr T Babbs, leading draughtsman, working under the direction of the author. Parts of appendix D (a summary of the PCB and IC design programs) are based on a document prepared by Mr R Silvester, when working under the dir- ection of the author. With two short exceptions, none of the material has been previously used or published by the author. Two paragraphs of section 8 were used in a paper read by the author at the 1972 BCS conference on Computer Performance (47). An abbreviated account of the initial stages of the Storage tube project, Section 7, was given in a paper published jointly with Mr Woods at Datafair 1973 (48) INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH LABORATORIES JOINT COLLABORATION SCHEME. DISCLAIMER The opinions expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policies of the British Post Office. 7 SUMMARY This thesis is concerned with the economic and practical problems that arise when computer graphics are applied in an organisation primarily concerned with electronics research. It includes an account of a comprehensive survey of possible applications in the Post Office Research Department, from which it '4vasconcluded that of the many possible applications, graph plotting, curve fitting, PCB design, and IC design were likely to prove most profitable. Other applications were considered to have potential but were gtven a lower priority. This survey also revealed that human attitudes were likely to be as important as technical problems in the success of the work and these are discussed fully. Direct view storage tube terminals were used for the graph plotting and curve fitting. The choice of the equipment provided and the software written is described. Particular attention is paid to a program called CUPID because it is thought that the techniques used, namely an interpretive graphical command processor under the control of a time sharing operating system, represent a useful advance in the field. Also, CUPID maintains a log of command usage which is now available for a period of 18 months use. An analysis of this log is included for the benefit of others implementing similar programs. A DCF calculation for this part of the project is included from which it is concluded that curve fitting and graph plotting are likely to be profitable for any organisation producing at least 2 complex graphs per working day. It was decided to purchase both hardware and software for the PCB and IC applications and details of the selection process are given. An account is given of the reaction of both groups of designers to the facilities provided. In the case of PCB production, detailed bench-marks were carried out and the data were used in DCF calculations. These indicate that the design of PCBs by computer graphics is likely to cost less than by manual methods provided that at least 2 boards with 150 connections are designed per working day. The major conclusions are as follows. 1 Computer graphics cost less but only the largest organisations (by UK standards) will be able to justify the purchase of their own equipment. Bureau use is a useful alternative for a smaller organisation. 2 Human factors are as important as technical ones in this field. 3 The dominance of software costs in the DCFs is noted. The crucial importance of high speed hard copy facilities is confirmed. A concluding section discusses recent developments in the state of the art against the background of these conclusions. KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS. PCB Printed Circuit Board. IC Integrated Circuit. CUPID Conversational Utility Program for Information Display. DCP Discounted Cash Flow DO Drawing Office. DILIC Dual In Line Integrated Circuits. PO (British) Post Office. ATE Automatic Test Equipment. DVST Direct View Storage Tube. CRT Cathode Ray Tube. EDP Electronic Data Processing 10 THE COST EFFECTIVE APPLICATION OF COMPUTER GRAPHICS IN AN INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT. 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Motivation for the Work To ensure that a potentially profitable technique, namely computer graphics, which had been developed in the Universities was applied effectively in a cost-conscious industrial environment.