Accelerate Your Design Signoff with Cadence Voltus Training Kit

9 Jul 2025 • 5 minute read

By Shaleen Bhabu, AE Director ASK and Ronen Stilkol, AE Architect

In the rapidly evolving world of semiconductor design, signoff challenges are growing due to increasing complexity, shrinking technology, a rising number of transistors, and the adoption of 3D-IC. Additionally, there are escalating electromagnetic interference (EMI) violations during signoff, making power integrity (PI) a critical issue at advanced nodes. Engineers require robust tools and methodologies to address these challenges effectively to expedite the design signoff process.

The Cadence support team has transformed and accelerated the signoff process with the comprehensive Voltus Training Kit. This innovative resource simplifies complex power analysis methodologies into hands-on learning experiences. This blog post explores how the Voltus Training Kit assists engineers in accelerating the design signoff process.

Voltus Training Kit – A Few Insights

The Voltus Training Kit is a methodology-driven, easy-to-use training kit designed to accelerate design signoff. More than just a point tool, it’s a complete methodology-based solution for chip design and production signoff. It requires no prior knowledge—users untar the kit, set the environment, and use make commands to run simulations. The kit includes advanced simulation capabilities and integration with the broader Cadence ecosystem:

Advanced Simulation Capabilities

The Voltus Training Kit offers advanced simulation capabilities that are beyond basic simulation

Thermal Analysis: Third-party system-level simulations using the Celsius Thermal Solver
ESD Protection: Comprehensive electrostatic discharge analysis
3D-IC Design: Multi-die integration and analysis techniques
Package SPA: Signal and power integrity analysis using Sigrity X technologies
Analog Integration: SoC with analog design using Virtuoso Studio and Voltus-Fi Custom Power Integrity Solution
IR-Aware Timing: Advanced timing analysis with Tempus Timing Signoff Solution

Tool Integration

The Voltus Training Kit's design integration feature allows designers to apply learned concepts directly to their current projects. With its structured hands-on learning approach, the Voltus Training Kit enables individuals—from novices to experts—to quickly learn industry best practices. It uses various Cadence tools to accelerate the design signoff:

Insight: Advanced power grid analysis and optimization with Innovus Implementation System
Synthesis: Design synthesis with Genus Synthesis Solution
Place and Route: Implementation with the Innovus Implementation System
Extraction: SPEF extraction with Quantus Extraction Solution
Library Creation: CCSP and other library generation with Liberate Trio Characterization Suite

What Makes the Voltus Training Kit Your Ultimate Companion?

The Voltus Training Kit stands out as the ultimate companion in chip design. It provides major foundry-guided scripts for signoff processes, eliminating the need to sift through exhaustive documents. Additionally, the kit includes a checklist and simulation guides to ensure thorough design reviews. Whether running flat or hierarchical simulations, the Voltus Training Kit ensures accuracy and confidence in the results. Built around Cadence's industry-leading Voltus platform and integrated into a full CAD environment, the kit offers everything to address design signoff challenges. Its comprehensive range of features caters to startups and established enterprises, ensuring efficiency and reliability while helping to accelerate the signoff process.

160+ Rapid Adoption Kits (RAKs): Extensive collection of real-world simulation scenarios, running Voltus and other Cadence tools, with ready-to-run design and simulation examples
Zero Prerequisites: Start learning immediately, regardless of your current experience level
Industry-Standard Methodology: Built on recommended Cadence PV scripts and third-party PVT tables.
Multi-Mode Support: Compatible with both DP/XP and Common_UI/Legacy modes
Comprehensive Coverage: Covers basic simulations to advanced topics like 3D-IC and thermal analysis
Speed and Ease: Offers hassle-free installation and avoids the need for script rebuilding, plus lightning-fast run times, shortened evaluation, and ramp-up times enable the onboarding from months to days
Expanded Functionality: Combines the die and package design for comprehensive solutions in analog, digital, and mixed design spaces

The Voltus Training Kit boosts confidence in design outputs and facilitates rapid skill development through its organized, practical learning methods.

A Systematic Approach to Signoff Methodology

The Voltus Training Kit follows a proven signoff methodology that ensures the early detection of design weaknesses and comprehensive failure coverage. The structured approach guides you through seven critical stages:

Design Foundation Checks identify and resolve fundamental issues such as missing vias, shorts, and unconnected devices, wires, and the library inputs before they become costly problems
Power Grid Quality Assessment, by evaluating the PDN hookup quality of an instance
Static Simulation to verify that the power grid's metal density can adequately supply the design average current requirements
Dynamic Vectorless Analysis to harness intelligent cell selection techniques for high-coverage detection of design weaknesses
SCAN-Based Testing to evaluate the maximum peak demand current of designs
Dynamic RTL VCD Integration helps work with real activity values and state propagation for accurate power analysis
Dynamic Gate-Level True Timing helps to work with the most sophisticated gate-level VCD with true timing simulation, which can be used for silicon correlation

Getting Started: Simplified Setup Process

One of the Voltus Training Kit's greatest strengths is its user-friendly setup process. Within minutes, you can have a complete learning environment running:

# Download from the ASK Cadence portal

cd your_work_area

gtar -zxvf VTK_May_31_2025.tar.gz

cd VTK_May_31_2025/Voltus_Training_Kit

# Configure your environment

source environment_settings

make <simulation_name>

The intuitive make-based command structure provides easy access to all functionalities:

make CLEAN - Reset your environment

make <simulation>_READ - Launch GUI for results analysis

make INSIGHT_HELP - Access specialized Innovus Insight workflows

make DOC_READ - Browse comprehensive documentation

Bring Your Design: Real-World Application

The Voltus Training Kit is highly effective in applying learned concepts to real projects. The kit offers seamless integration pathways for custom designs.

For Voltus Workflows

Copy my_test template to your design directory
Update data inputs in the setup.tcl
Configure block names in environment settings
Run your simulations with familiar make commands

For Insight Workflows (Innovus)

Leverage the tdsp_core template
Customize simulation parameters
Execute advanced power grid analysis
Generate comprehensive design review presentations

Success with the Voltus Training Kit

In an industry where power efficiency and signal integrity can determine a product's success, the Voltus Training Kit offers a competitive advantage. Whether adopting new technologies, developing test cases for quality assurance, or exploring proof-of-concept implementations, the Voltus Training Kit provides a comprehensive training experience that transforms theoretical knowledge into practical skills. As power integrity challenges become more complex, design cycles are shortening, and the margin for error continues to decrease. The Voltus Training Kit helps designers stay ahead of these challenges.

Ready to transform your power integrity expertise? Download the Voltus Training Kit from the Cadence ASK portal today and discover why leading engineers worldwide trust Cadence tools for their most critical design challenges.

For more information, visit the Cadence ASK portal or contact the support team for personalized guidance on maximizing your Voltus Training Kit experience.