2145	 Automation of Etching-Pattern Layout	 HELP Heuristic Etching-Pattern Layout Program is an application program developed to computerize the tedious and error-prone although vitally important wiring design of printed circuit boards. HELP helps automate a design stage one step closer to production than logical design. It can be used to design wiring patterns of two-layer circuit boards on which ICs in dual-in-line packages as well as discrete components such as transistors and resistors have been placed. HELP employs two methods of wiring. One is the heuristic method which simulates human approaches to wiring design and the other is the theoretically interesting but time-consuming method of maze-running based on the Lee s algorithm. HELP performs more than percent of required wiring by the heuristic path with respect to a performance function for each point-to-point and point-to-line connection. It can bring the number of successful wiring connections very close to percent. heuristic etching-pattern layout wiring design of printed circuit board maze-running Lee s algorithm
