ASE Standardizes on Ansoft Solution for IC Packaging

• ( BW)(ANSOFT/ASE)(ANST)(ACX) ASE Standardizes on Ansoft Solution for IC Packaging
• Leading Taiwanese Semiconductor Packaging Provider Relies on Ansoft Products to Ensure Their Customers' Success

TAIPEI, Taiwan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 3, 2004--Taiwanese IC packaging leader Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) Inc. (NYSE:ACX) today announced its commitment to Ansoft's (Nasdaq:ANST) HFSS(TM), Q3D Extractor(TM) and AnsoftLinks(TM) simulation products for IC packaging design and model extraction. ASE's standardization on Ansoft extends their existing investment and commitment to Ansoft solutions.
  
"Demanding customers like IDM rely on ASE to provide leading-edge IC packaging solutions. These customers require high-performance package designs that operate reliably up to Gigahertz frequencies," said Dr. Sung-Mao Wu, Electrical Lab Manager at ASE. "We rely on Ansoft products to design these packages and ensure that the electrical performance requirements of our customers are met. The application of Ansoft tools arms us with the best solution and gives us an advantage over our competitors."
  
ASE uses HFSS, Q3D Extractor, TPA and AnsoftLinks to analyze complex high-speed and high-frequency packaging structures including quad flat pack (QFP), ball grid arrays (BGA), pin grid arrays (PGA), and chip scale packages (CSP). In addition, Ansoft products are used to design controlled impedance transmission lines, both single-ended and coupled, that exist within the packages. Electrical models produced by Ansoft's software products are delivered to ASE's customers so that precise circuit performance can be determined prior to production. Furthermore, optimization of the package design can be performed in software to provide optimal system performance.
 
"We are very pleased to have a close partnership with ASE for IC package simulation and design," said Charles Lee, Country Manager/Director of Business Development for Ansoft Taiwan. "This relationship drives us to continue to develop our electromagnetic technology in order to meet leading-edge packaging design requirements vital to ASE and their end customers."

About ASE Incorporated

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc. (ASE Inc.) is the world's largest independent provider of semiconductor packaging services. Together with their subsidiary, ASE Test Limited, the world's largest independent provider of semiconductor testing services, ASE provides a complete solution of backend semiconductor manufacturing services. ASE's global base of over 250 customers is well positioned in the Computing, Communication and Consumer market segments. ASE's services include wafer bumping, semiconductor packaging, design and production of interconnect materials; front-end engineering testing, wafer probing and final testing services.

About Ansoft

Ansoft is a leading developer of high-performance electronic design automation (EDA) software. Engineers use Ansoft software to design state-of-the-art electronic products, such as cellular phones, Internet-access devices, broadband networking components and systems, integrated circuits (ICs), printed circuit boards (PCBs), automotive electronic systems and power electronics. Ansoft markets its products worldwide through its own direct sales force and has comprehensive customer-support and training offices throughout North America, Asia and Europe. To learn more, please visit www.ansoft.com.