Mentor Graphics and Artisan Components Join Forces on IP Test Solutions

WILSONVILLE, Ore., July 31 -- In a move that extends their leadership positions, Mentor Graphics Corporation (Nasdaq: MENT) and Artisan Components Inc. (Nasdaq: ARTI), today announced a three-year agreement to partner on IP test solutions. According to the terms of the agreement, Artisan's libraries will be available with full support for Mentor's industry leading Design-For-Test (DFT) tool suites including the Mentor Graphics® FastScan(TM), FlexTest(TM), and DFTAdvisor(TM) tools.

Already the DFT solution of choice for the majority of the world's integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) and system-on-chip (SoC) designs, Mentor's DFT tool suite slashes typical test development time from weeks to hours thus improving time-to-market for designs based on Artisan's widely used libraries.

``With thousands of designers using our libraries, Artisan is keenly aware of the cost and time challenges that fabless semiconductor companies and IDMs face when it comes to test,'' said Mark Templeton, president and chief executive officer at Artisan Components. ``We see immense value in working with Mentor Graphics to support their DFT solutions with our library offering.''

``By providing our mutual customers with test solutions that work seamlessly with Artisan's IP libraries, we enable our customers to improve design team productivity through a comprehensive test methodology,'' said Fred Cohen, general manager for Mentor Graphic's Design-for-Test Division. ``This methodology provides our customers with high test coverage, in the face of rapidly advancing deep submicron (DSM) IC manufacturing technologies, and ultimately helps reduce the cost of testing.''

``Allayer Communications recognizes the benefits of using Artisan's libraries with Mentor's DFT tool suite,'' said Alan Penn, CAD Manager at Allayer Communications. ``This combination allows Allayer to enjoy greater time and cost savings as products are designed, tested and accelerated to market with greater accuracy -- largely due to the seamless environment created between Artisan's library and Mentor's DFT tool. Conversions and potential risk of incompatibility and delays are eliminated in this process.''

Artisan Components Process-Perfect(TM) Products

Artisan Components' physical libraries set the industry standard for quality and ease of use. All of Artisan's products -- memory generators, standard cells, and I/Os -- are ``Process-Perfect(TM)'': They are perfectly matched to the selected semiconductor process and provide the full value of each manufacturer's technology. Each product is verified using the industry's most comprehensive QA and validation procedures and is delivered with a complete set of views and models to support the industry's leading design tools.

Additional information on Artisan Components physical libraries can be found on the World Wide Web at www.artisan.com.

Mentor Graphics ATPG Solutions

Mentor Graphics is widely recognized as the industry's leading provider of full-scan and structured, partial-scan ATPG tools. Products include:

FastScan Tool Suite -- Mentor's FastScan tool suite creates high-quality tests for ASICs and ICs using full or structured partial scan by utilizing its unique blend of combinational and sequential ATPG technologies. The FastScan tool suite includes FastScan CPA which supports at-speed delay test pattern generation, FastScan Diagnostics for the analysis of failing patterns to isolate defects, and FastScan MacroTest which creates scan tests for small, embedded blocks and memories. The FastScan family supports fault models for DSM structures, including stuck-at, IDDQ, transition and path delay faults.
FlexTest -- FlexTest optimizes test coverage for non-scan and partial-scan designs. Using advanced sequential and combinational algorithms, FlexTest helps test engineers meet performance and area criteria with maximum testability from pre-existing scan content.
DFTAdvisor -- DFTAdvisor speeds test efforts by automatically inserting full or partial internal scan and test logic structures into complex designs. DFTAdvisor identifies and corrects test problems before test generation while automating scan synthesis.
Additional information on Mentor Graphics DFT solutions can be found on the World Wide Web at www.mentor.com/dft.

About Artisan Components, Inc.

Founded in 1991, Artisan Components, Inc., provides high-quality silicon intellectual property (IP) to the world's largest semiconductor manufacturers. The company's Process-Perfect(TM) products, including embedded memories, standard cells and I/Os, are tuned to each manufacturer's process. Semiconductor manufacturers, in turn, provide these products to their design customers so that they may achieve the full speed, density and low power potential of the semiconductor process. Artisan's library products are designed to work with the most popular EDA tools in the industry including Avant!, Cadence Design Systems, Synopsys and Mentor Graphics. Artisan Components headquartered at 1195 Bordeaux Drive, Sunnyvale, California 94089-1201; phone 408-734-5600; fax 408-734-5050; Web address http://www.artisan.com.

About Mentor Graphics Corp.

Mentor Graphics Corp. is a world leader in electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products and consulting services for the world's largest electronics and semiconductor companies. Established in 1981, the company reported revenues over the last 12 months of more than $500 million and employs approximately 2,600 people worldwide. Company headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-7777. World Wide Web site: www.mentor.com.

NOTE: Mentor Graphics is a registered trademark or Mentor Graphics Corporation. FastScan, FlexTest and DFTAdvisor are trademarks of Mentor Graphics Corporation. Artisan is a registered trademark and Process Perfect is a trademark of Artisan Components Inc. All other company or product names are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owners.

CONTACT: Leanne White, Marketing Communications Manager of Mentor Graphics Corporation, 503-685-1984, or leanne_white@mentor.com; or La Rae Spencer of Benjamin Group/BSMG Worldwide, 415-352-2628, or larae_spencer@benjamingroup.com, for Mentor Graphics Corporation; or Claudia Natalia, Director of Corporate Communications, 408-548-3172, or claudia@artisan.com, or Joyce Chowla, Investor Relations Manager, 408-548-3122, or joyce@artisan.com, both of Artisan Components, Inc.