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OpenACMv2: An Accuracy-Constrained Co-Optimization Framework for Approximate DCiM

arXiv cs.LG / 3/16/2026

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Key Points

  • ACCO is operationalized in OpenACMv2 by decoupling accuracy-constrained architecture search from transistor sizing to optimize PPA-accuracy tradeoffs for approximate DCiM.
  • The framework uses a fast graph neural network (GNN) surrogate to guide architecture search over compressor configurations and SRAM macro parameters, predicting power, area, and error.
  • It performs variation- and process-variation-aware (PVT) transistor sizing for standard cells and SRAM bitcells using Monte Carlo, enhancing robustness.
  • OpenACMv2 is designed to be compatible with FreePDK45 and OpenROAD to enable reproducible evaluation and easy adoption in existing flows.
  • The project is open-source on GitHub, enabling rapid what-if exploration of accuracy budgets and PPA outcomes for approximate DCiM research and development.

Abstract

Digital Compute-in-Memory (DCiM) accelerates neural networks by reducing data movement. Approximate DCiM can further improve power-performance-area (PPA), but demands accuracy-constrained co-optimization across coupled architecture and transistor-level choices. Building on OpenYield, we introduce Accuracy-Constrained Co-Optimization (ACCO) and present OpenACMv2, an open framework that operationalizes ACCO via two-level optimization: (1) accuracy-constrained architecture search of compressor combinations and SRAM macro parameters, driven by a fast GNN-based surrogate for PPA and error; and (2) variation- and PVT-aware transistor sizing for standard cells and SRAM bitcells using Monte Carlo. By decoupling ACCO into architecture-level exploration and circuit-level sizing, OpenACMv2 integrates classic single- and multi-objective optimizers to deliver strong PPA-accuracy tradeoffs and robust convergence. The workflow is compatible with FreePDK45 and OpenROAD, supporting reproducible evaluation and easy adoption. Experiments demonstrate significant PPA improvements under controlled accuracy budgets, enabling rapid "what-if" exploration for approximate DCiM. The framework is available on https://github.com/ShenShan123/OpenACM.