-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- I-Connect007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current Issue
Beyond the Rulebook
What happens when the rule book is no longer useful, or worse, was never written in the first place? In today’s fast-moving electronics landscape, we’re increasingly asked to design and build what has no precedent, no proven path, and no tidy checklist to follow. This is where “Design for Invention” begins.
March Madness
From the growing role of AI in design tools to the challenge of managing cumulative tolerances, these articles in this issue examine the technical details, design choices, and manufacturing considerations that determine whether a board works as intended.
Looking Forward to APEX EXPO 2026
I-Connect007 Magazine previews APEX EXPO 2026, covering everything from the show floor to the technical conference. For PCB designers, we move past the dreaded auto-router and spotlight AI design tools that actually matter.
- Articles
- Columns
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - I-Connect007 Magazine
Finding and Training the Designers of Tomorrow: Design007 Magazine, February 2025
February 10, 2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamEstimated reading time: Less than a minute
Finding and Training the Designers of Tomorrow
It’s no big secret: There’s a shortage of PCB designers and design engineers, and we don’t have enough of a pipeline to fill these seats. To top it off, the last batch of designers from the Baby Boomer generation is approaching retirement.
For the February 2025 issue of Design007 Magazine, we asked our expert contributors to address these questions: Where will we find the next generation of PCB designers and design engineers? Once we locate them, how will we train and educate them? What disciplines will the designers of the future need to understand and master to deal with tomorrow’s technology?
Testimonial
"We’re proud to call I-Connect007 a trusted partner. Their innovative approach and industry insight made our podcast collaboration a success by connecting us with the right audience and delivering real results."
Julia McCaffrey - NCAB GroupSuggested Items
ASC Sunstone Circuits to Exhibit at PCB East 2026
04/26/2026 | ASC Sunstone CircuitsAnaya Vardya, President and CEO of ASC Sunstone Circuits, a leading provider of printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication and assembly solutions, announced that the company will be exhibiting at PCB East 2026, taking place April 29 at the DCU Convention Center.
Target Condition: When Design Outpaces Manufacturing
04/23/2026 | Kelly Dack -- Column: Target ConditionMost PCB designers already understand why design for manufacturing (DFM) matters. If a product can’t be built reliably, repeatedly, and at a price anyone will actually pay, it’s dead on arrival. You may have the most elegant schematic and layout ever drawn in a CAD tool, but if the PCB suppliers can’t make it, or the EMS sources refuse to quote it, you may well be considered more of a Nutty Professor or well-meaning inventor than a PCB designer.
Single Pair Ethernet (SPE): A Valuable Option for Modern Designs
04/20/2026 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007When it comes to designing PCBs and full systems for increasingly complex electronics hardware, who doesn’t want to reduce complexity and cost? Single-Pair Ethernet (SPE) has emerged as a solution and is gaining rapid attention across industrial electronics and PCB design because it enables Ethernet communication over a single twisted pair, replacing the traditional two- or four-pair cabling used in standard Ethernet networks. This seemingly simple shift has significant implications for designers: smaller connectors, reduced cable weight, longer reach, and the ability to carry both data and power over a single pair.
April Issue of I-Connect007 Magazine: Beyond the Rulebook
04/14/2026 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamIn this month’s I-Connect007 Magazine, we asked PCB designers, fabricators, and suppliers what it really means to operate without a rulebook. Their perspectives vary, especially between seasoned designers and experienced fabricators, but a common thread emerges: progress depends on pushing boundaries and finding a way forward, even when the path isn’t clear. In many ways, this mindset has always been part of what we do, whether we’ve called it that or not.
Marcy’s Musings: Operating Without a Rulebook
04/15/2026 | Marcy LaRont -- Column: Marcy's MusingsWhat happens when the rulebook is no longer useful, or worse, has not yet been written? With electronics innovation happening at warp speed, we’re increasingly asked to design and build what has no precedent, proven path, or tidy checklist to follow. “Design for invention” begins at the edge of known capability, where traditional DFM gives way to something far less certain, and far more exciting. It’s not about breaking rules for the sake of it; it’s about recognizing when the rules no longer apply and having the insight, collaboration, and courage to move forward anyway.