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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.
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Altium and IHS Markit Partner to Solve Component End-of-Life Issues for PCB Design
June 11, 2020 | Business WireEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Altium, the global leader in PCB design software, is partnering with IHS Markit Electronic Parts Solutions to solve one of the major challenges in PCB design.
When electronic components become obsolete, design and production can suffer lengthy delays. With an average of 15 end-of-life notices issued every day, part obsolescence is a challenge that most engineers routinely face. To address this design challenge, Altium has partnered with IHS Markit, the world’s most accurate component intelligence source, which provides actionable lifecycle status updates as the PCB is being designed. IHS Markit’s BOM analysis provides current lifecycle status for over 660 million electronic components.
“PCB designers urgently need to understand whether the components they specify are going to be available for the full lifecycle of their end products,” says Ted Pawela, Chief Operating Officer of Altium. “IHS Markit and Altium are partnering to make reliable component lifecycle data and recommended substitutes seamlessly available to them as they design rather than after the fact.”
IHS Markit’s Electronic part and supply chain intelligence is integrated with Altium 365, the world’s only cloud platform for printed circuit board design and realization. Altium 365 works harmoniously with Altium Designer, the industry standard for PCB design, to deliver the most connected experience for PCB design and manufacturing.
The Altium 365 Pro subscription plan provides users with component management capabilities including part and supply chain intelligence powered by IHS, allowing engineers to easily find and replace components that are obsolete or facing end of life.
“By using lifecycle information and alternative part options from IHS, Altium Designer and Altium 365 users can ensure successful supply chain continuity at any point in the PCB design cycle, long before potential end-of-life issues arise,” explains IHS Markit Vice President Bob Braasch.
Altium 365 Pro subscribers can now access IHS Markit technology from within the Altium Designer’s Manufacturer Part Search panel for effortless access to the latest component life cycles, alternative part options and actionable information. With Altium Designer’s ActiveBOM editor, users can harness the latest alternative part choices from IHS Markit, ensuring part availability for the entire Bill of Materials (BOM).
To learn more about the IHS Markit integration, watch the short introductory video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZmBD9VXhTA.
ABOUT ALTIUM
Altium LLC, a global software company headquartered in San Diego, Calif., is accelerating the pace of innovation through electronics. From individual inventors to multinational corporations, more PCB designers and engineers choose Altium software to design and realize electronics-based products.
The growing demand for smart and connected products is driving advancements in electronics technology. Design trends are demonstrating the need for minimizing power, reducing package size and energy consumption, and prioritizing high-speed design. For over 30 years, Altium has been delivering software that maximizes the productivity of PCB designers and electrical engineers, from idea to board. Users are at the center of Altium’s R&D and business operations. With its unique Business-to-User approach, Altium is focused on developing software that is easy to use and implement, with solutions that enable innovation and deliver industry-leading user productivity.
Products include Altium Designer®, Altium Concord Pro™, Altium 365®, Altium NEXUS®, CircuitMaker®, CircuitStudio®, Octopart®, and TASKING®. To learn more about Altium, visit www.altium.com.
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Julia McCaffrey - NCAB GroupSuggested Items
Dragonfly Energy Secures Additional Nevada Tech Hub Funding
05/07/2026 | Globe NewswireDragonfly Energy Holdings Corp., an industry leader in energy storage and maker of Battle Born Batteries®, announced it has been selected for a second consecutive round of funding through the Nevada Tech Hub.
Designing Without a Rulebook: When Engineering Becomes Innovation
05/05/2026 | Stephen V. Chavez, Siemens EDAWhat if the very rules that made you successful as a PCB designer are the ones now holding you back? This reminds me of walking the floor and attending sessions at both PCB West 2025 and APEX EXPO 2026, where one common theme stood out: More designs with traditional PCB “best practices” simply don’t apply. It’s not because they’re wrong, but because the problems we’re solving have fundamentally changed. In some cases, those best practices can actually limit performance. This is where PCB design moves beyond optimization and into something far more challenging: designing without a rulebook.
Custom LIDAR Optics Support Mission-Critical Performance
05/05/2026 | PRNewswireMeller Optics, Inc. has introduced custom fabricated LIDAR optics that can be engineered for specific UV to IR transmission requirements featured in airborne, ground, and maritime defense systems.
Trouble in Your Tank: In Complex Systems, Design Rules Aren’t Optional
05/06/2026 | Michael Carano -- Column: Trouble in Your TankThere is no question that the electronics industry, especially in circuit board design and fabrication, advanced packaging, and innovation throughout the value chain, has seen a significant transformation, whether it be in materials, system architecture, HDI and ultra HDI, semiconductors, or chiplets. AI and high-performance computing (HPC) are driving change across several fronts, including material properties, assembly techniques (think hybrid bonding), and power management.
EMI Strengthens Test Capability with Acculogic Flying Probe System
05/04/2026 | Express Manufacturing, Inc.Express Manufacturing, Inc. (EMI), a global electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider, has added the Acculogic Scorpion 980E Flying Probe Test System to its inspection and test operations, giving the company greater flexibility in how it validates and supports today’s increasingly complex electronics.