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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.
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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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SnapEDA Introduces the KiCad Plugin
September 9, 2020 | SnapEDAEstimated reading time: 1 minute
SnapEDA has a new offering, that will make it even easier for engineers to access CAD content. A new KiCad Plugin allows engineers to search, discover, and download content for electronic components directly from within the software where they’re designing PCBs.
KiCad is a free, open-source PCB design software that has been gaining popularity in the PCB design industry. Over the last few years, it has been growing at the same year-over-year rate as the industry’s leading PCB tools in terms of design activity in our professional PCB design community. Specifically for KiCad, the company has seen 345% growth of design activity over the last 3 years.
Being open source, KiCad’s ethos is to make electronics accessible and open, and we strongly resonate with that belief. For that reason, it’s also central to the open hardware movement.
Over the years, millions of CAD models have been loaded into the SnapEDA database, which are all accessible within the new plugin. Additionally, users will benefit from live updates to the SnapEDA library. The Component Engineering team adds thousands of new components each week, which are synced with the plugin in real-time.
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Advance Your Electronics Expertise in June and July
05/14/2026 | Global Electronics AssociationStay current with design, manufacturing, and quality standards by enrolling in one of these online instructor-led courses starting in June and July from ElectronicsU at the Global Electronics Association, designed to help professionals at every level sharpen their skills and advance their careers. These live, expert-led sessions combine flexibility with real-time interaction, allowing participants to learn directly from seasoned industry professionals while collaborating with peers worldwide. Access to all applicable IPC standards is included in the courses.
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