Connect the Dots: Designing for the Future of Manufacturing Reality—Surface Finish
The Pulse: Caught in the Crosshatch—A Cautionary Tale of Detective Work
Fresh PCB Concepts: Designing PCBs for Harsh Environments—Reliability Is Engineered Upstream
DesignCon Changes Dates, Expands Offerings Beyond In-Person Event
September 10, 2020 | Globe NewswireEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
DesignCon, North America’s largest chip, board, and systems event, announced the annual conference and exhibition – historically slated for the January timeframe at the Santa Clara Convention Center – will now be held April 13–15, 2021 at the larger Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR accredited San Jose McEnery Convention Center.
The change in venue provides additional space for DesignCon’s ever-growing technical conference, notably integrating engineering professionals in automotive electronics and intelligence and embedded hardware, software, and IoT from the Drive World and Embedded Systems Conference (ESC) allowing for even more professionals to learn from the experts who present each year.
“The new date and location in San Jose, California is the result of an ongoing strategy to expand and hone DesignCon’s legacy offerings,” said Suzanne Deffree, Group Event Director, DesignCon, organized by Informa Markets. “The larger venue will enable increased exhibiting space, added seating in the popular Chiphead Theater, and curated space for the returning Career Zone, which alone drew in more than 300 attendees in 2020, as well as afford the ability to introduce new programs for the community on a year-long basis.”
To complement DesignCon’s significant role in growing the industry via a mounting roster of qualified attendees across applications, DesignCon recently launched a brand-new “Back-to-School” webinar series with media partner Design News. The five-day educational opportunity is set to take place September 28 – October 2 and will feature some of the highest-rated speakers and session content from DesignCon 2020, which for the first time, is free-to-attend. Speakers include: Amphenol, ANSYS, Intel, JordanDSP.com, Marvell Semiconductor, Samtec, and Teledyne LeCroy.
Deffree continued: “The industry is undergoing the most significant disruption since the conception of Moore’s Law, as the underlying assumptions are undergoing a noteworthy market adaption. The industry needs to remain connected, not just three days a year, but on a constant basis to spur and keep up with market progression. This need for continued education is foundational to our launching the “Back-to-School” webinar series, a program we are excited to offer our community and one we’ll continue to nurture as the industry evolves.”
Share on:
Testimonial
"Our marketing partnership with I-Connect007 is already delivering. Just a day after our press release went live, we received a direct inquiry about our updated products!"
Rachael Temple - AlltematedSuggested Items
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
05/08/2026 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007This week, I’ve selected some outstanding interviews that you’ll want to take note of. First, is a roundtable discussion featuring three dynamic industry cybersecurity experts. Please watch this important discussion that affects us all. Following that, I spotlight the IPC-2581 Consortium, which explains why IPC-2581 is the standard to replace Gerber data for manufacturing. Next, I am including my interview with PCBAA and AAM, who collaborated to release a short documentary on U.S. PCB manufacturing.
Hall of Fame Spotlight Series: Highlighting Karen McConnell
05/07/2026 | Dan Feinberg, I-Connect007In 2021, Karen McConnell was awarded the Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame award in recognition of her contributions to the Association and the electronics industry. As a senior staff member and CAD/CAM engineer at Northrop Grumman Enterprise Services, her primary responsibility was to develop a common, shared EDM (Electronic Document Management) library to support the electrical and PCB design tool initiatives across Northrop Grumman Mission Systems.
A Necessary Shift From Gerber to IPC-2581
05/07/2026 | Tracy Riggan, Global Electronics AssociationIPC-2581 is an open, vendor-neutral data exchange standard developed by the Global Electronics Association to streamline the exchange of PCB design information across fabrication, assembly, and test. It replaces multiple legacy formats—including industry standards, Gerber, and ODB++—with a single, comprehensive, XML-based dataset that captures all manufacturing details.
Meet Emerging Engineers: Patrick Owen and Eric Mickenbecker, Summit Interconnect
05/05/2026 | Michelle Te, I-Connect007Patrick Owen and Eric Mickenbecker both work for Summit Interconnect, and are in their second year of the Global Electronics Association’s Emerging Engineer Program with mentor Brian Chislea. They stopped by the I-Connect007 booth at APEX EXPO and shared a bit of their story with me. Patrick has worked at the Hollister, California, plant since 2018, while Eric has been at the Chicago site since 2023. Like many of their peers, they came to the electronics industry from different paths, but are both excited about making an impact.
PCBAA, AAM Take on the Fight to Rebuild U.S. Manufacturing in New Documentary
05/05/2026 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007Throughout most of the 20th century, manufacturing was central to the American Dream of providing stable jobs and pathways to upward mobility. Today, more than 80% of global electronics manufacturing capacity resides in China and greater Asia, raising serious concerns about supply chain resilience and national security.