-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- design007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueBreaking High-speed Material Constraints
Do you need specialty materials for your high-speed designs? Maybe not. Improvements in resins mean designers of high-speed boards can sometimes use traditional laminate systems. Learn more in this issue.
Level Up Your Design Skills
This month, our contributors discuss the PCB design classes available at IPC APEX EXPO 2024. As they explain, these courses cover everything from the basics of design through avoiding over-constraining high-speed boards, and so much more!
Opportunities and Challenges
In this issue, our expert contributors discuss the many opportunities and challenges in the PCB design community, and what can be done to grow the numbers of PCB designers—and design instructors.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - design007 Magazine
Changes on the Horizon: Is Resistance Futile?
February 10, 2022 | Stephen V. Chavez, PCEAEstimated reading time: 1 minute
For printed circuit engineers, especially those of us who have been in the industry for some time now, change is inevitable. From customer requirements that lead to design changes and deadlines being pulled in, to decreasing budgets and resource reallocations, change is one area where we must be adaptable if we want to survive and be successful in today’s industry.
Engineering change orders (ECOs), schematic/drawing redlines, component placement adjustments, and mechanical features modifications are among the changes that most of us usually deal with at one point or another during a project’s design cycle.
In my experience working for both small engineering firms and large OEMs, change typically translates into more time, which translates into more money. The big questions: Is the change billable or not? Who pays for this, or eats the cost of this change?
It all depends on how a contract was written, and how the purchase order (PO) was awarded. Potential changes are risk factors that are added into each quote, with a caveat that each change will be evaluated. This evaluation leads to a potential “out of scope” response to this change, adding an additional cost to the already agreed-upon PO, extension to the project schedule, or reset to the original project task duration. Every company handles purchase orders differently.
As I mentioned, change is inevitable in PCB design, and designers have become accustomed to it. But what about those other changes that may come at some point in our careers? Perhaps you’ve experienced a change in EDA tools, or a change in company culture, or both.
If so, you may have a special understanding of the famous motto of “The Collective” in Star Trek: Generations. “Resistance is futile.”
I feel your pain. Usually, this sort of change happens if you switch jobs, your company is acquired by another company, or your department is reorganized. It happens, and if it hasn’t happened to you yet, it probably will, if you remain in the industry long enough.
To read this entire article, which appeared in the February 2022 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.
Suggested Items
Würth Elektronik in United States Embarks on New Milestone with State-of-the-Art Headquarters
05/17/2024 | Wurth ElektronikWürth Elektronik in the United States, a leading manufacturer of electronic and electromechanical components as well as custom magnetics, has announced the commencement of construction on a new 70,000-square-foot headquarters. This new facility underscores the company’s commitment to innovation and grow in the electronics industry.
IPC APEX EXPO: Some Thoughts About Growth
05/16/2024 | Dan Feinberg, I-Connect007After two and a half days of wandering the aisles at IPC APEX EXPO 2024, for the first time, I almost felt like I was exploring CES. There were so many booths and exhibits that I could describe, but I’d like to focus on the growth and huge value of this event, which has expanded well beyond just the growing and impressive exhibit show floor.
Airbus Achieves Eurodrone’s Preliminary Design Review
05/16/2024 | AirbusThe Eurodrone programme has successfully performed the Preliminary Design Review (PDR). Led by Airbus Defence and Space as prime contractor, this major programme milestone has been completed with OCCAR and representatives of the four customer nations (France, Germany, Italy and Spain) in the presence of the three Major Sub-Contractors (MSC), Airbus Defence and Space Spain, Dassault Aviation and Leonardo.
A Review of the 2024 Del Mar Electronics and Manufacturing Show
05/16/2024 | Barry Matties, I-Connect007The Del Mar Electronics and Manufacturing Show (DMEMS) in Del Mar, California, recently took place at an unlikely venue: the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Doug Bodenstab, founder and show organizer, says the show covers everything in electronics manufacturing: design tools, components, base materials, training, testing, board fabrication, AI, data analytics, and more. While you can find about anything online these days, Bodenstab adds that there is no substitute for meeting people in person.
TactoTek Licenses IMSE Technology to Polestar for Sustainable Electronics Design Innovation
05/15/2024 | TactoTekPolestar, the Swedish electric performance car brand, and Finnish smart surface pioneer TactoTek, have entered a collaboration to explore integration of Injection Molded Structural Electronics (IMSE) technology into Polestar’s vehicle programs.