The Chemical Connection: Through-glass Vias in Glass Substrates
It’s Only Common Sense: Why Sales Teams Fail (and How to Fix Them)
The Marketing Minute: A Brand Visibility Playbook—Get Seen, Heard, and Remembered
What Do You Know About PCB Manufacturing?
January 11, 2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Much of a designer’s job involves creating a product that is compatible with the capabilities of their chosen fabrication and assembly providers. But very few PCB designers have visited a board shop or assembly facility in decades, if ever, and seemingly simple DFM problems continue to dog our industry. What manufacturing concepts are designers missing?
We posed this question to Tony Bell, division manager of San Diego PCB Design, which was acquired by APCT in April 2023 and continues to operate under its original name, with plans to transition to its official new name of APCT Design. Tony has experience in PCB design, fab, assembly, and test, so we asked him what PCB designers need to know about manufacturing. He said the need for designers to continue learning about fab and assembly processes throughout their careers, and why asking questions is not bothersome, it’s necessary for the job.
Andy Shaughnessy: Tony, you have a pretty wide background in this industry. Tell me about that.
Tony Bell: I've been in this industry for a while, and am fortunate to have a diverse background that got me to where I am now. I came to San Diego PCB Design from Plexus in October 2021. At Plexus, I learned assembly process flow and I was an in-circuit test technician. Later, one thing led to another, and I moved into Plexus’ Engineering Solutions, where I managed the North American region’s PCB design team. There, 12 designers reported to me in Neenah, Wisconsin; Guadalajara, Mexico; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Boulder, Colorado. Now that San Diego PCB Design has been purchased by APCT, I’m enjoying learning more about advanced fabrication as a design manager on the fab shop side.
Shaughnessy: What do you think designers and design engineers need to know about manufacturing processes?
Bell: They need to know that the manufacturing process is ever-changing. This goes for electrical interfaces, fabrication, assembly, and test. Designing in a vacuum without a desire to learn new things can be stifling to a designer’s ability to grow in their capabilities as well as their ability to contribute to their organization.
To read this entire conversation, which appeared in the January 2024 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Cadence AI Autorouter May Transform the Landscape
06/19/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazinePatrick Davis, product management director with Cadence Design Systems, discusses advancements in autorouting technology, including AI. He emphasizes a holistic approach that enhances placement and power distribution before routing. He points out that younger engineers seem more likely to embrace autorouting, while the veteran designers are still wary of giving up too much control. Will AI help autorouters finally gain industry-wide acceptance?
Beyond Design: The Metamorphosis of the PCB Router
06/18/2025 | Barry Olney -- Column: Beyond DesignThe traditional PCB design process is often time-consuming and labor-intensive. Routing a complex PCB layout can consume up to 30% of a designer’s time, and addressing this issue is not straightforward. We have all encountered this scenario: You spend hours setting the constraints and finally hit the Go button, only to be surprised by the lack of visual appeal and the obvious flaws in the result.
Robust AI Demand Drives 6% QoQ Growth in Revenue for Top 10 Global IC Design Companies in 1Q25
06/15/2025 | TrendForceTrendForce’s latest investigations reveal that 1Q25 revenue for the global IC design industry reached US$77.4 billion, marking a 6% QoQ increase and setting a new record high. This growth was fueled by early stocking ahead of new U.S. tariffs on electronics and the ongoing construction of AI data centers around the world, which sustained strong chip demand despite the traditional off-season.
Cadence Advances Design and Engineering for Europe’s Manufacturers on NVIDIA Industrial AI Cloud
06/13/2025 | Cadence Design Systems, Inc.At NVIDIA GTC Paris, Cadence announced it is providing optimized solutions for the world’s first industrial AI cloud in collaboration with NVIDIA.
Zuken Autorouters Embrace Collaborative AI
06/12/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineMaybe you’ve never liked autorouters; if so, you’re not alone. As Andy Buja, Zuken’s technical account manager for PCB Solutions, admits, autorouters are not perfect. But today’s autorouters allow designers a greater level of control than ever before, especially routers that incorporate collaborative AI.