The Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Specialties of PCB Design

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We’ve witnessed a progression of the various roles in PCB design over the decades due to the ever-evolving field of electronics. These roles, which are key to PCB design, can be described as the all-encompassing domain of printed circuit engineering (PCE), which involves multiple disciplines and their respective domains, and plays a pivotal role in shaping the technology landscape. As technological advancements accelerate, the multi-disciplines within PCE face myriad challenges while simultaneously encountering exciting and promising opportunities.

What were once specialties have become more generalized over time—PCB designers must learn about design automation, signal integrity (SI), electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), complex high-speed design, mechanical design, and manufacturability/producibility. Design engineers must learn about layout, simulation, and supply chains—and in their place new specialties have emerged, like multi-gigabit SerDes channel design, advanced manufacturing, IoT, and multi-physics system verification. Across the board (no pun intended), good engineering teams have learned to collaborate outside their siloed specialties, which increases their individual and collective value. Yet, it’s not only designers grappling with this evolution but also numerous tech companies across several industries that must bolster their engineering resources to close the growing talent gap.

To read this entire article, which appeared in the March 2024 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.