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Current IssueCreating the Ideal Data Package
Why is it so difficult to create the ideal data package? Many of these simple errors can be alleviated by paying attention to detail—and knowing what issues to look out for. So, this month, our experts weigh in on the best practices for creating the ideal design data package for your design.
Designing Through the Noise
Our experts discuss the constantly evolving world of RF design, including the many tradeoffs, material considerations, and design tips and techniques that designers and design engineers need to know to succeed in this high-frequency realm.
Learning to Speak ‘Fab’
Our expert contributors clear up many of the miscommunication problems between PCB designers and their fab and assembly stakeholders. As you will see, a little extra planning early in the design cycle can go a long way toward maintaining open lines of communication with the fab and assembly folks.
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What’s New in Design Education at IPC APEX EXPO?
April 11, 2024 | Kelly Allen, IPC Training ManagerEstimated reading time: Less than a minute

Kelly (Kel) Allen shares her thoughts on the educational offerings at IPC APEX EXPO and beyond. In this interview, she discusses some of the newest classes taking place during the conference in Anaheim, covering everything from design, fab, and assembly through mil/aero, test, and supply chain issues.
Kel, why should PCB designers and design engineers attend the conference at IPC APEX EXPO?
Kelly Allen: Adult learners appreciate practical knowledge. In our online classes, PCB designers and design engineers connect theoretical concepts to real-world situations, making our online classroom discussions dynamic and relevant. Many are driven by personal and professional goals so attending an APEX EXPO Professional Development Course allows them to actively participate, ask the speaker thought-provoking questions, and engage in meaningful dialogue. Our industry keeps our designers so busy that many do not have time to take one of our long-form courses. Yet they can invest a few days to take PD courses, attend committee meetings, network with colleagues, and see the latest in manufacturing and products on the show floor.
To read this entire conversation, which appeared in the April 2024 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.
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05/14/2025 | American Standard CircuitsAnaya Vardya, President, and CEO of American Standard Sunstone Circuits has announced that his company will be exhibiting SMTA Oregon Expo & Tech Forum to be held on May 20 at the Wingspan Events and Conference Center in Hillsboro, Oregon.
The Shaughnessy Report: Solving the Data Package Puzzle
05/12/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy -- Column: The Shaughnessy ReportIf you ask fabricators about their biggest challenges, they’ll often point at PCB designers—the readers of this magazine. Yes, you! Why is it so difficult to create the ideal data package? It’s a fairly straightforward task. But this part of the design process keeps tripping up designers, even those who started in the industry before Pink Floyd split up.
Material Selection and RF Design
04/21/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineInnovation rarely sleeps in this industry, and the RF laminate segment offers a perfect example. RF materials have continued to evolve, providing PCB designers much more than an either/or choice. I asked materials expert Alun Morgan, technology ambassador for the Ventec International Group, to walk us through the available RF material sets and how smart material selection can ease the burden on RF designers and design engineers.
EDA Tools and RF Design Techniques
04/14/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineHigh-speed PCB design is complex enough, but RF design can be a whole new ball game. RF designers have to contend with tuning and other ideas that traditional PCB designers don’t have to worry about, as well as crosstalk, parasitic capacitance, and material limitations. Most PCB design tool companies now offer RF design options, so designers no longer have to use pureplay RF design tools for anything but the most cutting-edge designs. Cadence Design Systems expanded its RF EDA offerings by acquiring the RF software company AWR a few years ago. We asked David Vye, product management director at Cadence, to share his thoughts on EDA software, RF design, and what new RF designers and engineers need to understand.
The Key to First-pass Success in PCB Design
04/10/2025 | Gerry Partida, Summit InterconnectIn the dynamic world of PCB manufacturing, achieving first-pass success hinges on more than just cutting-edge equipment and skilled teams. At Summit Interconnect, we have seen countless successful launches of advanced HDI designs that can be traced directly to engagement between designers and fabricators early in the design phase. Unfortunately, collaboration in the PCB industry often begins only after problems arise—such as field failures, assembly fallout, or low fabrication yields. This reactive approach is the wrong starting point for collaboration.