American Made Advocacy: A Growing Presence in Washington in Turbulent Times
It’s Only Common Sense: How to Win Back Lost Customers
Punching Out: M&A North American PCB and EMS Deals for the First Half of 2025
A Potpourri of Design PD Classes
May 14, 2024 | Kelly Dack, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
What is invention without innovation? What is innovation without capability? What is capability without standards and guidelines? What are standards and guidelines without the design and manufacturing stakeholders who produce them?
Folks say that invention involves the creation of things entirely new, while innovation is the process of improving the creations or finding new ways to use them. This observation holds true in all realms of PCB design. However, PCB designers, seated at PCB design workstations with very powerful CAD tools at hand, often misunderstand the concept of invention. Like a new musician making a lead error in a blues riff will refer to off-color notes as “jazz,” many new PCB designers not checking in with supplier capabilities will consider their work an “invention.”
A mistake is a mistake. DFM is a step in the innovation process, which is a necessary part of design. If new materials or processes do not exist, applying the concept of invention involves long timelines and astronomical financial backing, which must occur in order to reach the goals of a new product concept.
On Sunday, April 7, I attended a “design for” Professional Development session taught by Dale Lee. Presented as a two-part morning and afternoon class, Dale covered some very important DFs: design for manufacture (DFM), design for reliability (DFR), and design for assembly (DFA), referred to holistically as DFX (design for excellence). Lee gave many examples that stressed the importance of following industry standards and guidelines in the design of printed boards and assemblies. He stressed the importance of becoming familiar with common materials, machinery, and processes the PCB industry uses in order to “design for” measured success needed by the industry in order to provide measurable quality, performance, and reliability.
Later that morning, I bounced over to the “Ask the Flexperts” PD sessions featuring Mark Finstad and Nick Koop from TTM. Both innovators in their own rights, this Flexpert tag team was able to cover all aspects of flex and rigid-flex design principles to not only confirm industry-proven design methodology but follow up with tangible, expert, manufacturing stakeholder responses from TTM to illustrate what designers can do to improve their future flex designs. The two generously provided all attendees with a tote ring of flex circuit reference material, which can serve as a tactile guide in determining how flex structures behave mechanically.
To read this entire article, which appeared in the 2024 issue of Show & Tell Magazine, click here.
Share on:
Testimonial
"We’re proud to call I-Connect007 a trusted partner. Their innovative approach and industry insight made our podcast collaboration a success by connecting us with the right audience and delivering real results."
Julia McCaffrey - NCAB GroupSuggested Items
Ansys 2025 R2 Enables Next-Level Productivity by Leveraging AI, Smart Automation, and Broader On-Demand Capabilities
07/30/2025 | PRNewswireAnsys, now part of Synopsys, announced 2025 R2, featuring new AI-powered capabilities across the portfolio that accelerate simulation and expand accessibility.
Target Condition: The 5 Ws of PCB Design Constraints
07/29/2025 | Kelly Dack -- Column: Target ConditionHave you ever sat down to define PCB design constraints and found yourself staring at a settings window with more checkboxes than a tax form? You’re not alone. For many designers—especially those newer to the layout world—the task of setting up design constraints can feel like trying to write a novel in a language you just started learning.
Zuken to Showcase Defence & Security-Focused Electronic Systems Design Solutions at DSEI 2025
07/24/2025 | ZukenZuken, a global leader in electronic and electrical design automation, will showcase its latest innovations for defence and security systems at DSEI 2025, taking place at ExCeL London from 9–12 September 2025.
Creating a Design Constraint Strategy
07/24/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamMost designers learn how to set their design constraints through trial and error. EDA vendors’ guidelines explain how to use their particular tools’ constraints, and IPC standards offer a roadmap, but PCB designers usually develop their own unique styles for setting constraints. Is there a set of best practices for setting constraints? That’s what I asked Global Electronics Association design instructor Kris Moyer, who covers design constraints in his classes.
Elementary Mr. Watson: Closing the Gap Between Design and Manufacturing
07/23/2025 | John Watson -- Column: Elementary, Mr. WatsonModern PCB designers are not merely engineers or technicians. I believe that PCB design, at its core, is an art form, and modern PCB designers should be considered artists. Beyond the technical calculations and engineering rules lies a creative process that involves vision, balance, and a passion for what we do. Like any artist who works with brush and canvas or chisel and stone, a PCB designer shapes invisible pathways that bring ideas to life. Each trace, layer, and component placement reflects thoughtful decisions that blend form, fit, and function.