The Shaughnessy Report: Solving the Data Package Puzzle
Fresh PCB Concepts: Key Considerations for Reliability, Performance, and Compliance in PCBs
Elementary Mr. Watson: Navigating RF—A Glide Path Approach to Design Success
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
February 14, 2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Show season is upon us. Recently, Marcy LaRont and I attended DesignCon’s 30th anniversary show, and the expo floor was packed for almost the entire time. Show managers went all out, hosting a welcome party that included a rocking DJ. Much of the event revolved around AI and how to implement it. Is your company utilizing AI now?
Some of the engineers I met with have attended every DesignCon over the past 30 years, which is a great testimonial to the show’s longevity. Coming soon, we are headed to IPC APEX EXPO (the 25th anniversary of that event) and PCB East. You can look here for the industry’s best show coverage.
I’m featuring an abundance of articles from the past week, covering everything from DesignCon presentations to the benefits of volunteering for an IPC committee. If you’ve ever thought about joining a relevant committee, IPC is always looking for “new blood.”
See you again in a few weeks!
Here’s Looking at You, Kid
Published February 13
We’re in the middle of a PCB designer shortage, and it’s likely to get worse before it gets better. We need thousands of young PCB designers and design engineers. Where are we going to find them, and how are we going to train them when we do find them? We asked design instructors Kris Moyer and John Watson to weigh in, and, as usual, they had plenty of great ideas.
Facing the Future: The Evolution of the North American PCB Industry
Published February 12
Prashant Patel, the founder of Alpha Circuit, is one of our newest columnists. He brings us a great overview of the evolution of the North American PCB industry. As he points out, despite the shrinking number of board shops here, this region has quite a few positive things going for it, with resilience and reinvention topping the list.
Happy Holden: How I Became an Engineer
Published February 11
Somehow, I always thought that Happy Holden came from a family of scientists. But as Happy explains in this interview with Marcy LaRont, his father was a dairy farmer, and his mother was a chemist on the Manhattan Project. He’s always an interesting interview. Check it out.
Managing Energy Flow with Proper Stackup Design
Published February 13
Managing a PCB’s energy flow can be a delicate dance, and the stackup can play a big role here. In this interview, Dan Beeker recaps his DesignCon presentation, explaining how thoughtful stackup design can help designers conduct energy where they want it to go, and away from where they don’t want it.
The Secret Value of Committee Work
Published February 12
If you’ve always wondered what happens in IPC committees, you won’t want to miss this interview with Teresa Rowe, the head of standards and practices at IPC. Teresa explains the “secret value” of volunteering to work on these committees; as she says, “standards committee work is not for everyone,” but it might be just what you’re looking for.
Share on:
Suggested Items
American Standard Circuits to Exhibit and Speak at SMTA Oregon Expo
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 20th at the Wingspan Events and Conference Center in Hillsboro, Oregon.
Innovative Technology Advancements in Test: HATS² Technology and Its Impact on Reliability Testing
05/13/2025 | Barry Matties, I-Connect007Ensuring the reliability of printed circuit boards (PCBs) has become increasingly difficult and critical, yet the development of advanced testing methodologies is essential to meeting industry demands and addressing persistent challenges. One significant innovation is the High Acceleration Thermal Shock (HATS²) test system, which transforms how reliability testing is conducted. After 40 years in the testing business at Microtek, Bob Neves is beginning a new journey with his company, Reliability Assessment Solutions Inc. (RAS).
Facing the Future: The Role of 5G and Beyond in Shaping PCB Demand
05/13/2025 | Prashant Patel -- Column: Facing the FutureInnovations that push the boundaries of connectivity shape the future of technology, processing power, and miniaturization. 5G and emerging 6G technologies are critical in transforming industries from telecommunications and healthcare to autonomous systems. This affects the printed circuit board (PCB) industry, where demand for high-performance, miniaturized, and advanced PCBs is surging. This column explores the key applications of 5G and beyond, the challenges in designing high-frequency PCBs, the effects of miniaturization, industry collaborations, and opportunities for North American companies in this space.
Accurate Circuit Engineering: Be Nimble, Quick, and Open to Change
05/12/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineJames Hofer, general manager of Accurate Circuit Engineering (ACE) in Southern California, shares his insights about his specialty, quick-turn company, the market, and the interesting times in which we find ourselves. James remains optimistic about bringing manufacturing back to the United States and takes great pride in the work that ACE does to support military, defense, and aerospace. As James looks toward a prosperous 2025, he reflects on his 40 years in the business and learning that the secret to success is not trying to be everything to everyone.
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.