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Beyond the Rulebook
What happens when the rule book is no longer useful, or worse, was never written in the first place? In today’s fast-moving electronics landscape, we’re increasingly asked to design and build what has no precedent, no proven path, and no tidy checklist to follow. This is where “Design for Invention” begins.
March Madness
From the growing role of AI in design tools to the challenge of managing cumulative tolerances, these articles in this issue examine the technical details, design choices, and manufacturing considerations that determine whether a board works as intended.
Looking Forward to APEX EXPO 2026
I-Connect007 Magazine previews APEX EXPO 2026, covering everything from the show floor to the technical conference. For PCB designers, we move past the dreaded auto-router and spotlight AI design tools that actually matter.
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Pentalogix Launches ViewMate Essentials to Ensure PCB Designs are Manufacturing-Ready
September 3, 2025 | PentaLogixEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Pentalogix, Inc., a leader in PCB design solutions, announced the launch of ViewMate Essentials, an advanced CAM package designed to enhance the workflow of PCB designers. Available starting September 2nd, 2025, ViewMate Essentials enables designers to view, edit, and manage PCB manufacturing files with exceptional precision, facilitating seamless collaboration with PCB fabricators and assemblers. ViewMate Essentials intelligently aggregates a multitude of manufacturing files, including Gerber, NC Drill, as well as Pick-and-Place data, Bill of Materials and layer stack information, ensuring seamless collaboration with both PCB fabricators and assemblers.
ViewMate Essentials offers sophisticated features tailored to the needs of modern PCB design. At its core is the integrated Smart DFM tool that verifies board layouts against the manufacturing specifications of the chosen PCB fabricator, ensuring error-free production by preventing costly manufacturing mistakes. The PCB Navigator enhances design efficiency by enabling automatic footprint identification, component viewing by Part Number or Reference Designator, high-contrast PCB visualization, advanced search and filtering, and instant access to component specifications, datasheets, and vendor links. These capabilities position ViewMate Essentials as a vital tool for improving productivity and collaboration in PCB design.
Available exclusively through annual subscription licenses, ViewMate Essentials includes unlimited software updates and dedicated customer support, ensuring designers have access to the latest features and expert assistance to streamline their workflow. PCB designers can explore ViewMate Essentials and start their subscription at pentalogix.com, where additional details and resources are available.
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Julia McCaffrey - NCAB GroupSuggested Items
Three Howard University Engineers Launch Trace to Automate PCB Design Workflows
05/12/2026 | Globe NewswireTrace, an AI software company automating the printed circuit board (PCB) design workflow, has launched out of stealth and is now accepting customers worldwide.
I-Connect007 Releases The Printed Circuit Designer’s Guide to… Direct Metallization: A Guide to Complex PCB Fabrication
05/12/2026 | I-Connect007As PCB complexity continues to accelerate, fabricators and OEMs are reevaluating long-standing manufacturing processes to meet the demands of AI, HDI, advanced packaging, and next-generation electronics. To address these evolving challenges, I-Connect007 is proud to announce the release of The Printed Circuit Designer’s Guide to… Direct Metallization: A Guide to Complex PCB Fabrication, authored by MacDermid Alpha Solution’s Carmichael Gugliotti.
yieldWerx, WATS Partner to Bridge PCB Test with Chip-Level Manufacturing Data
05/11/2026 | PRNewswireBoard-level and semiconductor test data are often analyzed separately, limiting correlation across the product lifecycle. Linking PCB assembly (PCBA) test results, including in-circuit and functional test, with upstream wafer, sort, and final test data remains difficult, particularly in photonics, advanced packaging, and high-density integration environments.
Rogers Announces Addition of Brett Cope and Eric Starkloff to Its Board of Directors
05/11/2026 | Rogers CorporationRogers Corporation announced that Brett Cope and Eric Starkloff were elected to the Company’s Board of Directors. Both Mr. Cope and Mr. Starkloff bring extensive executive leadership experience and deep expertise in highly relevant markets.
The Journey from Dilution to Zero Liquid Discharge
05/11/2026 | Richard Nichols, GreenSource EngineeringIf you’re familiar with the PCB industry, and a little long in the tooth like me, you may remember the cry, “The water board is here!” (or an equivalent authority). This was the signal for a frantic but regularly rehearsed exercise to turn on all the rinses. This anecdote demonstrates that in the early days of PCB production, prevailing practices revolved around a “dilution is the solution” mentality, in which manufacturers used copious amounts of water to dilute contaminants before discharging them into regulated municipal wastewater systems or natural water bodies.