The Pulse: Caught in the Crosshatch—A Cautionary Tale of Detective Work
Fresh PCB Concepts: Designing PCBs for Harsh Environments—Reliability Is Engineered Upstream
Elementary, Mr. Watson DFX—Basically a Basket of Crabs With Spreadsheets
The Evolution of PCB Design from 2D Layouts to 3D Structures
January 22, 2026 | Kris Moyer, Global Electronics AssociationEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Editor’s note: We asked several experts in PCB design and fabrication about the pressures shaping PCB fabrication today, including speed, density, geopolitics, and relentless technological complexity. The results were valuable insights about where we are, where we’re headed, and importantly, what it will take to get there.
Kris Moyer is an experienced PCB designer, instructor, and industry expert with a strong focus on advancing design best practices and workforce development. As an instructor at Sacramento State University, he helps prepare the next generation of electronics designers. He also serves as an instructor for the Global Electronics Association, delivering professional training aligned with IPC standards and emphasizing practical, manufacturable design practices.
With a background that spans complex PCB layout, design for manufacturability, and industry standards, he is widely recognized for his ability to translate technical requirements into clear, actionable guidance. Through teaching, training, and thought leadership, Kris continues to play an important role in strengthening the PCB design community and shares his vision for 2026 and beyond in PCB design and design engineering.
Kris, what are the most influential changes in PCB design over the next several years?
Kris Moyer: Embedded devices will be necessary to support the increasingly faster rise and fall times of digital designs. Ultra HDI designs will also support increasingly faster designs by allowing for smaller feature sizes and better geometric formation of the features, and 3D-printed PCBs will eliminate the signal integrity and manufacturing challenges associated with current PCB designs.
Although still somewhat controversial within the PCB design community, AI adoption will be necessary to improve product design and find creative solutions to many design challenges.
To continue reading this Q&A, which originally appeared in the January 2026 I-Connect007 Magazine, click here.
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