Powering the Future: Why Thermal Management Defines the Future of Electronics
Standard of Excellence: Engineering Is the New Sales—How Technical Collaboration Wins Business
SMT Perspectives & Prospects: Artificial Intelligence, Part 7—Data Module 2
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.
Share on:
Testimonial
"The I-Connect007 team is outstanding—kind, responsive, and a true marketing partner. Their design team created fresh, eye-catching ads, and their editorial support polished our content to let our brand shine. Thank you all! "
Sweeney Ng - CEE PCBSuggested Items
Teradyne Acquires TestInsight, Accelerating Time to Market for AI and Data Center Devices
04/16/2026 | BUSINESS WIRETeradyne, Inc., a leading provider of automated test equipment (ATE) and advanced robotics, announced it has acquired TestInsight, a leading provider of semiconductor test development, validation, and conversion software widely used across the industry.
Cadence, Google Scale AI Chip Design with ChipStack on Google Cloud
04/16/2026 | Cadence Design SystemsCadence, an industry leader in AI-driven computational software for semiconductor and system design, announced a strategic collaboration with Google to optimize the Cadence® ChipStack™ AI Super Agent with Gemini on Google Cloud.
ESD Alliance Reports Electronic System Design Industry Posts $5.5 Billion in Revenue in Q4 2025
04/15/2026 | SEMIElectronic System Design (ESD) industry revenue increased 10.3% to $5,466.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2025 from the $4,955.2 million registered in the fourth quarter of 2024, the ESD Alliance, a SEMI Technology Community, announced today in its latest Electronic Design Market Data (EDMD) report.
April Issue of I-Connect007 Magazine: Beyond the Rulebook
04/14/2026 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamIn this month’s I-Connect007 Magazine, we asked PCB designers, fabricators, and suppliers what it really means to operate without a rulebook. Their perspectives vary, especially between seasoned designers and experienced fabricators, but a common thread emerges: progress depends on pushing boundaries and finding a way forward, even when the path isn’t clear. In many ways, this mindset has always been part of what we do, whether we’ve called it that or not.
Powering the Future: Why Thermal Management Defines the Future of Electronics
04/15/2026 | Brian Buyea -- Column: Powering the FutureEvery leap forward in electronics comes with a familiar consequence: heat. Whether it’s a power module driving an electric vehicle, a laser diode used in surgery, or a 5G amplifier operating in orbit, higher performance inevitably means higher temperatures. While engineers celebrate breakthroughs in speed, density, and power, none of those specifications matter if the system can’t keep cool long enough to perform reliably.