PCB Design in 2026 and Beyond

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

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.

Filbert (Fil) Arzola is a veteran electrical engineer and seasoned expert in PCB design with over three decades of experience in commercial, industrial, and aerospace electronics engineering. He currently serves as a principal electrical and PCB design engineer at Raytheon SAS, where he specializes in model-based PCB design methodologies, constraint management, and sustainable engineering practices. Fil’s work emphasizes engineering rigor and producibility in PCB design, helping professionals elevate their craft from drafting to true engineering excellence.

Here is Fil’s view of what will be most important and influential for PCB designers going into 2026 and beyond.

Fil, what will be the most influential changes in PCB design over the next several years?

Filbert (Fil) Arzola: The obvious influential changes that I expect to dominate the PCB design engineering arena include AI, digital twins, and the acceptance of PCB design as actual engineering work. …Wow, did I say that out loud?

A lot of PCB design engineers/colleagues are nervous about AI. The fear is that AI will take over the artistry and the tactical demands of PCB design, regulating us to focus on design setup and then just pushing an AI-autoroute button. There are lots of possibilities and no guarantees. I am sure that, eventually, AI will make PCB design easier to produce. Personally, I remain on the fence.

I am more excited about digital twin as it allows PCB design constraint management and routing to move forward in parallel with signal and power integrity analysis and allows more real-time editing and therefore a better and cleaner design that doesn’t suffer from so many routing iterations and holding up schedules. Everyone in the PCB design industry needs to finally accept that PCB design is a legitimate engineering discipline, not just button pushing and drafting.

We’ve come a long way, baby, and the PCB designer with the best all-around engineering skill set is the one that will make your boards evolve into great work products and change the world of technical engineering design.

To continue reading this article, which originally appeared in the January 2026 edition of I-Connect007 Magazine, click here.