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EchoStar’s Les Beller Shares the PCB Design-to-Fab Process
May 10, 2015 | Barry Matties, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 15 minutes
The same goes for many of the front end design tools today, however, I don't see an evolution of the designer being edged out. What I do agree with you on is a lack of younger blood coming into this industry and working under the wings of some of us old guys, picking up on our experiences and growing from it. I see this challenge in our company as well. Really good layout people are difficult to locate as we can be an elusive breed.
Matties: How do we solve that problem? How do we bring this appeal to the younger generation?
Beller: One way is at the university and high school level, through electronics and robotics clubs, etc. We have a robotics club at our company for employees' children and it’s been a great success. You have to get the youth fired up about what it means to design something and what it means to write a simple program. Try to get them interested in hardware and then get them into electronics design, layout or mechanical drafting. With all these new tools, 3D printers, etc., the sky is the limit as far as designing product goes. We are going to need these people to do it, otherwise we're going to have to offshore it.
Matties: I think 3D printers are the catalyst. I liken that to when the personal computer came out. It was such an enabler of society that it really transformed the way people interact, and I think the 3D printing is also going to revitalize the manufacturing mentality in America in a way that we haven't seen in years.
Beller: Correct, and whether 3D printers will really work at a production level or at a mechanical integrity level is yet to be seen, but do they work to get an idea on paper that you can actually hold in your hand? Yes—and that's what's important. These printers are being used heavily at Echostar.
Matties: Do they engage young people to manufacture? The real value of this is when they start printing out the bike part, or whatever they need, and start designing on their own. We're going to see a crop of engineers coming out of the school system in the next generation.
Beller: I believe so, too. I know that a local model airplane club actually has a 3D printer that you can rent time on, because these guys want to change their model airplanes and adjust them and make them better at what they do. That same type of thing should be happening for colleges and high schools—enabling their creative spirit.
Matties: I completely agree. Are there any other thoughts that you'd like to share with designers?
Beller: I would have to say the biggest thing I ever did was get my butt out of the design chair and get into the board houses to figure out what the challenges are for them and how my job could make the products cheaper and easier to fabricate. By getting into the board houses, I was spring-boarded into a larger company, quality engineering, process engineering, and everything else. So all I can say for the designers would be, "Don't be afraid to get out of your chair and go look over the back of some of the hardware engineers at your company, or go to your local PCB shops and tell them you want to walk around and understand how the process works.” This is also good for one’s personal growth.
Doing that was the “3D printer” of my layout career—understanding what the factories need to go through to use what I just designed. Why does the via count impact the fab process? Why does it cost more? Why does the size of my vias matter? Why does it matter if there is contamination inside the partially tented vias? What is controlled Impedance?
I would say that just for the design community at any age, get out of your chair, get away from behind the monitor and involve yourself more with the design team and with your local fab shops.
Matties: Great advice. Les, thank you so much. This has been great.
Beller: Yes, it has been, and I appreciate it. Thank you, Barry.
Page 3 of 3Suggested Items
DownStream Acquisition Fits Siemens’ ‘Left-Shift’ Model
06/26/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007I recently spoke to DownStream Technologies founder Joe Clark about the company’s acquisition by Siemens. We were later joined by A.J. Incorvaia, Siemens’ senior VP of electronic board systems. Joe discussed how he, Rick Almeida, and Ken Tepper launched the company in the months after 9/11 and how the acquisition came about. A.J. provides some background on the acquisition and explains why the companies’ tools are complementary.
Elementary Mr. Watson: Retro Routers vs. Modern Boards—The Silent Struggle on Your Screen
06/26/2025 | John Watson -- Column: Elementary, Mr. WatsonThere's a story about a young woman preparing a holiday ham. Before putting it in the pan, she cuts off the ends. When asked why, she shrugs and says, "That's how my mom always did it." She asks her mother, who gives the same answer. Eventually, the question reaches Grandma, who laughs and says, "Oh, I only cut the ends off because my pan was too small." This story is a powerful analogy for how many PCB designers approach routing today.
Siemens Turbocharges Semiconductor and PCB Design Portfolio with Generative and Agentic AI
06/24/2025 | SiemensAt the 2025 Design Automation Conference, Siemens Digital Industries Software today unveiled its AI-enhanced toolset for the EDA design flow.
Cadence AI Autorouter May Transform the Landscape
06/19/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazinePatrick Davis, product management director with Cadence Design Systems, discusses advancements in autorouting technology, including AI. He emphasizes a holistic approach that enhances placement and power distribution before routing. He points out that younger engineers seem more likely to embrace autorouting, while the veteran designers are still wary of giving up too much control. Will AI help autorouters finally gain industry-wide acceptance?
Beyond Design: The Metamorphosis of the PCB Router
06/18/2025 | Barry Olney -- Column: Beyond DesignThe traditional PCB design process is often time-consuming and labor-intensive. Routing a complex PCB layout can consume up to 30% of a designer’s time, and addressing this issue is not straightforward. We have all encountered this scenario: You spend hours setting the constraints and finally hit the Go button, only to be surprised by the lack of visual appeal and the obvious flaws in the result.