-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- design007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueAll About That Route
Most designers favor manual routing, but today's interactive autorouters may be changing designers' minds by allowing users more direct control. In this issue, our expert contributors discuss a variety of manual and autorouting strategies.
Creating the Ideal Data Package
Why is it so difficult to create the ideal data package? Many of these simple errors can be alleviated by paying attention to detail—and knowing what issues to look out for. So, this month, our experts weigh in on the best practices for creating the ideal design data package for your design.
Designing Through the Noise
Our experts discuss the constantly evolving world of RF design, including the many tradeoffs, material considerations, and design tips and techniques that designers and design engineers need to know to succeed in this high-frequency realm.
- Articles
- Columns
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - design007 Magazine
Orange County IPC Designers Council Meeting Draws Record Crowd
December 3, 2015 | Judy Warner, Zentech ManufacturingEstimated reading time: 1 minute

On November 18, the Orange County Chapter of the IPC Designers Council held a “Lunch ‘n’ Learn” event at the Harvard Park Community Center in Irvine, California. The meeting enjoyed record-breaking attendance for the Irvine-based meeting. Eighty-nine PCB designers and electronics industry professionals gathered to listen to a talk by Chris Heard, a signal integrity engineering consultant at CSH Consulting LLC.
The topic: PCB Routing Guidelines for Signal Integrity and Power Integrity, too. Due to increasing speed, complexity and miniaturization of circuits, this theme appealed to this broad group of design professionals. Heard offered very granular, detailed design guidelines based on his extensive work and exposure to signal integrity and power issues.
Scott McCurdy, the director of sales and marketing for Freedom CAD Services, has been the Orange County chapter president for 12 years, and in that time he’s created the largest Designer’s Council chapter in the country. Scott has been committed to supporting the design and electronics community in Orange County for over 40 years, and his tenure as Designers Council president has been an important part of his role in our local marketplace.
After the meeting, I spent some time with McCurdy and learned more about his career path and journey within the industry. I also had the privilege to listen (and take notes) as he openly shared his “playbook” on how to build a successful Designers Council chapter.
“It’s a simple recipe that is easy to emulate—and one that I am eager to share,” said McCurdy. “You just need the right person who will implement it, and be willing and able to invest a little bit of time. I promise, it’s not rocket science!”
Watch for my full-length article in the December issue of The PCB Design Magazine in which I share all I learned about Scott McCurdy and the full details of his Designers Council “playbook.”
For more information about the IPC Designers Council, including guidelines for starting your own chapter, click here.
Judy Warner is director of business development for the Western Region and RF/microwave markets for Zentech Manufacturing.
Suggested Items
Bell to Build X-Plane for Phase 2 of DARPA Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (SPRINT) X-Plane Program
07/09/2025 | Bell Textron Inc.Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. company, has been down-selected for Phase 2 of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (SPRINT) X-Plane program with the objective to complete design, construction, ground testing and certification of an X-plane demonstrator.
Facing the Future: Time for Real Talk, Early and Often, Between Design and Fabrication
07/08/2025 | Prashant Patel -- Column: Facing the FutureThere has always been a subtle but significant divide between those who design and those who build printed circuit boards. It’s not a hostile gap, but it is a real one, and in today’s high-speed, high-complexity, high-stakes environment, that gap is costing us more than time and yield. It’s costing us innovation.
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.
Connect the Dots: The Future of PCB Design and Manufacturing
07/02/2025 | Matt Stevenson -- Column: Connect the DotsFor some time, I have been discussing the increasing complexity of PCBs and how designers can address the constantly evolving design requirements associated with them. My book, "The Printed Circuit Designer’s Guide to… Designing for Reality," details best practices for creating manufacturable boards in a modern production environment.