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Beyond the Rulebook
What happens when the rule book is no longer useful, or worse, was never written in the first place? In today’s fast-moving electronics landscape, we’re increasingly asked to design and build what has no precedent, no proven path, and no tidy checklist to follow. This is where “Design for Invention” begins.
March Madness
From the growing role of AI in design tools to the challenge of managing cumulative tolerances, these articles in this issue examine the technical details, design choices, and manufacturing considerations that determine whether a board works as intended.
Looking Forward to APEX EXPO 2026
I-Connect007 Magazine previews APEX EXPO 2026, covering everything from the show floor to the technical conference. For PCB designers, we move past the dreaded auto-router and spotlight AI design tools that actually matter.
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PCB Libraries Rebrands Flagship Product, Library Expert Pro
January 8, 2018 | PCB LibrariesEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Over the past several years, Library Expert Professional has been a leading PCB library automation tool that has had hundreds of new features and upgrades including automation for 3D STEP model creation, footprint designer for non-standard packages, new standard component families, upgraded CAD LEAP Technology (User Preferences) and much more, including schematic symbol support. These features have made the Library Expert as the most powerful footprint and 3D STEP tool in the industry.
The Library Expert Pro, the industry’s original IPC-7351-based footprint generator, has outgrown its name, and is now Library Expert Enterprise. This change better reflects the advanced features it currently has, the new features planned for 2018, and its capacity to provide enterprise-level library solutions. Some of the largest companies in the world are taking advantage of these features at the enterprise level in their organization.
"The rebranding is a natural step based on past, current, and planned development, and how the Library Expert is used in organizations by our customers," said PCB Libraries CEO Tom Hausherr. "We are extremely proud of the success of all versions of Library Expert and our on-line library content of over 1 million free parts. Despite the advanced features, the Library Expert remains the lowest-priced library solution available."
About PCB Libraries
PCB Libraries is led by veteran technologists in pursuit of automating PCB library development and management, and offers library solutions that have been adopted by many leaders of electronic product design and development all over the world. Its main products include the Library Expert and Parts on Demand, which utilize CAD LEAP™ Technology, "Libraries Enhanced with Automated Preferences."
For more details on the Library Expert, including the free versions, click here.
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Simon Khesin - Schmoll MaschinenSuggested Items
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
05/08/2026 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007This week, I’ve selected some outstanding interviews that you’ll want to take note of. First, is a roundtable discussion featuring three dynamic industry cybersecurity experts. Please watch this important discussion that affects us all. Following that, I spotlight the IPC-2581 Consortium, which explains why IPC-2581 is the standard to replace Gerber data for manufacturing. Next, I am including my interview with PCBAA and AAM, who collaborated to release a short documentary on U.S. PCB manufacturing.
Global Electronics Association to Testify at the Office of the US Trade Representative Panel on Section 301 Structural Excess Capacity
05/08/2026 | Global Electronics AssociationChris Mitchell, Vice President for Global Government Relations at the Global Electronics Association, will testify before the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Panel on Section 301 Structural Excess Capacity on Friday, May 8.
Hall of Fame Spotlight Series: Highlighting Karen McConnell
05/07/2026 | Dan Feinberg, I-Connect007In 2021, Karen McConnell was awarded the Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame award in recognition of her contributions to the Association and the electronics industry. As a senior staff member and CAD/CAM engineer at Northrop Grumman Enterprise Services, her primary responsibility was to develop a common, shared EDM (Electronic Document Management) library to support the electrical and PCB design tool initiatives across Northrop Grumman Mission Systems.
A Necessary Shift From Gerber to IPC-2581
05/07/2026 | Tracy Riggan, Global Electronics AssociationIPC-2581 is an open, vendor-neutral data exchange standard developed by the Global Electronics Association to streamline the exchange of PCB design information across fabrication, assembly, and test. It replaces multiple legacy formats—including industry standards, Gerber, and ODB++—with a single, comprehensive, XML-based dataset that captures all manufacturing details.
TTC-LLC and TTCI: Smarter Training, Stronger Test at PCB East 2026
04/27/2026 | The Test Connection Inc.The Training Connection LLC (TTC-LLC) and The Test Connection, Inc. (TTCI) will be exhibiting together at PCB East 2026, taking place April 28–May 1 at the DCU Convention Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. Attendees can find both teams at Booth #103 during the main exhibition day on Wednesday, April 29.