Target Condition: Distribution of Power—Denounce the Ounce
Fresh PCB Concepts: Resilience and Renewal in Domestic PCB Manufacturing
Designers Notebook: Power and Ground Distribution Basics
Rainer Beerhalter Discusses His AltiumLive Munich Presentation
January 11, 2019 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Rainer Beerhalter is a physicist, and according to his design bureau’s website, “founder, owner, and mastermind” of B GMBH. He specializes in designing large LED displays such as those used in outdoor advertising, which often contain millions of LEDs.
Rainer attended the first AltiumLive in Munich in 2017, and he’s returning to this year’s event in Munich January 15–17. I asked him to tell us about the class he’ll be teaching in Munich, and why he decided to come back for the sophomore AltiumLive show.
Andy Shaughnessy: You attended the first AltiumLive show in Munich in 2017. What made you decide to come back again?
Rainer Beerhalter: The event last year was great fun. There were so many enthusiastic attendees working in many different domains, and it was easy to talk and share experiences and information. The sessions and presenters covered a wide range of PCB design aspects and topics, so even choosing the right tracks for me was an interesting challenge. And again, I have to mention the fun we had at the main evening event.
Shaughnessy: This year, you’re giving a technical talk. What topic are you going to discuss?
Beerhalter: Altium is a powerful tool. In my daily business, I often create systems that contain similar function blocks with slight variations. Is there a way beyond cut and paste for replicating functions or blocks? The answer is yes. Altium’s answer is called multichannel design. Perhaps most of the attendees do not know this feature very well. My approach is to give a feature overview and pump it with many tips and tricks, showing how designers can benefit from time and cost savings with this powerful Altium feature.
Shaughnessy: How is the PCB business doing in Germany? It looks like the automotive sector is doing really well.
Beerhalter: From my perspective running a design service, the business is running at much more than 100% capacity. You could not get free capacity short-term in the market. Experienced designers are booked for months in advance. Automotive and upcoming EV and mobility concepts are some of the key drivers; vision systems and AI for autonomous driving follow that. These markets create a demand for experienced PCB designers (or they help educate them) and PCB products to stand for quality, reliability, and cost efficiency. Standard PCBs are produced in Far East countries, but special products like (semi-)flex, 3D, and high-temperature PCBs will still be the domain of the big EU- and U.S.-based manufacturers.
Shaughnessy: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Beerhalter: In my core domain, LED large format display design, PCB trends will be improving mechanical properties (CTE) by using new materials and processes, and creating better surface flatness and stability. The trend includes chip-on-board (COB) designs where the LED dies are glued and bonded directly to the PCB surface and conductors—not using housed LEDs (like SMD LEDs) or soldered any more. This creates many challenges when you think about how to realize 0.9-mm LED pitch and precision while building up screens of 10–20 m² at such fine resolutions. Market trends and my customers’ product ranges are going in the direction of COB; it is very exciting and will change the way I design a lot. I hope to share my ideas and positive motivation with the audience at AltiumLive. I look forward to seeing new and returning attendees.
Shaughnessy: Thanks for your time, Rainer.
Beerhalter: Thank you for the opportunity.
Visit I-007eBooks to download your copy of Altium micro eBook today:
The Printed Circuit Designer's Guide to...Design for Manufacturing (DFM)
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
Everyone’s Talking About Power
11/06/2025 | Heidi Barnes, Keysight TechnologiesDelivering power to a digital load is an AC function, not DC. That simple statement may be obvious, but the implications of how electricity travels to an electronic load are complicated. Dynamic loads with rapidly changing currents create electric and magnetic fields that adhere to Maxwell’s equations. Ground can be misleading and is probably better used for describing where one grows potatoes and carrots. Electrical currents have “return paths,” and the energy is traveling in the fields between the power rail and the return path.
New Podcast Episode: “Bonding Innovation: How Adhesives and Coatings Are Powering the Next Generation of Electronics”
11/05/2025 | I-Connect007I-Connect007 has released of a new episode in its Voices of the Industry podcast series, titled “Bonding Innovation: How Adhesives and Coatings Are Powering the Next Generation of Electronics.” Hosted by Nolan Johnson, this insightful discussion dives deep into the evolving world of adhesives and coatings—materials that are redefining performance, reliability, and design in modern electronics manufacturing. Dymax's Doug Katze, a leading expert in adhesive technologies, delivers what can only be described as a master class on how these critical materials are adapting to meet rapidly changing market demands.
Target Condition: Distribution of Power—Denounce the Ounce
11/05/2025 | Kelly Dack -- Column: Target ConditionHave you ever wondered why the PCB design segment uses ounces to describe copper thickness? There’s a story behind all of this—a story that’s old, dusty, and more than a little absurd. (Note that I didn’t add “Like many of us.”) Legend has it that back in the days of copper tinkers and roofing tradesmen, the standard was set when a craftsman hammered out a sheet of copper until it weighed one ounce, when its area conveniently matched the square of the king’s foot.
NEDME 2025 Draws Strong Northwest Crowd, Builds on Tradition of Regional Collaboration
10/31/2025 | NEDMEThe NW Electronics Design & Manufacturing Expo (NEDME) 2025 once again brought together the Pacific Northwest community for a full day of learning, networking, and industry connections.
Keysight Advances Quantum Engineering with New System-Level Simulation Solution
10/30/2025 | BUSINESS WIREKeysight Technologies, Inc. announced the release of Quantum System Analysis, a breakthrough Electronic Design Automation (EDA) solution that enables quantum engineers to simulate and optimize quantum systems at the system level.