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Beyond Design: The Need for Speed—Strategies for Design Efficiency
May 2, 2016 | Barry Olney, In-Circuit DesignEstimated reading time: 2 minutes

Years of experience with one EDA tool obviously develops efficiency, whether the tool be high-end feature-packed or basic entry-level. And one becomes accustomed to the intricacies of all the good and bad features of their PCB design tool. However, there comes a time, with the fast development pace of technology, that one should really consider a change for the better to incorporate the latest methodologies. This month, I will look at productivity issues that impede the PCB design process.
The choice of PCB design tools, until now, has been limited to either high-end, enterprise-level solutions that are expensive and have the added cost of an extended learning curve and setup time, or entry-level desktop solutions that are fast to pick up but limited in capability and error-prone. Mentor Graphics’ new PADS Professional has addressed this by providing the best of both solutions. Based on proven Xpedition technology, PADS Professional focuses on ease of adoption, ease of use and affordability but is still packed with all the features today’s designers need for the most complex designs.
Typically, a high-speed computer-based design takes two or three iterations to develop a working product. However, these days the product life cycle is very short and therefore time-to-market is of the essence. One board iteration can be expensive, depending on your overheads. We should not only consider the engineering time but also the cost of delaying the products market launch. This missed opportunity could cost your company hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not the total loss of market share.
In a previous column, Introduction to Board-Level Simulation and the PCB Design Process, I mentioned that the cost of development is dramatically reduced if simulation is employed during the design cycle. The design changes that occur early in the design process are less expensive compared to those that take place after it is introduced into full-scale production. The cost of the change increases with development time.
Fundamentally, the design changes can be classified into pre-production and post-production modifications. The pre-production changes can happen in the conceptual, design, prototype, or the testing stage. The post-production stage change will happen almost immediately when the product is introduced into production or worse still, be recognized only when the product reaches the market. The later the stage, the more expensive the issue is to fix. The advantage of virtual prototyping is that it identifies issues early in the design process so they can be rectified before they become a major problem.
To read this entire article, which appeared in the March issue of The PCB Design Magazine, click here.
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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.
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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?