Traditional printed circuit board (PCB) designs frequently encounter constraints in space optimization and weight reduction, particularly in compact electronic devices. However, by seamlessly integrating rigid and flexible PCB elements into a unified entity, Rigid-Flex PCB design presents a revolutionary solution for electronic system architecture. I'm your host, Steph Chavez, and today, we dive deep into the fascinating realm of Rigid-Flex PCB design. Joining me is Tara Dunn, Director of Training and Education for SMTA. Together, we'll unpack the intricacies, challenges, and opportunities surrounding Rigid-Flex PCB design. In this episode, you will learn about the transformative potential of Rigid-Flex design in optimizing space, reducing weight, and enhancing overall system performance in electronic devices. Additionally, you'll discover key insights into cost considerations, practical implementation strategies, and the importance of continuous learning and networking in mastering Rigid-Flex engineering.  What You’ll Learn in this Episode: The challenges and best practices for designing flex and Rigid-Flex PCBs. (3:17) Rigid Flex vs. standard connectors in electronics design. (7:13) The importance of intentional learning for printed circuit engineers to develop their Rigid-Flex design skills. (13:10) The value of building professional networks and connecting with industry experts. (15:47) Connect with Tara Dunn: LinkedIn Connect with Steph Chavez: LinkedIn

The concept of Manufacturing-Driven Design (MDD) represents a shift towards validating manufacturing requirements during the design phase, empowering designers to ensure both electrical and manufacturing needs are met. I’m your host, Steph Chavez, and for this episode, I have two industry experts: Max Clark, Product Strategy and Technology Director at Siemens, and Gerry Partida, Vice President of Technology at Summit Interconnect. Today, we will delve into the evolution of design and manufacturing processes within the printed circuit engineering industry, emphasizing collaboration, data-driven decision-making, achieving higher quality, and efficiency In this episode, you will learn the utilization of digital twins for multi-disciplinary integration, and the importance of collecting and analyzing data for validation. You will also hear more about tools like PCBFlow, offering tool-agnostic solutions, and enabling designers to validate their designs against industry standards early on. What You’ll Learn in this Episode: The Evolution of DRC (Design Rule Checking) in the PCB Industry. (05:00) The importance of applying industry-accepted rules to PCB design to improve yields. (07:12) Real-world issues with PCB Design, and the importance of Design for Manufacturability. (09:25) Design for Manufacturability and risk management in chip production. (11:20) Design for Manufacturability and collaboration between designers and manufacturers. (15:46) PCB design and manufacturing issues. (23:20) MDD shifts DFM validation to designers for real-time design process validation. (29:07) Connect with Max Clark: LinkedIn Connect with Gerry Partida: LinkedIn Connect with Steph Chavez: LinkedIn

Neglecting EMC compliance during PCB design might cause days of distress during re-design, delaying other important product development milestones. However, by incorporating some straightforward checks and best practices, PCBs have a greater chance of meeting expensive EMC compliance standards in a minimum number of tests. I’m your host, Steph Chavez, and here to join me is John Kraemer, an electromagnetic compatibility engineer with extensive experience. Today we will cover various aspects of EMI (Electromagnetic Interference), EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility), SI (Signal Integrity), and PI (Power Integrity) in PCB (Printed Circuit Board) design, including their importance, design tools, and processes recommended for success. In this episode, you will learn about employing appropriate tools and processes to ensure reliable products that meet electromagnetic compatibility standards. You will also hear about PCB design tools including pre-layout and post-layout tools like HyperLynx SI and HyperLynx PI, as well as advanced electromagnetic field solvers when necessary. What You’ll Learn in this Episode: EMI, EMC, SI, and PI in PCB (Printed Circuit Board) design. (01:47) PCB design for EMI control and signal integrity. (7:14) Recommended PCB design tools for SI and PI success. (12:15) EMI control and EMC compliance in PCB design. (17:56) Connect with John Kraemer: LinkedIn  Connect with Steph Chavez: LinkedIn

Simply put, when it comes to PCB design software, design automation is the automation of specific tasks throughout your PCB design process. There are many functions or processes within PCB design that can be automated. But as much as benefits, there are typical roadblocks that you’ll see when moving toward design automation, such as having less control of the design and PCB designers being unfamiliar with the automated functions available within their PCB design tool.  I’m your host, Steph Chavez. This is officially the first episode of Season Three of the Printed Circuit Podcast. For the first episode of this season, we'll focus on Design Automation. And here to join me in this discussion is John Medina, owner of High-Speed Design Services.  In this episode, you will learn about the necessity of automation in the design process, especially for repetitive tasks. You will also hear more about how automation aids in planning and executing complex tasks, such as high pin count BGA (Ball Grid Array) breakout and routing. In addition, the conversation also highlights the importance of planning and visualization in PCB design, which automation tools greatly facilitate. What You’ll Learn in this Episode: Design automation tools for PCB and package engineering (07:11) Automation in PCB design, balancing quality and speed (16:29) The importance of embracing automation and staying aware of new techniques and best practices (19:47) The importance of understanding materials and fabrication in PCB design(25:36) Connect with John Medina: LinkedIn Connect with Steph Chavez: LinkedIn

In the ever-evolving landscape of IoT, the design of printed circuit boards stands as a cornerstone of innovation and a testament to the need for continuous learning and adaptation in this dynamic field.  I’m your host, Steph Chavez, and here to join me is Robert Turzo, principal hardware PCB designer for Pleora Technologies. Today, Robert Turzo shares his extensive experience in electronics design, highlighting his journey from his early days in Canada to his proficiency with Siemens tools. In this episode, you will learn the importance of collaborating with PCB fabricators, determining the optimal stack-up and materials, and using constraint management and simulation tools like HyperLynx for design optimization. You will also hear more about a complex multi-board design for an armored vehicle, which won the Siemens Xcelerator Technology Innovation Award for multi-board design.  What You’ll Learn in this Episode: The importance of collaborating with PCB fabricators (06:37) PCB design best practices and digital twin collaboration (09:43) PCB design flow and HyperLynx in Xpedition (13:41) The significance of real-time design checking to avoid errors (17:53) Words of advice for new PCB Designers and Engineers (18:49) Connect with Robert Turzo: LinkedIn Connect with Steph Chavez: LinkedIn

When it comes to multi-discipline integration, simply designing FPGAs and handing them over to PCB engineers isn't simply effective! it’s key to make sure that you're doing what you can to mitigate any redundant back-and-forth handoffs. I’m your host, Steph Chavez, a Senior Product Marketing Manager with Siemens. And here to join me is Gary Lameris, Technical Marketing Engineer with Siemens. He will help us understand the importance of FPGA/PCB co-design in the electronics industry. In this episode, you’ll learn about the crucial role of FPGA/PCB co-design in modern electronics engineering and the importance of collaborative efforts between FPGA engineers and PCB designers. You will also hear more about tools like IO Optimizer and Xpedition Schematic Analysis, which are recommended to automate and streamline the co-design process, ultimately saving time and enhancing efficiency. What You’ll Learn in this Episode: The need for collaboration between FPGA engineers and PCB teams. (01:11) Best practices for FPGA/PCB co-design (02:00) Tools like IO Optimizer and Xpedition Schematic Analysis to automate and streamline the co-design process (7:16) Roadblocks to implementing these best practices (09:16) The implementation of automation and AI  (12:12) Connect with Gary Lameris LinkedIn Connect with Steph Chavez LinkedIn

Electrical/electronic co-design can enhance your end product but changes in the design process can be difficult for many people, and organizations often face resistance when implementing new processes or technologies. I’m your host, Steph Chavez. And here to join me is Erica Van Berkum, leader in product management with Siemens. Today, we will discuss the challenges and best practices in implementing electrical/electronic co-design, particularly in the context of cable and harness design in industries like automotive and aerospace. In this episode, you will learn the imperative need for organizations to leverage digital tools for better collaboration and efficiency. You will also hear more about the resistance often encountered when implementing change, highlighting the need to address concerns about funding and the reluctance to depart from established processes. In addition, the conversation also underscores the shift towards automation and a generative approach to design, where organizations are harnessing technology to streamline workflows and enhance efficiency.  What You’ll Learn in this Episode: Key challenges for electrical or electronic designers who are working together (01:42) Roadblocks of change in tech (9:58) The importance of establishing a strong digital thread (11:33) The best practices when it comes to cable and harness design (13:27) The shift towards automation and a generative approach to design in industries like automotive and aerospace (15:56) Connect with Erica Van Berkum: LinkedIn Connect with Steph Chavez: LinkedIn

As the benefits of a model-based systems approach become evident through improved design quality, reduced errors, and enhanced collaboration, there are also challenges and roadblocks that need to be considered. I’m your host, Steph Chavez. And here to join me is Chris Young, owner and lead engineer at Young Engineering Services. Today we will discuss the challenges and best practices associated with designing complex systems comprised of multiple interconnected printed circuit boards (PCBs) In this episode, you will learn about the various aspects of multi-board design, including the importance of an integrated systems approach, challenges in communication among different design teams, potential errors and problems arising from individual design silos, and the impact of signal integrity and compatibility issues. What You’ll Learn in this Episode: The benefits of building a robust toolchain (5:12) The keys to successful concurrent design (11:23) Two major roadblocks to implementing best practices: cultural resistance and learned helplessness (13:07) Ways to overcome these roadblocks (22:04) The importance of testing artifacts (23:49) Best practices when it comes to multi-board design and ways to make the design process more efficient (26:30) Connect with Chris Young: LinkedIn Connect with Steph Chavez: LinkedIn

In the dynamic realm of power electronics, the intricacies of power module design are paramount for driving innovation, efficiency, and sustainability. Power module design extends beyond conventional boundaries, delving into thermal, mechanical, and electrical intricacies.  I'm your host, Steph Chavez, and today, I'm joined by Rod Dudzinski, Market Development Manager in the Siemens EDA division, and Wilfried Wessel, an expert in Siemens EDA software for over a decade.   In this episode, you will get valuable insights into the complexities of power module design, the need for efficient workflows, and the potential benefits of a streamlined solution to address these challenges in the industry. You will also hear about Siemens EDA's resolutions and how they address current challenges and contribute to sustainable and reliable product development. What You’ll Learn in this Episode: Power modules and their applications (1:51) The role of power modules in various industries (9:57) The complexity of power module design and the challenges faced by the sector (15:05) Tools required for power module design (19:36) The innovative approach offered by Siemens EDA's power module integrated flow. (28:37) Connect with Steph Chavez LinkedIn Connect with Rod Dudzinski LinkedIn

The growing complexity of printed circuit boards and multi-board products has rendered traditional design analysis and verification techniques obsolete. Reliance on experts for all design analysis creates bottlenecks that delay project schedules. It takes a modern, automated verification approach to catch schematic errors at the source.  I'm your host, Steph Chavez, and today, I'm joined by David Wiens, a PCB design expert, and Todd Westerhoff, an expert in modeling and simulation for digital systems. We will discuss our third pillar of the PCB design best practices, which is digital prototype-driven verification.  In this episode, you will get valuable insights into the role of verification and analysis in PCB design, highlighting the benefits of proactive and systematic approaches. You will also hear more about the need to balance accuracy, time, and expertise while leveraging automation and standardization to make verification more accessible and efficient. What You’ll Learn in this Episode: The problem with project delays (1:52) The challenges with routing vendor guidelines. (9:58) The skill sets required for signal integrity and power integrity analysis (16:36) The role of Design Rule Checking (DRC) (22:17) The initial steps in the post-route verification process (24:57) Compliance analysis and its benefits (33:41) Progressive verification (36:51) Connect with David Wiens  LinkedIn Connect with Todd Westerhoff LinkedIn Connect with Steph Chavez LinkedIn

System design companies always want to deliver a successful product, so they rely heavily on their supply chains during product development. But over the last few years, supply chains have become very distributed, complex, and quite frankly, more unpredictable, resulting in many supply chain volatility and disruptions. I’m your host, Steph Chavez. And here to join me, for the second time, is Matt Walsh, a Product Marketing Manager with Siemens EDA. Today, Matt will help us understand the importance of supply chain resilience in the product lifecycle and how Siemens' Xpedition EDM product can help achieve it.  In this episode, you will learn about the importance of supply chain resilience in PCB design and the need for collaborative and cross-functional decision-making throughout the product lifecycle. You’ll also hear how Siemens' acquisition of Supplyframe has allowed them to offer their customers a complete end-to-end supply chain resilient solution. What You’ll Learn in this Episode: The importance of supply chain resilience for OEMs (02:02) Deep market supply chain and components sourcing knowledge at the part level (3:52) Part intelligence (7:57) Need for supply chain resilience to span the complete product lifecycle (13:13) Siemens' Xpedition EDM product (14:51) Connect with Matt Walsh: LinkedIn Connect with Steph Chavez: LinkedIn

PCBs today are tiny, multilayered, complex systems; produced at a much higher and more efficient rate than ever before thanks to sophisticated design software and manufacturing processes. But as the technology and consumer demand grow and develops, so must PCBs.  And this is why PCBs are now under a lot of pressure as they are the basis of all electronic devices.  I'm your host, Steph Chavez. And today I am joined by Anaya Vardya, CEO of American Standard Circuits, also known as ASC. He will help us understand the challenges and best practices for designing advanced printed circuit boards (PCBs).  In this episode, you will learn about the importance of involving manufacturers early in the design process of PCBs. You’ll also hear why end requirements should drive the need for applying newer technologies. Additionally, you will find out about the best practices for advanced PCB designs. What You’ll Learn in this Episode: What doesn’t work today when it comes to rigid-flex and HDi (2:37) The importance of communication with your supplier from the beginning (6:33) Hdi technology in the US (13:28) Best ways to get  customers to adopt newer technologies in their design (16:55) Roadblocks to implementing these technologies (20:10) Connect with Anaya Vardya: LinkedIn Connect with Steph Chavez: LinkedIn

Constraints play a critical role in PCB design by ensuring the design meets the requirements and specifications of the project. Without constraints, there is a high risk of failure, and the project might not meet its goals. But it is very essential to understand how the constraint management system works to help rather than hinder the design process.  I’m your host, Steph Chavez, a Senior Product Marketing Manager with Siemens. I’m glad to be joined by Scott Decker, a technical lead designer at one of the largest and industry-leading companies, Mil-Aero. He will help us understand the importance of implementing constraints properly in PCB designs. In this episode, you will learn how constraints help to ensure designs meet their requirements. You will also see how the constraint management system works. In addition, you will hear more about the importance of constraint editing systems in helping designers be successful in their designs and the best practices.  What You’ll Learn in this Episode: How constraints play a critical role in ensuring that the design meets the requirements and specifications (7:03) The best practices for PCB designers (7:52) The importance of constraint editing systems  (10:56) The roadblocks that prevent companies from implementing best practices (20:50) Connect with Scott Decker LinkedIn Connect with Steph Chavez LinkedIn

Design reuse can be one of the most important factors of success an organization can leverage, and if implemented correctly, it can save a lot of time. However, there are several reasons why companies are still resistant to adopting it – one being inconsistent libraries and limited access to previous design requirements. I’m your host, Steph Chavez, a Senior Product Marketing Manager with Siemens. I’m glad to be joined by Carlos Gazca, Application Developer Engineer at L3Harris. He’ll help us understand why implementing design reuse is beneficial to organizations and what the biggest roadblocks are in doing so.  In this episode, you’ll find out why engineers are hesitant to use someone else’s work, and how organizations are currently approaching design. Additionally, you’ll learn the best practices for implementing design reuse and the biggest roadblocks to adopting it.    What You’ll Learn in this Episode: The reasons design reuse isn't fully implemented in some organizations (01:31) Best practices designers should implement for design reuse (05:07) The roadblocks that get in the way of implementing design reuse (13:11) How to overcome these roadblocks within your organization (17:34)    Connect with  Carlos Gazca: LinkedIn Connect with Steph Chavez LinkedIn

One of the biggest challenges in PCB board design is efficiencies caused by limited collaboration. The level of detail and complexity of PCB design means that a change in one component necessitates changes in other areas. Adopting a concurrent design approach creates efficiency in that process by enabling seamless and timely communication of changes. I’m your host, Steph Chavez, a Senior Product Marketing Manager with Siemens. I’m glad to be joined by Chris Young, owner and lead engineer of Young Engineering services. He’ll help us understand what concurrent design entails. In this episode, you’ll learn about what true concurrent design is and the benefits that come with it. You’ll also learn about some of the best practices to follow when implementing it in your organization. Additionally, you’ll learn about the biggest roadblocks to its adoption in the design field. What You’ll Learn in this Episode: What concurrent design involves (02:00) An example of concurrent design (05:28) The best practices to follow when implementing concurrency in design (12:27) The roadblocks to implementing concurrency (22:50) Connect with Chris Young Website Connect with Steph Chavez LinkedIn

Manufacturers are looking to minimize the cost of production, the time to market, and the number of respins for their PCBs. While introducing powerful design and testing tools makes a real difference, they aren’t as successful in silos. To properly harness the power of the latest technology, manufacturers have to be intentional with ECAD-MCAD collaboration. I’m your host, Steph Chavez, a Senior Product Marketing Manager with Siemens. I’m glad to be joined by David Walker, Senior Technical Software Product Manager at Siemens, responsible for defining the direction of the Siemens NX software. And Greg Arnot, Product Marketing Manager Siemens NX. They’ll help us understand the current state of ECAD-MCAD collaboration. In this episode, you’ll learn about the current trends happening in the electronic design field. You’ll also learn about what ECAD-MCAD collaboration entails and the benefits that it offers manufacturers. Additionally, you’ll learn about the consequences of not implementing collaboration between these two important teams. What You’ll Learn in this Episode: The most important trend in electronic design (02:45) The meaning of ECAD-MCAD collaboration (11:34) Signs that ECAD-MCAD collaboration can be improved (15:51) What is needed for successful ECAD-MCAD collaboration (18:08) Connect with  Greg Arnot LinkedIn Connect with  David Walker LinkedIn Connect with Steph Chavez LinkedIn

When designers work in isolation, they increase the chances of the designs being sent back for non-compliance. They should try their best to read through the IPC standards before they start designing their boards. This will ensure that they consider compliance from the start of the design process to the end. I’m your host, Steph Chavez, a Senior Product Marketing Manager with Siemens. I’m glad to be joined by Gerry Partida, Vice President of Technology at Summit Interconnect. Out of his 38 years in the industry, he spent the last 27 fabricating PCBs. In this episode, you’ll learn about the difficulties in collaboration between PCB designers and manufacturers. You’ll hear about the best practices that designers should follow to reduce the risk of their design being rejected. Additionally, you’ll find out some of the rules that designers should follow to increase their board yield. What You’ll Learn in this Episode: What doesn't work today in PCB design and manufacturing collaboration (01:53) Best practices that PCB designers should implement (07:36) An example of how following rules can save eliminate manufacturing delays (11:51) What design teams can do to improve efficiency (18:10)  Connect with  Gerry Partida LinkedIn Connect with Steph Chavez LinkedIn

Today, companies are striving to minimize the time to market to maintain a competitive advantage. One of the strategies that make this possible in the PCB industry is the automation of the design process. Automation has helped eliminate repetitive tasks and freed designers to focus on creating more powerful boards.  I’m your host, Steph Chavez, a Senior Product Marketing Manager with Siemens. I’m glad to be joined by two Senior Application Engineers from Siemens Digital Industries Software - Ray Macias and Gregory Beers. They’ll help us understand the current state of PCB design automation. In this episode, you’ll learn about some design strategies that no longer work in today’s digitalized environment. You’ll learn about some of design automation's best practices and the benefits that come with them. Additionally, you’ll learn about the challenges hindering the implementation of design best practices. What You’ll Learn in this Episode: The design automation strategies that don't work today (01:42) Best practices that PCB designers should implement (03:15) How to avoid boards re-spins (10:32) The meaning of shift left PCB design (12:29) Why good placement of parts increases the chances of successful routing (18:45) The roadblocks to best practices in design automation (26:25) Connect with Ray Macias LinkedIn Connect with Gregory Beers LinkedIn Connect with Steph Chavez LinkedIn

A big challenge that PCB designers face is the lack of organization of the data on which they need to make critical decisions. Sometimes, the data will be available but in a different unusable format, and other times, they simply can’t get it despite knowing their organization has it. That is why it is important to develop a standardized way of naming, formatting, and storing PCB-related data. I’m your host, Steph Chavez, a Senior Product Marketing Manager with Siemens. I’m glad to be joined by Andre Mosley, Marketing Development Specialist with Siemens. Today, he’ll help us understand what the industry is doing to simplify access to critical design data. In this episode, you’ll learn about the challenges that PCB designers face when it comes to the library and design data management. You’ll also hear why Siemens is advocating for design data management standards. Additionally, you’ll find out the roadblocks that are hindering best practices such as standardization. What You’ll Learn in this Episode: Challenges that come with library and design data management (02:40) The solution PCB designers should implement to solve the library problem (05:49) How we can solve the data management problem (10:15) Roadblocks stopping the use of best practices in design data management (15:54) Connect with Andre Mosley LinkedIn Connect with Steph Chavez LinkedIn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ECAD/MCAD collaboration is important for companies that need to create powerful products fast and efficiently. However, challenges such as their siloed nature and different data formats make it difficult for the two to work together seamlessly. This leads to a loss of time and resources as the company is forced to undertake multiple respins necessitated by avoidable errors. I’m your host, Steph Chavez, a Senior Product Marketing Manager with Siemens. I’m glad to be joined by Alex Grange, Technical Marketing Engineer for the Electronic Board Division at Siemens, focusing on electromechanical collaboration, and is currently the leader of the ECAD/MCAD Implementer Forum developing the IDX standard. He’ll help us understand what is being done to improve ECAD/MCAD collaboration. In this episode, you’ll learn about the challenges that ECAD/MCAD collaboration faces and how it impacts companies. You’ll also hear about the impact of the IDX standard on the industry’s ability to collaborate. Additionally, you’ll hear about PCB design best practices and how IDX fits in with them. What You’ll Learn in this Episode: What doesn’t work today when it comes to ECAD/MCAD co-design collaboration (01:02) The challenges presented by older data formats in ECAD/MCAD collaboration (04:16) How IDX format benefits electromechanical exchange today (06:14) Best practices that PCB designers should implement (08:25) Connect with Alex Grange LinkedIn Connect with Steph Chavez LinkedIn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.