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68 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2021 designers say this about EEs— that they're too focused on the science and not enough on the art. Mazur: Yes, I think this is pos- sible provided the designer desires to learn more of the artistic side. Pablo Picasso's father was a professor at a school of fine arts. Education is widely available in art, which implies that it is something that can be taught and learned. However, I believe there is a limit to what a sci- entifically focused person can do in art. While anything is possible, one can pursue fluency in art, but they likely would have a difficult time becoming a Picasso or a Rodin. Just as either of these artists could likely learn more about science, they likely would not become an Ein- stein or a Tesla. But then there are those outli- ers that have extreme talent in both domains, such as Galileo. So yes, it is possible for some- one with a great mind for science to learn the artistic side of design. Tom Scholz of the rock band Boston comes to mind. He went to MIT and majored in mechanical engineering. Scholz, founder of Boston and inventor of the Rockman guitar amplifier, would later be profiled in the PBS web series e Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers. e good news, particularly for non-artistic types like myself, is that over the years, the PCB CAD tools have improved their ability to create clean, pleasing-to-the-eye PCB designs, with identical spac- ing, parallel curved traces, silk- screen text formatted with pub- lishing-grade fonts, and more. Add to this the ability to press a single key and the designer can see a 3D, realistic view of the board which provides a differ- ent platform for artistic assess- ment. Good designers learn what they need to get the job done. However, the talent sets of indiv idual designer s var y. Some will have a more artistic disposition; some are more talented in design. e indus- try needs both skill sets. Shaughnessy: Is DFM an art in itself ? A lot of designers have a hard time communicating effectively with stakeholders up and down the stream. Can the art of DFM be taught the same way we teach the science? Mazur: Sure, DFM can be considered art, but it is also rooted in science in that DFM is con- strained by the limitations of the manufac- turing process. Clearances, minimum trace widths, via types, etc., are predicated upon the capabilities of fabrication and assembly machines, such as a pick-and-place head size and spacing limitations. I do believe that the industry can teach DFM in ways similar to science, but tools can help by providing a way to easily embed DFM-related rules and constraints directly into the PCB design environment to make it DFM-aware. Additionally, whenever one gets ready to pass a design downstream, commu- nication becomes essential. For demanding designs, early and oen collaboration with downstream stakeholders can pay dividends in assuring trouble-free manufacturing. For- tunately, improved design environments are making it easier to share designs with fabrica- tion and assembly firms so that these processes Vince Mazur Yes, it is possible for someone with a great mind for science to learn the artistic side of design.