Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1478618
16 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I SEPTEMBER 2022 Holden: Many of these experts know that they can move up the ladder to a higher-paying job that doesn't include layout. But there are others, like your job, that involve manag- ing and mentoring a PCB design engineering team. Dack: It's amazing. Everyone knows it's not uncommon for someone with mid-level expe- rience in printed circuit design to be making six figures. Matties: Are you adding more resources to the search team? Dack: I'm bad at metaphors, but it's like you're mining unobtainium. Will more miners help you find something that's not there? at sounds so negative, but it's valid. However, we are well connected with a dynamic search team we found through I-Connect007. anks for featuring their services in your publications, by the way. Matties: People feel like they must actively do something to find new designers as well as electronic components, right? Dack: Sure. If you've got a customer and stock- holders, it's not a good sign to raise your hands in a meeting and say, "ere's nothing I can do." I think you've got to show that you're try- ing to respond. at's just good work ethics. Shaughnessy: Kelly, we were talking recently about sourcing strategies, and how some designers are providing two or three differ- ent sources per component. You said, "Well, we probably should have been doing that any- way, but it just didn't matter until now." Do you think this is going to be standard practice from now on? Dack: Yes, multi-sourcing is a good practice. Typically, in a company that's procuring parts, a requirement is that the part cannot be sole- sourced, or you need many signoffs if a part will be sole-sourced. at's typically avoided. Holden: We have not lost any wafer fabs and no component manufacturer has gone out of business. As far as I know, we have the same capacity for components that we had before the pandemic. Why is there a shortage? I under- stand why the automobile guys got shorted, because they canceled orders, somebody else took their place, and then demand exceeded supply. Dack: Right. Once the part becomes available, it's too late. Even with great component search engines, there's no guarantee that we could meet the requirements if the parts involved are unobtainium. Holden: Now, on another issue, can't you set up access, testing, and rework keep-outs on your library parts so that when that part is placed, you have the room to do a rework or get a printed circuit test on it? Wouldn't that be handled by the libraries? Dack: Sure, but let me provide some context. Say, for instance, a simple chip capacitor or diode becomes unavailable. e diode or the chip package might be an 0402, so the library part is created as an 0402 with all the proper spacing and courtyards so that it's pure DFM. But the problem is that once there's a part shortage and everybody bought all these up, I'm bad at metaphors, but it's like you're mining unobtainium. Will more miners help you find something that's not there? That sounds so negative, but it's valid.