Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1483624
66 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I NOVEMBER 2022 boxes once again, that I would never find a specific card on PCB layout and design. Even though most people today are familiar with a circuit board, it is rare to find anyone outside our industry who understands their complex process of conception, creation, and manufac- turing. And (way) back when I was in school, that entire process would have been even more of a mystery. When I eventually started laying out circuit boards, many of the designers at the time came from a wide variety of career paths within our industry. Some came with a background in electrical engineering, while others started out as technicians, graphic artists, and even one goofy kid who started out in a PCB photogra- phy lab. (at was me in case you didn't realize it). PCB layout CAD systems were just coming into their own, which gave me an advantage due to my comfort level with computers. At that time, many designers were still work- ing on draing boards, or taping out their lay- outs on a light table. Eventually those methods were completely replaced by CAD systems, which have had their own rapid growth as evolving design requirements require contin- ual enhancements and upgrades. Now, except for legacy designs that are still built from film stored in a vault, tape-up designing is relegated to the hobbyist. But design tools and methods aren't the only aspects of our industry which have changed over the years. It has become essential for PCB designers to have a solid foundation of education and train- ing to be successful in the industry. Entry-level designers today typically have a much better understanding of electronics than what we had when I first started, and those requirements are always growing. It isn't enough anymore to simply under- stand how to arrange the circuitry so that it works; it is also important to understand why that circuitry works the way that it does, along with the many conditions that can change that. In this edition of Design007 Magazine, you will see a lot of discussion about the need for designers to not only understand electronics, but also the underlying physics that is involved in the performance of circuitry. is issue would make for some interesting reading and researching for a middle-scholar studying a career card. ere is a lot to be said about the physics of electronic circuitry, but I'm going to leave that discussion to the experts in this magazine. However, it raises a question: How many other disciplines should layout designers explore to enhance their skill sets for success in our indus- try? Here are some areas that come to mind: • Fabrication • Assembly • Component engineering • Supply chain • Marketing Fabrication Most of us who lay out circuit boards prob- ably have a good understanding of how a PCB is fabricated. But as with any subject, there is always more that can be learned to help design a better board. Do you understand the capabil- ities and limitations of your fabricator(s)? Do you understand the nature and characteristics of the materials being used and how these will affect your design, especially in high-speed applications? Is it better to increase the layer count of the board for greater signal integ- rity, or reduce the count to minimize the cost? Understanding these various points may well end up making the difference between success or failure in your design. Assembly As with fabrication, there is a lot more to understand about PCB assembly than sim- ply maintaining the correct distance between components. Most designers have a firm grasp of the basics of design for manufacturability (DFM), but do you go deeper into these sub- jects by applying the correct DFT, DFA, DFF, and other DFX rules? Do you know that the DFM rules will change depending on what