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MARCH 2023 I DESIGN007 MAGAZINE 31 repetitive, and tedious work. Is there fine-tun- ing still to do? Sure, but hopefully, only a few tweaks. Soware algorithmic and data content advances will one day resolve more outstand- ing issues toward that last little bit of automa- tion. at is how we improve. e design engi- neer now completes many more layouts, even with massive complexities, in a way that is a lot less stressful, with few opportunities for mis- takes. is example is relevant to many appli- cations of soware-based decision-making. Does that mean there's ultimately no future to accumulate know-how in manufacturing? Absolutely not, and in fact, as you go through this process, the role of the human is elevated within the manufacturing operation. Instead o f h a v i n g a r e a l l y deep, sp ec if ic tech- nical knowledge that narrows their area of exper tise and oppor- tunity for contribution, you have people who are capa- ble of identifying and under- standing challenges holisti- cally, deciding what needs to be done and how best to do it; they are aided by information, and based on accu- mulated know-how, it's built into the soware. e focus of knowledge, experience, and expertise for the person becomes how to set up and configure such soware tools, how to utilize them effectively, and to know how and when to use which tools to get the best pos- sible result. Rather than being restricted to a narrow area of expertise, being both a depen- dency and vulnerability, manufacturers are now contributing value in a way that will sig- nificantly optimize operations. Part of what takes away some of that tribal knowledge value is an emerging technol- ogy like additive. We don't have much tribal knowledge around new technology. You're right. Companies are creating and evolving new technologies all the time, which creates opportunities for those who like to dive deep into innovative technical areas, working out the real details. I see it as a very positive progression, an opportunity for those who do have those inquiring minds, and that are able to invent the technologies of the future. What advice about tribal knowledge would you offer a young engineer who's moving into PCB design? ere are two things. First, beware if you focus on a narrow specialty. Be sure to set it into con- text, to understand what your work is depen- dent on, and what is depending on your work. is makes your experience, performance, and contribution more flexible and valuable. Second, based on this strong foundation, get yourself in a position where you c a n w i d e n y o u r s c o p e , b a s e d o n your core experience, together with the con- text of the business, and the way in which technology is applied and used. It's essential to create additional value from the use of available tools—to have the how, where, and when to apply them. If you're taking a deep dive into an area that's new, there aren't many experts to help. It is a very interesting and cre- ative environment, just don't think that you will be doing that same thing forever. Be prepared. How many years have you had in your career? Too many (laughs). Michael, thank you so much for this conversation. I appreciate it. ank you, Barry. Always wonderful chatting with you. DESIGN007 If you're taking a deep dive into an area that's new, there aren't many experts to help.