Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1498723
56 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2023 park spectators and millions of TV viewers who are scrutinizing every move you make. e pressure must be unimaginable. We step up to all kinds of "plates" every day to perform our jobs, don't we? We may not be staring down a baseball fastpitch, but we are sizing up our own skills, experiences, and untold variables to achieve maximum results. It's not the pressure of a national "hit it out of the park" performance like a major league baseball player, but what we do still feels just as important. Now, let's apply that to PCB design. Pe r s o n a l l y, I d i d most of my design work when the work environment was very controlled. I was told what the board was used for, what its mechani- cal outline and features would be, and how many layers it would contain. Fabrica- tion and assembly decisions were made or pro- vided by someone else, as were the materials, design requirements, parts, and schematics. All I did was lay out the circuit board. e design paradigm has changed quite a bit since then. Circuit board layout designers are now asked to step up to the plate more than ever. eir process includes the mechanical development of the board in order to better synchronize with other portions of the system. PCB CAD tools allow us to co-design with other boards, and it's our job to ensure that the overall system design works together to prop- erly mate cables and other interfacing compo- nents. Layout designers are also putting more effort into ensuring that parts specified for the board are available for manufacturing at an approved price and in a timely manner. ankfully, many CAD systems today are able to help both component vendors and PCB manufacturers connect online. Designers even have a hand in choosing the appropriate layer stackup for the board and selecting the best materials for optimum performance, mechanical durabil- ity, and efficient manufacturability. PCB layout has come a long way since I first started in the industry. Designers today are being asked to level up their game in many ways. ey may not be under as much pressure as a rookie ball player stepping into the batter's box for his first major league at bat, but it's still a lot for a designer who is new to this kind of responsibility. e key is to be prepared and know where to turn to for help when it is your turn to step up to the sub- strate. In that spirit, here are some tips: 1. Ask for help Larger companies usually have a com- munity of designers with var ious levels of e x p e r i e n c e t h a t c a n f i e l d industr y-related questions. However, in a smaller company, you may not have as many people to turn to. In this case, visit online designer forums and other social media platforms for more information. Many designers routinely use these for lay- out, tool, manufacturing, and other indus- try-related issues, including looking for the latest information on application-specific materials. 2. Attend design reviews Most designers are already familiar with attending reviews—including schematic, critical placement, routing, and final design reviews—during key points of the PCB devel- opment cycle. ere are also pre-design and system reviews that may yield information pertinent to your work. Attending these will give you a better idea of requirements for your current design and will help prepare you for next-generation design. Layout designers are also putting more effort into ensuring that parts specified for the board are available for manufacturing at an approved price and in a timely manner.