Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1511130
66 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I NOVEMBER 2023 Interconnection substrate technologies (PCBs, flex and rigid-flex circuits, and IC pack- aging substrates) have made possible the steady advance of electronic products for more than seven decades. ey are foundational struc- tures for electronics and arguably the back- bone of modern electronics. However, their design and manufacture has become increas- ingly challenging over the years. Much has been written about these challenges and numerous solutions have been offered (including my own), but with so many ideas and prospective solutions in play these days, we should understand some basics before jumping in to make sure we don't get in over our heads. The Simplest Way Is the Best Way In a presentation I made at a confer- ence about a dozen years ago, I concluded, "First do the right things and then do those things right." I don't doubt that others have come to that conclusion, but it was an epiphany in the moment. So, with so many solutions being floated out there, the chal- lenge is in determining what is right, and therein lies the rub (as the great English bard so eloquently stated). In this brief commentary, I will discuss various strategies and tools to simplify PCB design, making it accessible to a wider range of industry partic- ipants even as constant change remains upon us all. Flexible Thinking Feature Column by Joe Fjelstad, VERDANT ELECTRONICS