Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1517130
16 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2024 Feature Article by Stephen V. Chavez SIEMENS EDA We've witnessed a progression of the various roles in PCB design over the decades due to the ever-evolving field of electronics. ese roles, which are key to PCB design, can be described as the all-encompassing domain of printed circuit engineering (PCE), which involves multiple dis- ciplines and their respective domains, and plays a pivotal role in shaping the technology landscape. As technological advancements accelerate, the multi-disciplines within PCE face myriad chal- lenges while simultaneously encountering excit- ing and promising opportunities. What were once specialties have become more generalized over time—PCB designers must learn about design automation, signal integrity (SI), electromagnetic compatibility The Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Specialties of PCB Design (EMC), complex high-speed design, mechani- cal design, and manufacturability/producibil- ity. Design engineers must learn about layout, simulation, and supply chains—and in their place new specialties have emerged, like multi- gigabit SerDes channel design, advanced man- ufacturing, IoT, and multi-physics system ver- ification. Across the board (no pun intended), good engineering teams have learned to col- laborate outside their siloed specialties, which increases their individual and collective value. Yet, it's not only designers grappling with this evolution but also numerous tech companies across several industries that must bolster their engineering resources to close the grow- ing talent gap.