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8 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I JULY 2024 When I was growing up, the term "know it all" was considered an insult. But PCB design- ers and design engineers of the future will need to know almost everything about the board, the system, and the final product. Tomorrow's designers will need to have a solid understand- ing of not just electronic design, but mechani- cal design and soware development as well. is is where mechatronics comes in. What exactly is mechatronics, anyway? According to Oregon State University, which offers a mecha- tronics curriculum, "Mechatronics is a multi- disciplinary engineering discipline with foun- dations in electrical, computer, and mechani- cal engineering. Mechatronics skills are com- monly utilized in robotics, and more broadly in advanced automated manufacturing." What does all of this have to do with PCB design? More and more PCB design jobs require that applicants have some experience in mechatronics. Gone are the days of ECAD and MCAD experts operating in separate silos, and mechatronics is playing a key role in bridg- ing the gaps between these silos. The Shaughnessy Report by Andy Shaughnessy, I-CONNECT007 Mechatronics: Designers Need to Know It All