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30 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I JULY 2024 Feature Article by Stephen V. Chavez SIEMENS EDA As PCB designs grow in scope and complex- ity, collaboration between the electronics and mechanical domains is a necessity. At the same time, smaller IC packages and more tightly packed PCBs compel electronics system development companies to think more about the mechanical form factor of items and recog- nize the importance of collaboration between MCAD and ECAD. For example, as PCB designs face tighter requirements, problems resulting from elec- tromechanical interference are becoming more common. Handling these kinds of prob- lems across disciplines requires real-time col- laboration—facilitated by automated tools and flows—and synchronized data. An integrated ECAD/MCAD collaboration environment enables electrical and mechani- cal design teams to work together throughout the entire design process in real time, shar- ing cross-domain information incrementally and as changes occur. In this way, ECAD and Keys to Successful ECAD-MCAD Collaboration Figure 1: As PCB designs face tighter requirements, problems resulting from electromechanical interference are becoming more common.