Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1523825
JULY 2024 I DESIGN007 MAGAZINE 9 Andy Shaughnessy is man- aging editor of Design007 Magazine. He has been covering PCB design for 23 years. To read past columns, click here. In this issue, our expert contributors dis- cuss the advent of mechatronics in PCB design, the challenges and opportunities this creates for PCB designers, and the ben- efits—to the employee and the company— of becoming a mechatronics engineer. We start off with an interview with Pro- fessor John Watson, CID, who explains the value of mechatronics in PCB design and why he covers electrical and mechanical properties in his PCB design class at Palo- mar College. We have an interview with Dylan Nguyen, a first-year engineering stu- dent at Oregon State University, who dis- cusses the takeaways from his mechatron- ics class. Next, Stephen Chavez brings us an article on ECAD/MCAD collaboration, and how EDA tools help PCB designers work across multiple disciplines. Colum- nist Vern Solberg explains how IPC-CFX allows designers to optimize their DFA techniques, and columnist Joe Fjelstad walks us through uses and potential uses of mechatronics in the world of flex and rigid- flex circuit boards. We also have columns by Barry Olney, Kelly Dack, and Matt Stevenson, as well as articles by IPC's Kelly Allen and ASC/Sun- stone's Anaya Vardya. Finally, we have a pair of interviews: Charlene McCauley and Ter- rie Duffy discuss their work on the DDR5 CAMM2 module that will replace the SO- DIMM standard, and Alex Burt updates us on his career since we last spoke with him five years ago as he was graduating college. e only thing certain in this industry is change. Check back for more coverage of mechatronics. DESIGN007 by Tom Yang Welcome to my new column. My name is Tom Yang, and I am the CEO of CEE PCB, a family-owned global printed circuit board business. I was actually educated in California, earning my bachelor's and master's degrees in finance at Cal State. After gradu- ating, I worked in investment banking for a while, then came to work at CEE, where I have been ever since. We are a family-owned business. My dad is the founder and chair of the company; my uncle heads the sourcing team. I first joined the purchasing team in 2019 when our Zhuhai factory was in the early stages of construction. I watched it being built and helped by selecting and installing all the new equipment. For the past three years, I have spent most of my time at the headquarters in Huizhou, as well as visiting clients in mainland China and around the world once COVID restrictions were lifted. Over the years, we have put together a great team at CEE. Our team works on the principle of "family-by- choice"; whether or not we are actually related, we operate as one big family, and we have valued these efforts over the years very much. During my years in America, I came to realize that many of the impressions we have in China about Amer- icans are misconceptions. That same thing applies for the impressions that Americans have about China. In truth, I have found myself in the middle. I have spent much time trying to explain Chinese business culture to Americans and American business culture to Chi- nese businesspeople, especially those in our industry. To continue reading this column, click here. Bringing Two Cultures Together in PCB Manufacturing