Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1532278
14 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I FEBRUARY 2025 Remember, it was only 30 or 40 years ago that designers could say, "Just make it out of FR-4. I will draw a trace from point A to point B and the thing will work just fine." It was just con- necting the dots. It goes back to our discussion about changing the narrative because so many employers have senior management who remember those days. ey think, "It's just board design. Anybody can do it. ey just connect the dots." But now it's a problem with physics, chemistry, or mate- rial selection. It might even be a problem with mechatronics and high speed. My attitude is that everything is high speed, even if it's not. You're in high speed whether you want to be or not. Shaughnessy: Looking out a few years, do you think there will be more demand for gen- eralists or specialists within PCB design? Moyer: ere will always be a need for a board engineer, but we'll also need board engineers who have the fundamental knowledge and then specialize in a discipline, such as automotive, high power, mil-aero, or consumer goods. Each one has its own issues. In my meeting about high-voltage automotive electric vehicles, they said we're still trying to be Class 3, but we're doing such high volumes that we can't afford to do all the coupons and frequency of inspection in the traditional IPC-6012 set. at's why the IPC-6012 automotive addendum allows them to do a lower frequency of inspection and test- ing rate. ere's no way they will get millions of vehicles' worth of boards through fabrication and assembly if they have to do the full Class 3 level of test and inspection. But they still need that level of quality. Watson: at's definitely true. At the same time, I'm hearing that the companies that were once looking for designers with 15 years of experi- ence with a bachelor's degree in engineering have been lowering their standards. e design managers say, "Just give me warm bodies, and I'll train them—and warm is optional." In my inbox, I have three messages from PCB design companies looking for help. e need is there. At Palomar, we have a limit of 22 students, but I'm pushing it to 30 in my PCB design class. We have to continue our reach into high schools, but we need to get high schools to be interested. Shaughnessy: What makes a good design instructor, and what advice do you have for someone who wants to be one? Moyer: e challenge is that it's not just PCB