Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1534120
32 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2025 to be retested and recertified. A good rule of thumb is any change that may affect the poten- tial radiation of the device, like switching out an antenna or an addition of or alteration to a switching power supply. An example of a change that would not constitute recertifica- tion is changing an LED. Additionally, some standards have their own performance qualifications. For Bluetooth in particular, qualification is mandatory with the registration of the device in Bluetooth SIG. Employing a certified radio module does not exempt you from FCC regulatory requirements for designs with multiple wireless technologies. Conclusion No matter what your final application and design are, these are some of the primary design considerations and challenges you may face in wireless development. In the final anal- ysis, it is a good practice to prioritize and pro- tect your RF circuitry. It's the most sensitive and unforgiving part of your design. ere's a reason why RF design is known as "the black art" in the industry. DESIGN007 Kirsten Zima is an applications engineer supporting layout and high-speed simulation tools for Siemens EDA. IPC APEX EXPO: Looking Good at 25 If you didn't have a chance to attend the 25th IPC APEX EXPO in Anaheim, California, you really missed out. It was a huge show. The aisles stayed busy for almost the entire expo, and the hall at the Anaheim Convention Center was perfect for a show this size. There were dozens of exhibitors that I had never heard of. The weekend before the expo opened, we cov- ered the Professional Development classes and committee meetings. Almost every class and com- mittee meeting was packed to the walls. When we were leaving one committee meeting, an engineer who was walking back in said, "Man, are they still talking about that?" Yes, they were! Speaking of committees, I interviewed some of the recent grads at the Newcomers Welcome Recep- tion, and a few of them said they looked forward to joining an IPC committee or task force. Good for them. We need to get more young folks interested in these committees. Everyone I spoke with was posi- tive about the industry. There was plenty of design content this year, from the conference classes to the Design Town Hall. IPC offered PCB design courses in the Professional Development program and papers in the Technical Conference. The open-source EDA tool company KiCAD was an exhibitor this year; I've never seen that company exhibit at a trade show before. The overwhelming theme at IPC APEX EXPO was AI, and it wasn't even close. Designers, fabricators, assem- blers, and test technology providers were all talking about how AI could make their jobs easier. It's nice to see how most people have embraced AI. All in all, while IPC APEX EXPO isn't a design show, there's still a good amount of design content. Next year's show returns to Anaheim, March 17-19, 2026. To see our Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO interviews with the indus- try's movers and shakers, click here. by Andy Shaughnessy