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12 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I SEPTEMBER 2025 Many designers are "pureplay" PCB designers with no engineering education, but they've edu- cated themselves about SI along the way. What advice would you give non-degreed designers in studying SI? To get a good foundation on signal integrity, you should attend the IPC online instructor-led course on signal integrity. There are also a number of excellent textbooks from such experts on signal integrity as Lee Ritchey, Dr. Doug Brooks, Dr. Eric Bogatin, and Dr. Howard Johnson. Finally, don't focus on all the concepts and math- ematics involved at the same time. Start with one concept at a time. For example, maybe focus on planar capacitance first, then look at transmission line design, PDN analysis, etc. It is very easy to get overwhelmed with these concepts if you have not had formal engineering training. Is there anything else you'd like to add, Kris? Signal integrity and PDN design have become far more critical steps in PCB design. It is, therefore, important to understand these concepts and the implications of the choices made not only in the PCB design but also in the circuit design, and how they will affect the performance of the PCB as a critical part of the system as a whole. Thanks for your time, Kris. Thank you, Andy. DESIGN007 The Global Electronics Association announced the July 2025 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. The book-to- bill ratio stands at 1.00. Total North American PCB shipments in July 2025 were up 20.7% compared to the same month last year. Compared to the preceding month, July ship- ments were up 11.3%. July's year-to-date (YTD) ship- ments increased by 7.6% year-over-year (YOY). PCB bookings in July were up 22.2% compared to the same month last year. July bookings were down 5.5% compared to the preceding month. July's YTD bookings increased 17.2% compared to the same pe- riod last year. "North American PCB activity firmed in July," said Shawn DuBravac, Global Electronics Association's chief economist. "A pickup in shipments brought the book-to-bill into balance, indicating output is keeping pace with demand and demand remains strong." Companies that participate in the Global Elec- tronics Association's North American PCB Statisti- cal Program have access to detailed findings on rig- id PCB and flexible circuit sales and orders, includ- ing separate rigid and flex book-to-bill ratios, growth trends by product types and company size tiers, de- mand for prototypes, sales growth to military and medical markets, and other timely data. The book-to-bill ratios are calculated by divid- ing the value of orders booked over the past three months by the value of sales billed during the same period from companies in the Global Electronics As- sociation's survey sample. A ratio of more than 1.00 suggests that current demand is ahead of supply, which is a positive indicator for sales growth over the next three to 12 months. A ratio of less than 1.00 indicates the reverse. Year-on-year and year-to-date growth rates provide the most meaningful view of industry growth. Month-to-month comparisons should be made with caution as they reflect seasonal ef- fects and short-term volatility. (Source: Global Electronics Association) North American PCB Industry Shipments Up 20.7% in July