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34 I-CONNECT007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2026 BY H A P PY H O L D E N , I - C O N N ECT 0 07 N ew product realization and design for manufacturing and assembly (DFM/A) are becoming increasingly visible as programs that can improve time-to-market and reduce prod- uct costs. These simulations of real-time manufac- turing are now referred to as digital twins. While many companies are developing such programs, a unifying framework is needed to coordinate their application. Concurrent engineering has been the basis for electronics design, but its one-way interactions with manufacturing constitute the old way of thinking. This column proposes a new frame- work based on digital twins, enabling manufactur- ing constraints to be incorporated earlier in the design process. The capabilities of electronic technologies are growing at an ever-increasing rate. Unfortunately, we have also seen a corresponding increase in the complexity of packaging. Modern EDA tools and concurrent engineering are primary drivers of this phenomenon. What we have not yet developed is an effective way to feed manufacturing experience and knowledge back into design. DIGITAL TWINS Integrating Design and Manufacturing H A P PY'S T EC H TA L K # 4 8