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32 I-CONNECT007 MAGAZINE I AUGUST 2026 BY J O E FJ E LSTA D F L E X I B L E T H I N K I N G T he concept of co-designing PCBs by incor- porating input from all areas of manufactur- ing has grown significantly over the past several years, bringing a sharper focus on the early contributors to a collaborative electronic system. From those pioneers, we have learned that the PCB is no longer simply the platform on which a design is manifested; it is now an active part of the electrical, thermal, mechanical, and economic archi- tecture of the product. As operating frequencies rise, component pitches shrink, power densities increase, and product schedules tighten, decisions made by one discipline can no longer be isolated from the consequences they create for others. In my past PCB workshops, I have referred to PCB designers as the "drum majors" of the industry. They lead the electronic manufacturing "parade" and the decisions by designers can make the differ- ence between stirring marching music and chaotic cacophony. Yes, the designer must still translate logical component connectivity into a manufactur- able physical structure, but that task requires earlier access to system requirements, greater aware- ness of manufacturing capabilities, and continuous interaction with specialists who once entered the process much later. A central question, in my opinion, is whether this evolution will simply lead us back to another discussion of DFM or whether the industry is ready to recognize that successful PCB development depends on something broader that integrates the process and its executors to create perfect or Beyond DFM PCB Design and Manufacturing as a Cooperative Effort