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50 The PCB Design Magazine • June 2014 I have designed multitudes of printed circuit boards over the years, but I have a confession to make: It can be hard for me to run that final design rule check. I know that it is important, but at the end of a long design cycle, I just want to be done. I don't want to redo anything, and I sure don't want to look at my own errors. Do any of you feel that way? As the manager of customer sup- port for my company, I have helped users who have run into problems because they didn't run their DRCs. So I'm guessing that I'm not the only one who has contemplated skipping this particular step. DRCs exist as a barrier of protection for de- signers, and whenever I contemplate skipping some of those protections, I think back to the story of one of my heroes. I have a great love of aviation, and through the years I have studied its different aspects from aircraft specifications to the exploits of courageous pilots. My heroes have included pilots like Eddie Rickenbacker, Wiley Post, Amelia Earhart and Chuck Yeager, just to name just a few. One of the pilots who most intrigued me was America's No. 2 air ace of WWII, Major Thomas B. McGuire. Tommy McGuire amassed 38 confirmed victories while flying the P-38 Lightning, the big twin-tail, twin-engine fighter built by Lock- heed. McGuire was said to have "the pilot's touch" and those who flew with him claimed that he could do things with the P-38 that were impossible for ordinary pilots. He was known as "the best of the best," and in addition to being a phenomenal pilot, he was also a great teach- er. He taught other pilots from his own experi- ences, not only in the skills of aerial attack, but how to be prepared for the unexpected. by Tim Haag inTerCePT TeChnologY TIM'S TAkEAWAYS Design Rule Checks: For Your Protection column