Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/679419
4 The PCB Design Magazine • May 2016 PCB designers get downright exorcised about their EDA tools. One point of contention has to do with automa- tion itself: How much is too much? Some designers pre- fer manual control—not just for routing, but for much of the layout. Others want as much automation and horse- power as they can get. This month, our feature story by Intercept Technology's Abby Monaco highlights the challenges EDA software companies face trying to give designers the power, and control, that they need. UTC's Stephen V. Chavez explains why he prefers a mix of con- trol and automation, and why mastery of each EDA tool is critical. Guest Editor Kelly Dack discusses why he pre- fers manual control for autorouting and more. And Barry Olney explains why artificial intelligence should be built into EDA tools from scratch, citing some of the repetitive tasks that could be addressed easily with AI. May 2016 Feature Content EDA Tools: Automation or Control? The State of the Electronic Design Automation Nation by Abby Monaco The Case for Artificial Intelligence in EDA Tools by Barry Olney Design Automation Tools, Today and in the Future Interview with Kelly Dack EDA Tools: Automation vs. Control Interview with Stephen Chavez 10 24 28 34 10 34 24 28