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Beyond the Rulebook
What happens when the rule book is no longer useful, or worse, was never written in the first place? In today’s fast-moving electronics landscape, we’re increasingly asked to design and build what has no precedent, no proven path, and no tidy checklist to follow. This is where “Design for Invention” begins.
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From the growing role of AI in design tools to the challenge of managing cumulative tolerances, these articles in this issue examine the technical details, design choices, and manufacturing considerations that determine whether a board works as intended.
Looking Forward to APEX EXPO 2026
I-Connect007 Magazine previews APEX EXPO 2026, covering everything from the show floor to the technical conference. For PCB designers, we move past the dreaded auto-router and spotlight AI design tools that actually matter.
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Nexar Announces Massive CAD Model Marketplace
June 16, 2022 | Nexar, a business unit of Altium LLCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Nexar, a business unit of Altium LLC, announced today the launching of the Octopart CAD Model Marketplace, a free database made up of a massive repository of computer aided design (CAD) models for electronic components. Octopart, part of the Nexar ecosystem, is an electronic component search engine powered by part data and intelligence from the Nexar API. Octopart’s new CAD Model Marketplace simplifies PCB design and part selection workflows to create a single unified user experience that aggregates CAD models.
“As the industry’s leading search engine for electronic parts, Octopart continues to simplify the part search and discovery journey by introducing our CAD Model Marketplace feature,” says Daniel Schoenfelder, Head of Nexar Sales and Octopart. “Octopart users can eliminate the drudgery of locating and accessing CAD models. By using Octopart’s powerful search capabilities, users can access 10 million electronic component CAD models that are compatible with all major PCB design tools.”
Octopart.com simplifies and streamlines workflows by providing a central hub to search for parts and their available data and models. Users no longer have to search in various locations for CAD models. They can now preview symbols, footprints, and schematics from partners like Ultra Librarian and SnapEDA on a single platform, making their Octopart experience a one-stop-shop for free CAD models. In the future, users will also have access to 3D models from TraceParts, Nexar’s newest partner.
To start searching the CAD Model Marketplace or to find out more about Octopart, visit Octopart.com.
About Altium
Nexar is a Business Unit of Altium, LLC (ASX:ALU). Altium, LLC, is a global software company headquartered in San Diego, California, who are accelerating the pace of innovation through electronics. For over 30 years, Altium has been delivering software that maximizes the productivity of PCB designers and electrical engineers. From individual inventors to multinational corporations, more PCB designers and engineers choose Altium software to design and realize electronics-based products.
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Brent Fischthal - Koh YoungSuggested Items
PCB Technologies to Exhibit at PCB East 2026
04/23/2026 | PCB Technologies Ltd.Issey Ende, PCB-Technolgies’ VP of Sales and Marketinghas announced that his company will be exhibiting at this year’s PCB East 2026, the premier East Coast conference and exhibition for the electronics design, fabrication, and assembly industry on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at the DCU Convention Center in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Design for Test: A New Book from The Test Connection, Inc.
04/23/2026 | Real Time with... APEX EXPOBert Horner, president of The Test Connection Inc., shares insights on designing for testability (DFT) challenges with Kelly Dack. Horner discusses the critical need for incorporating testability early in the design process and the importance of quantifiable metrics for measuring test coverage. He highlights The Test Connection's role in transferring decades of 'tribal knowledge' to emerging engineers through training and education. Look for "The Printed Circuit Assembler's Guide to... Design for Test, A Practical Guide to Test and Inspection" in the I-007eBooks library.
Changing Times: Siemens Plans to Sell Former Mentor Graphics Wilsonville Campus
04/22/2026 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Siemens announced it will be selling its Wilsonville, Oregon, property, which has served as the campus for Mentor Graphics, which was later acquired by German EDA-giant Siemens, as reported by The Oregonian on April 20. Siemens will maintain one building on the sprawling 53-acre campus, citing the move to hybrid and remote work over the past few years as a key factor in the decision.
Siemens Collaborates with TSMC to Advance AI for Semiconductor Design
04/22/2026 | SiemensSiemens announced the continuation of collaboration with TSMC to drive innovation in AI-powered automation and advanced semiconductor design enablement.
Standardization, Workforce, and the Road Ahead for Flex–Packaging Integration, Part 3
04/22/2026 | Anaya Vardya, American Standard CircuitsParts 1 and 2 of this series established the technical foundation and application landscape for the convergence of flexible PCBs and advanced semiconductor packaging. Part 3 addresses what comes next: the standards frameworks, talent pipelines, and strategic imperatives that will determine whether the industry can scale this convergence reliably and competitively.