Beyond Design: High-speed Rules of Thumb
Global PCB Connections: A Technical Overview of Long-flex Printed Circuit Boards
The Shaughnessy Report: A Handy Look at Rules of Thumb
I-Connect007 Editor's Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
September 6, 2024 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
I’ve been reading up on artificial intelligence news for a while now, and there’s a shift in the conversation, toward a more data- and results-driven view of AI and the claims of change it will bring. We’re starting to see research on why AI models behave the way they do (sometimes with behavior that is catastrophic to the AI itself), and what causes them to go astray. I’m collecting this research for an upcoming talk at a conference, and possibly a future article on the topic. Without spoiling my talk, let me just say that we don’t have much to fear about AI taking over the world yet. In the meantime, there are many things that you can control right now. To wit:
This week’s Top 5 starts with steps you can take to cultivate a culture of thriving. We also have bullish news from the global semiconductor sector, advice on how to tease out hidden cost drivers during the PCB design cycle, how the Altium-Ansys collaboration will affect design, and Happy Holden’s version of Occam’s Razor—three simple tools to keep your wet processes in line.
I can also share from personal experience that asking ChatGPT to make a margarita for happy hour will leave you unfulfilled; ask a trained human professional to do that for you instead. Have a great weekend!
Why a Culture of Thriving Matters
Published August 30
In the August issue of SMT007 Magazine, Audrey McGuckin, principal at The McGuckin Group, identifies a problem she encounters regularly in her consulting work: Burnout and disruption. Audrey shares her findings on how to counter burnout and disruptions in this article. Read all about it!
Global Semiconductor Sales Increase 18.7% Year-to-Year in July
Published September 3
Quoting the press release, “The global semiconductor market continued to grow substantially on a year-to-year basis in July, and month-to-month sales increased for the fourth consecutive month,” said John Neuffer, SIA president and CEO. “The Americas market experienced particularly strong growth in July, with a year-to-year sales increase of 40.1%.” Is this a trailing indicator of reshoring or nearshoring? This news item includes sales numbers for other regions also; I’ll leave the answer to that question as an exercise for the reader.
Hidden Cost Drivers in PCB Design
Published September 5
Cherie Litson points out that “everything you’ve read about the cost-saving process is controlled by the project leader’s actions. This article, originally appearing in Design007 Magazine’s August 2024 issue, dives into the project manager’s role as a cost influencer, and why so many design problems originate in that office.
Impact of the Altium-Ansys Partnership on PCB Design
Published September 5
The importance—and effect—of signal and power integrity just keeps growing. Altium’s Josh Moore postulates that while it is necessary to have good simulation tools to help with SI and PI, it is not sufficient. Read here how Josh envisions the Altium/Ansys collaboration will help shift the design cycle.
Happy’s Tech Talk #32: Three Simple Ways to Manage and Control Wet Processes
Published September 3
Optimizing wet process is like flying a helicopter: they can easily fly out of control if you’re not paying attention. In this edition of Happy’s Tech Talk, Happy considers the simple tools which can help you keep an eye on your wet process operating tolerances.
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Rules of Thumb for PCB Layout
11/21/2024 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007The dictionary defines a “rule of thumb” as “a broadly accurate guide or principle, based on experience or practice rather than theory.” Rules of thumb are often the foundation of a PCB designer’s thought process when tackling a layout. Ultimately, a product spec or design guideline will provide the detailed design guidance, but rules of thumb can help to provide the general guidance that will help to streamline the layout process and avoid design or manufacturing issues.
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Offshore Sourcing in the Global Supply Chain
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Flexible Thinking: Rules of Thumb: A Word to the Wise
11/20/2024 | Joe Fjelstad -- Column: Flexible ThinkingIn the early days of electronics manufacturing—especially with PCBs—there were no rules. Engineers, scientists, and technicians largely felt their way around in the dark, making things up as they went along. There was a great deal of innovation, guessing, and testing to make sure that early guidelines and estimates were correct by testing them. Still, they frequently made mistakes.