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The PCB Design Podcast features conversations on all facets of PCB Design and Hardware Development
Episodes
Wednesday Jan 29, 2025
Wednesday Jan 29, 2025
Welcome to Altium's OnTrack Podcast! In this episode, host Zach Peterson speaks with Sean Kincaid, President of K & F Electronics, about the complex realities of reshoring electronics manufacturing.
Explore why reshoring is about more than just production and delve into the challenges of materials, equipment, and supply chain dependencies. Sean shares his firsthand experience with PCB manufacturing and insights into America's manufacturing industry.
🌟 Topics Covered:
- Why IC reshoring alone isn’t enough
- The critical role of materials like copper foil
- Challenges of competing with overseas markets
- Sean’s journey with K & F Electronics and adapting to changes
- Potential strategies to revitalize U.S. manufacturing
#USManufacturing #PCBDesign #techpodcast
💡 Resources from this Episode:
- Learn More about K & F Electronics: https://www.circuitboards.com/
- Connect with Sean Kincaid: https://www.linkedin.com/in/circuit-boards/
- Check out the D-Code Podcast: https://the-d-code.podbean.com/
👉 Exclusive 15 Days Free Altium Designer Access: https://www.altium.com/promotions/altium-academy
Don't forget to follow us on social to stay up-to-date on the latest Altium Academy content.
👉 Follow Altium on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@altiumdesigner
👉 Follow Altium on Twitter: https://twitter.com/altium
👉 Follow Altium on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altium/
👉 Follow Altium on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AltiumOfficial/
About Altium LLC
Altium LLC (ASX:ALU), a global software company based in San Diego, California, is accelerating the pace of innovation through electronics. From individual inventors to multinational corporations, more PCB designers and engineers choose Altium software to design and realize electronics-based products.
Tuesday Jan 28, 2025
Tuesday Jan 28, 2025
In this episode of the Altium OnTrack Podcast, host Zach Peterson sits down with Keith Hanna, an Independent Consultant in CAE/PLM, to discuss the evolution of cross-disciplinary integration in engineering software, focusing on CAE (Computer-Aided Engineering) and EDA (Electronic Design Automation) industries.
The conversation explores themes like AI's role in the future of engineering, recent trends in mergers and acquisitions, and the broader implications of these changes for engineers and developers. Keith shares his insights from decades of experience, providing a deep dive into the challenges and opportunities within these rapidly converging fields.
👉 Resources from this Episode:
- Connect with Keith Hanna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-hanna-685b792/
👉 Exclusive 15 Days Free Altium Designer Access: https://www.altium.com/promotions/altium-academy
Don't forget to follow us on social to stay up-to-date on the latest Altium content.
👉 Follow Altium on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@altiumdesigner
👉 Follow Altium on Twitter: https://twitter.com/altium
👉 Follow Altium on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altium/
👉 Follow Altium on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AltiumOfficial/
About Altium LLC
Altium LLC (ASX:ALU), a global software company based in San Diego, California, is accelerating the pace of innovation through electronics. From individual inventors to multinational corporations, more PCB designers and engineers choose Altium software to design and realize electronics-based products.
#Altium #PCBdesign #Podcast
Wednesday Nov 13, 2024
Wednesday Nov 13, 2024
Component Sense is tackling the e-waste crisis head-on by redistributing excess, unused stock from major companies before it becomes waste.
In this episode of the Altium OnTrack podcast, we talk with Kenny McGee, founder and CEO of Component Sense, about the hidden issues of electronic component disposal. Discover what happens to stockpiled electronics, why companies over-purchase components, and the innovative solutions that companies like Component Sense are implementing to reduce e-waste.
Kenny shares insights from years in the electronics distribution market, the challenges of moving unused inventory, and the environmental impacts of traditional disposal methods. This conversation highlights the importance of responsible component management and the potential to create a sustainable future in electronics. Tune in to learn more about the environmental and ethical implications of e-waste, and see how you can contribute to positive change in the industry.
Tuesday Jan 09, 2024
Tuesday Jan 09, 2024
In a captivating 2023 year-end review, Zach Peterson hosts a compelling discussion with Gene Weiner, President of Weiner International Associates, exploring the dynamic landscapes of manufacturing in Mexico, India, and the burgeoning field of Ultra High-Density Interconnects (UHDI). Discover the nuances of electronics manufacturing in China, where resources seamlessly integrate into the supply chain, contrasted with Mexico's DIY approach and India's promising advancements fueled by resolutions and government backing, ultimately surpassing Mexico in certain aspects.
Key Highlights:
- Insights into Trade and Manufacturing in Mexico: Delve into the intricate details of Mexico's manufacturing landscape, exploring the unique challenges and opportunities in this key region.
- Exploring Broader Trends in India: Gain a comprehensive understanding of the evolving trends shaping the electronics manufacturing sector in India, highlighting key developments and advancements.
- Comparing India's Model to Chinese and Mexican Approaches: Analyze the positioning of India in the global manufacturing landscape, drawing parallels and distinctions between the Chinese and Mexican models.
- Unraveling the Challenges Faced by Chinese PCB Countries: Investigate the factors contributing to the challenges faced by Chinese PCB countries and the implications for the broader electronics manufacturing industry.
- Insights into M&A Activity and Future Trends: Explore the dynamics of mergers and acquisitions in the electronics manufacturing services (EMS) sector, with a forward-looking perspective on continued consolidation and vertical integration in the industry.
Tuesday Sep 12, 2023
Tuesday Sep 12, 2023
Today we have a fascinating conversation about PCB manufacturing, reshoring, testing, and much more with Cody Endlich, Head of Strategic Sourcing at MacroFab. He and Tech Consultant Zach Peterson discuss the latest trends in manufacturing, procurement, and supplier dynamics. This is a wonderful convo for anyone interested in the future of PCB sourcing and manufacturing.
- 1:00 Cody's Background
- 2:59 Internalizing the Broker Process
- 4:51 What's Different about MacroFab
- 8:25 Where Are MacroFab's Partners?
- 10:17 Reshoring Efforts
- 12:35 Copycats?
- 16:09 The Sourcing Picture
- 20:43 How MacroFab Tests
- 23:42 Bringing the Process In-House
- 26:16 Turning Heads
- 29:12 A Solid Supplier Relationship
- 34:54 Will Mexico's Trading Role Persist
- 38:13 MacroFab's Biggest Growth Area
- 39:32 Going Forward
Links and Resources:
Tuesday Aug 29, 2023
Tuesday Aug 29, 2023
Today we're chatting with Jeff De Serrano, President of the American Division of PCB Technologies. We had a fascinating conversation about the changing nature of the PCB Manufacturing industry, focusing on aerospace, automation, AI, education, and much more. This is a wonderful episode for anyone interested in manufacturing and where the industry might be headed.
Show Highlights:
- Intro
- Intro to Jeff & PCB Technologies
- PCB Technology's Broad Reach in Aerospace
- Faster Packaging Times
- Packaging Advantages at PCB Technologies
- 2D, 2 ½D, or 3D?
- You Need the Know-How, Not Just People
- Broad Capability Won't Happen Overnight
- Semiconductor Companies Packaging?
- Workforce Challenges
- Automation Pipedream?
- Getting Students into Manufacturing
- Manufacturing is Totally Different Now
- AI Has a Long Way to Go
- Growth Areas in Electronics?
Links and Resources:
-
Check the recent related OnTrack Podcast episodes:
-
Learn more about Altium 365®, Where the world designs electronics
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See how Octopart help you search for electronic parts. It is the most accurate and comprehensive electronic part data search engine right at your fingertips
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Connect with Jeff De Serrano on LinkedIn
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Visit PCB Technologies website
Tuesday Aug 15, 2023
Tuesday Aug 15, 2023
There's a new workflow offering coming soon as a result of the collaboration between Altium and ANSYS. And today, we are joined by Joao Beck, Altium's Director of Enterprise Technical Marketing, to give us all the details. This new workflow is yet another step in Altium's quest toward a digital ecosystem, acting as an important bridge between ECAD and simulation Make sure to watch the entire episode so you can fully understand what's coming your way soon.
Show Highlights:
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0:00 Intro
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0:50 Altium's New Workflow Offering
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4:53 MCAD CoDesigner in Simulation?
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7:28 A Full Suite of Capabilities
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8:20 What the Workflow Looks Like
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10:40 What's in the Revision History
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12:47 The Report
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14:14 Version Control & Rolling Back Simulations?
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16:16 Simulation to Altium & Vice Versa
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21:43 Mechanical Simulation?
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23:00 The Digital Bridge Ecosystem
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25:38 Broader Access?
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26:42 Who's This For?
Tuesday Aug 08, 2023
Tuesday Aug 08, 2023
We're joined today by the Technology Ambassador at Ventec and President of the European Institute for the PCB Community (EIPC), Alun Morgan. He and host Zach Peterson have a broad, thoughtful conversation centered on PCB manufacturing.
They chat about emerging manufacturing markets, potential for supplier buyouts, reshoring, automation, and much more. This is a fascinating conversation for anyone looking to get a current view on the international manufacturing market, as well as valuable insights into where it might be headed.
Show Highlights:
0:00 Intro
0:40 Current Manufacturing Trends in Europe
9:20 Growth in Packaging
14:49 Producing at Scale
21:31 Up and Coming International Manufacturing Markets
23:52 Big Manufacturers Getting Bigger?
29:21 Return to Buying Out Suppliers?
31:36 Variable Costs, PCB Manufacturing, & Reshoring
34:30 Pricing Pressures & Automation
40:39 Automation: Prices, Reliability, & Sustainability
45:04 Wrap-Up
Links and Resources:
- Watch more of Alun Morgan:
- Connect with Alun Morgan on LinkedIn
- Visit Octopart.com, The electronic part search engine
Thursday Aug 03, 2023
Thursday Aug 03, 2023
We have a very interesting topic today! The impact of the defense sector on the electronic industry.
Our guest Nathan Edwards, an Executive Director, U.S. Partnership for Assured Electronics (USPAE) will share with us what goes in a Defense Electronic Consortium (DEC) and how all of these impact the electronics eco-system. We will also touch a little about supply chain diversification and onshoring efforts here in the US.
Watch through the end, this is a very special episode you don’t want to miss.
We have a very interesting topic today! The impact of the defense sector on the electronic industry.
Show Highlights:
- Introduction to Nathan Edwards
- Nathan briefly share his background in the electronic industry in both government and commercial sector
- What is United States Partnership for Assured Electronics (USPAE) and what is its involvement in the Defense Electronic Consortium (DEC)?
- Nathan explains what goes on DEC
- Small and medium size electronic companies could benefit in participating in the government ecosystem
- A study shows that 86% of 649 manufacturing firms receive less than 10% of their revenue from defense
- Electronics in the banking industry, from the tamper-proof electronics, security, authenticity, and some reliability and recovery
- Is something similar to the US Defense Electronics Consortium exist in different countries?
- Nathan discusses about the recent policy chain in the Defense Production Act, Title II
- Electronic supply chain diversification and onshoring in the United States
- A policy that will go in to effect in 2027 under the National Defense Authorization Act states that semiconductors, printed circuit boards and interconnects cannot be produced by some of the companies in China
- Nathans thoughts regarding production of electronic components in Latin America, especially Mexico
- Nathan volunteers to mentor emerging talents at his school district’s high school and middle school and get them involved in electronics sector
- The electronics industry requires a full depth of STEM from chemist, manufacturers, mathematician, designers and more
- Career Technical Education (CTE) offers biomedical tech, STEM, IT, and it is sponsored under the State Department of Educations as well as the Federal Department of Education
- Two critical things to a successful onshoring are reliable, skilled workforce, and capital to invest in the state-of-the-practice equipment
Links and Resources:
- Reinventing the business of electronics. Nexar puts your business ahead of the curve, learn more here
- Watch related, previous episodes:
- Connect with Nathan Edwards via LinkedIn
Wednesday Aug 02, 2023
Wednesday Aug 02, 2023
Sustainability in electronics encompasses environmental, social, and corporate governance aspects, and IPC aims to make it easier for companies by providing standards, education, and advocacy to navigate these complex issues.
In this episode, we are very pleased to have Kelly Scanlon of IPC to enlighten us about the importance of sustainability in the electronics industry and how you can contribute as a PCB designer.
Show Highlights:
- Introduction to Kelly Scanlon, the Lead Sustainability Strategist at IPC
- Kelly talks about her role at IPC and her background before landing her current position
- Kelly explains that sustainability covers environmental, social, and corporate governance
- The European Union (EU) has been leaders in producing policies that have real opportunities for environmental change, in the space of sustainability
- What are the ways can companies prove their compliance to sustainability?
- Environmental sustainability in the electronics industry has well-defined processes and regulations, like the RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment) and REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) making it easier to manage and communicate compliance
- Social sustainability poses greater challenges as there is no clear process and requires multidimensional teams to address issues like worker health, labor practices, and corporate governance
- Vendor checklists and assessments are used to vet suppliers, but there is a need for increased transparency and honesty in supply chains
- Companies rely on policies and regulations to ensure compliance throughout the supply chain and are pushing for accountability and reliability from their suppliers
- Kelly Scanlon emphasizes the need for a strong community and collaboration to address environmental, social, and governance sustainability in the electronics industry.
- Designers play a crucial role in driving sustainable practices by incorporating conscientious and intentional lifecycle management in their design decisions, and by advocating to manufacturers to prioritize sustainability
- Designers can make their voices heard by reaching out to IPC and participating in workshops, case studies, and events focused on sustainability
- IPC formed its Sustainability for Electronics Leadership Council, a team with diverse geographic background and diverse supply chain background that come together sharing their insights and expertise
- Designers and manufacturers are encouraged to connect with Kelly, ask questions, contribute your expertise, and to actively advocate sustainability efforts in the electronics industry
Thursday May 25, 2023
Thursday May 25, 2023
The globalization of the electronics supply chain has been a widely discussed topic, and having Andrew Hupert, an esteemed supply chain consultant, in this episode is incredibly timely.
In this insightful discussion, Andrew sheds light on Mexico's distinctive edge in electronics production. Furthermore, he provides us with a comprehensive comparison of the logistical aspects between Mexico's and China's production processes.
Key Highlights:
- Introduction to Andrew Hupert, professor at Holt University and Supply Chain Consultant
- Andrew talks about his career in cross-cultural negotiation. From China to Thailand, Vietnam, and now to Mexico
- Compliance costs are becoming unmanageable, and logistics becoming more unpredictable, these are just a couple of the challenges in the electronics supply chain
- NAFTA (North America Free Trade Agreement ) aka USMCA, the US, Mexico, and Canada agreement puts Mexico on top of the list as far as production sites for large-scale factories
- US trade agreement with Columbia, is it possible?
- Guadalajara is in the process of becoming the software center in Mexico
- Andrew describes the challenges of sourcing electronics products from Mexico
- In China, one person knows people who can give you all the necessary connections to start and finish a project, meanwhile in Mexico, people will keep their mouths shut
- The level of workmanship in Mexico is high, however, project management is very poor
- The auto industry is the kind of business that is built for Mexico. American automakers have been producing automobiles in Mexico for over 70 years
- Mexico has EMEC which allows companies to bring in equipment, materials, raw materials, or components, all of it duty-free provided they ship it out or export it and not for sale in Mexico
- Andrew gives his insight on what the supply chain will look like
- Only a certain percentage of the electronics production will move out of China to Mexico
- Sophisticated design based in the US such as Texas, Arizona, California, and Mexica can handle the assembly
- Apple is moving its production to India
- “India is a tough one”, Andrew explains the challenges in producing electronics in India
- GM (General Motors) moved all their electric vehicle manufacturing to Mexico
- It’s hard to get business intelligence on Mexico, Andrew encourages companies to plan their transition or hire a project manager to do the legwork
Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
Let’s walk down memory lane and discover how circuit boards are being manufactured back in the 50s.
In this episode, we have the pleasure to have Gene Weiner, a true gem in the industry! This is a rare opportunity to learn from an expert who has helped shape the electronics industry for more than 60 years now.
Watch through the end, and make sure to check out the show notes and additional resources below.
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- Introduction to Gene Weiner and a glimpse of his illustrious career in the electronics industry beginning in 1956
- Gene retrospects vividly how they used to do 3D printing and additive back in the 50s
- What would interest a young man to go down the path of electronics manufacturing back in the 50’s? Gene shares his career experience and what sparked his interest in electronics
- 1975 marked the beginning of electronic manufacturing automation development outside the US
- Captive operations versus outsourcing — a lot of electronics companies chose cost reduction over maintaining their own manufacturing operations
- Gene gives his insight about moving some manufacturing facilities to Latin American countries like Mexico and Columbia
- What does it take to bring manufacturing back to the US?
- Just building chips in America without building the rest of the supply chain here just lengthen the supply chain. Gene stresses that volume, demand, incentives, and continuous government programs are necessary to make anchoring a success
- Gene suggests that partnering is better than hiring. Partner with talents who share a mutual vision with the company, and share benefits together
Links and Resources:
- Connect with Gene Weiner on LinkedIn
- Visit Weiner International Associates' website
- Watch the related OnTrack episodes
Wednesday Oct 19, 2022
Wednesday Oct 19, 2022
Electronic parts shortages coupled with inflation has been affecting the electronic industry globally. Chris Cain our guest for today’s episode is a supply chain consultant and former VP at Keysight working on supply chain and supply chain products.
Chris will share with us his 37 years of experience and strategies to overcome electronic part shortages.
Show Higlights:
- Chris Cain briefly describes what supply management is, and his role as a consultant.
- Chris explains what it means to tap into the “scale for the larger ecosystem” of electronic providers
- Find alternatives and make some design adjustments where is possible
- Look for parts that are very scalable like memory parts and FPGAs
- Modular approach or designing for modules may also allow designers to have some flexibility
- If you can't get the parts, you can't ship your working design–having an insight into what’s coming in the supply chain could help designers in their decision making
- It pays to spend a little time keeping up with groups like IPC which does the groundwork of looking up the industry and what they think is coming
- Chris warns designers about silk-screened sand, he added “never pay, until you verify”
- Moving towards an open source model, Zach mentioned a recent article on All About Circuits which talks about companies transitioning their chip architectures to RISC-V to help them overcome some of these supply chain issues
- What is supply chain resilience?
- Fuel costs push up the cost of everything else it's related to and it's essentially an inflation driver
- Avoid buying three year supply of parts, it’s smarter to focus on design flexibility and overall sourcing flexibility
- What are the challenges involved with raw materials supplies for assembly?
- The dark scenarios, the dark side, the disaster scenarios
Links and Resources:
Connect with Christopher Cain on LinkedIn
Watch a related Podcast episode: The Benefits of Diversifying PCB Industry Supply Chain
Read Chris Cain’s Latest Article: Maximum Usage to Improve Supply Chain Resiliency
Connect with Zach on LinkedIn
Full OnTrack Podcast Library
Altium Website
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Tuesday Oct 04, 2022
Tuesday Oct 04, 2022
Matt Kelly is the Chief Technologist at IPC. In this episode we will discuss all about the technological challenges the industry is facing. Matt will help us understand the “ecosystem” involving the semiconductor industry, advanced packaging, and IC substrates.
Check the show notes and additional resources below.
Show Highlights:
- Matt Kelly’s role as the Chief Technologist at IPC
- The Moore's Law is continuing, but it is economically becoming difficult to maintain, this has become the driving force behind heterogeneous integration
- What does the CHIPS Act really mean for manufacturers?
- Production of semiconductors is an expensive business–one fabrication infrastructure can cost an average of 20 billion dollars
- Matt stresses the need in the industry to use, and understand the “ecosystem” involving the semiconductor industry, advanced packaging, and IC substrates
- The US has a 20-year market leader, knowhow gap, weak sub-tier supply, skilled workforce shortage, and lack of raw materials
- The industry needs to spend time looking at the big picture, take the bigger messages, and convert them into actual change
- A significant shift in the workforce–PCB designers are a scarce commodity. In the near future, printed circuit board designers may have to double as IC substrate designers
- The global supply chain is alive and well, a change to a regional and global mindset is necessary to overcome most of the industry challenges
- Matt shares the same scenario with produce shoppers in the summertime, you try to buy your fresh fruits and vegetables locally from your local farmers or whatever, but yet you still go to the grocery store
- IPC’s focus is on increasing workforce skills development in the areas of design and assembly
- IPC is sponsoring the Advanced Packaging Symposium, Building the Substrate and Packaging Assembly Ecosystem in Washington, DC, on October 11th and 12th
Links and Resources:
Follow Matt Kelly on LinkedIn
Learn more about the IPC’s Advanced Packaging Symposium, Building the Substrate and Packaging Assembly Ecosystem
Watch related podcast episode:
The Benefits of Diversifying PCB Industry Supply Chain
IPC CEO John Mitchell on the Supporting American Printed Circuit Boards Act
What is in the PCB Bill?
Connect with Zach on LinkedIn
Full OnTrack Podcast Library
Altium Website
Claim the special offer for Podcast listeners only
Wednesday Aug 24, 2022
Wednesday Aug 24, 2022
In this episode, Representative Moore, one of the co-sponsors of H.R.7677, the Supporting American Printed Circuit Boards Act of 2022, will give us brief but insightful details about the bill.
Show Highlights:
- Representative Blake Moore explains the reasons behind the efforts to push the Supporting American Printed Circuit Boards Act of 2022
- Rep. Moore briefly touches on the topic of material sourcing and potential environmental challenges
- A potential roadblock concerning raw materials is overcoming challenges coming from the energy and commerce committee
- What is the ideal market share for the US in the PCB manufacturing industry?
- The CHIPS Act and defining industrial policy
- Initiatives in developing a qualified workforce that can fill the new manufacturing jobs and all of the other jobs that come along with it to support the industry
- Sign up for the Electronic Design to Delivery Index to help guide you through supply chain turmoil
Links and Resources:
Sign up for the Electronic Design to Delivery Index
Learn more about the Supporting American Printed Circuit Boards Act of 2022
Learn more about the CHIPS Act
Watch the related episodes:
Data Security, 5G and Onshore PCB Manufacturing with Dr. Rob Spalding
IPC CEO John Mitchell on the Supporting American Printed Circuit Boards Act
The Benefits of Diversifying PCB Industry Supply Chain
Full OnTrack Podcast Library
Altium Website
Get Your First Month of Altium Designer® for FREE
Tuesday Jun 28, 2022
Tuesday Jun 28, 2022
Supply chain security and having access to trusted manufacturers in the US would be an ideal outcome of the Printed Circuit Board Act.
IPC President and CEO John Michell talk about how the organization helps shape the current bipartisan proposal to help bring back PCB manufacturing in the US and how this can contribute to a globally resilient supply chain.
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Show Highlights:
- John Mitchell briefly talks about his background and dives right into the topic, the Supporting American Printed Circuit Boards Act
- John emphasizes the role of the IPC as the voice of the electronics industry
- Supply chain security and having more trusted PCB manufacturers in the US would be a great outcome of the Printed Circuit Board Act
- Adapting the existing legislation on manufacturing defense products to broader use, especially with electronics
- Raise awareness of the different aspects of the electronics supply chain shortages and other issues related to it
- Eradicate the notion that PCBs are just a piece of plastic, but an essential piece in every electronic
- The IPC's influence on shaping laws relating to the electronics
- John explains IPC's role and involvement, which includes solving industry problems related, but not limited to, the workforce, supply chain, and advanced packaging issues
- The IPC SEA Tools: Standards, Education, and Advocacy
- John stresses that having manufacturers in different regions is a key to a resilient supply chain
- Identify what electronic products to manufacture where
- The Printed Circuit Board is a 60 billion industry globally, and only 3-5% of volume comes from the US
- John explains the impact of the changing administrations in the US on the current progression of different bills and legislations relating to the electronic industry
Links and Resources:
Connect with John Mitchell on LinkedIn
Visit the IPC website here
Learn more about the Supporting American Printed Circuit Boards Act of 2022
Watch John Mitchell’s previous episodes:
- IPC CEO John Mitchell on the Impact of COVID-19 on the Electronics Supply Chain
- John Mitchell, CEO of IPC, Visits The White House to Participate in the Pledge to America’s Workers
Watch a recent related episode: The Benefits of Diversifying PCB Industry Supply Chain
Full OnTrack Podcast Library
Altium Website
Get Your First Month of Altium Designer® for FREE
Wednesday Jun 08, 2022
Wednesday Jun 08, 2022
To develop a resilient ecosystem, understanding the root cause of the PCB industry supply chain shortages is a must.
In this episode, Travis Kelly, president and CEO of Isola Group will help us understand what is going on with the current supply chain in the electronics industry. Travis will also give us his insight into the new legislation introduced in the US Congress: Bipartisan Bill to Bring Electronics Manufacturing to America and Strengthen Supply Chains.
Tune in, or listen on the go. Stay up to date with the latest discussion in the PCB Industry.
Altium 365: Where the World Designs Electronics
Watch the video, click here. t
Show Highlights:
- Travis's introduction and a brief overview of PCB manufacturing and fabrication in the United States
- About 20 years ago, the US produced roughly 26% of the world's PCBs; today, that number is down to 4%
- There used to be over 2000 fabricators in the late 1990s and early 2000 to less than 140 today
- What are the main drivers of the PCB industry supply chain shift?
- The industry recognizes the benefits of working in a global economy; Travis explained the need to diversify manufacturing capabilities in certain regions
- Identify what makes sense to have a robust supply chain domestically, e.g., 5G, 6G, medical, aerospace, obviously defense, banking infrastructures
- Travis stresses that there are ways to reduce the overall cost of PCB and electronics production and still manufacture domestically
- Looking at the entire ecosystem and pointing out vulnerabilities outside of just chips and advanced packaging, how to address each one?
- Focus on a balanced approach, not over-indexing; strategically, where does it make sense to build brick and mortar to have a resilient, robust, and trusted supply chain?
- What does it mean to bring manufacturing onshore?
- Building a strategic and competitive PCB industry ecosystem requires more than just automated facilities; it’s also essential to invest on:
- Workforce development – hiring and building up a talented workforce domestically
- Promote STEM in schools
- Create awareness of PCB industry design and manufacturing as part of the sought after career in tech
- Travis gives insight into the new legislation introduced in the US Congress: Bipartisan Bill to Bring Electronics Manufacturing to America and Strengthen Supply Chains
- He emphasizes the importance of understanding the root cost of the imbalanced supply chain vs. addressing just the symptoms
- Continue to educate the Whitehouse on understanding the issue extensively and not just focusing on the semiconductor shortages
- Considering the cost of the end products (for consumers) when navigating and drawing solutions
- The role of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America (PCBAA) in the industry: educate, advocate and legislate
Links and Resources:
Connect with Travis Kelly on LinkedIn
Follow PCBAA on LinkedIn
Visit Isola Group’s website
Eshoo & Moore Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Bring Electronics Manufacturing to America and Strengthen Supply Chains
Connect with Zach on LinkedIn
Full OnTrack Podcast Library
Altium Website
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Learn More about Altium Nexus
Altium 365: Where the World Designs Electronics
Tuesday May 31, 2022
Tuesday May 31, 2022
What is the current state of the electronic industry? Dan Schoenfelder joins us today to discuss the most extreme problems the PCB design industry is currently facing: supply shortages, particularly the semi-conductor products and microcontrollers.
Tune in, or listen on the go. Learn how to keep up with the industry challenges through Nexar and Octopart.
Altium 365: Where the World Designs Electronics
Show Highlights:
- Dan shares his background and role his role at Octopart and now as the Head of Nexar sales
- Problems with the supply chain continue; how are companies coping with the shortages in semi-conductor products and microcontrollers?
- What is lean manufacturing, and what drives an inflexible supply chain?
- The effect of the pandemic on manufacturing facilities is still very apparent and may continue through 2013
- Dan discusses the many benefits of utilizing Octopart to find and access electronic components data easily
- Octopart is the search engine for electronics and makes a great tool to integrate into PCB design workflows
- Dan shares Octopart’s new features, including the ability to filter and search by specs
- How does the Nexar API help with democratizing information in the electronics industry?
- Ability to obtain information through the Nexar API programmatically and incorporate that into native workflows inside the users’ businesses
- Nexar works with the RAI to ensure that all data collected can be trusted
- Dan talks about the Electronic Design to Delivery Index (EDDI), which is meant to provide users with free insight into what's happening in the electronic space in general
- Supply Chain Resilience tools – help designers build thoughtful designs and build BOMs (Bill of Materials) that are resilient to unforeseen challenges
- What’s coming next for Nexar?
Links and Resources:
Connect with Dan Schoenfelder on LinkedIn
Search electronic parts, visit Octopart.com
Design with the PCB Community, learn more about the Nexar ecosystem
Learn more about the Electronic Design to Delivery index (EDDI)
Watch Previous Episode with Dan Schoenfelder: Supply Chain Intelligence from Octopart
Connect with Zach on LinkedIn
Full OnTrack Podcast Library
Altium Website
Download your Altium Designer Free Trial
Learn More about Altium Nexus
Altium 365: Where the World Designs Electronics
Wednesday Apr 27, 2022
Wednesday Apr 27, 2022
In this episode, we are very pleased to have Dr. Rob Spalding. He is a retired Brigade General at the US Air Force and now the CEO of SEMPRE (Secure EMP-Resistant Edge), a tech company based in Washinton DC that provides military-grade 5G and high-performance edge computing infrastructure for telecom operators, first responders, government and enterprise customers.
Today, Rob and I will talk about all things security! Rob will tackle the importance of being proactive when it comes to protecting your data, and his advocacy to bring a better understanding of technology and innovation in Washington, DC (White House).
Altium 365: Where the World Designs Electronics
Show Highlights:
- Rob’s background and career before he became the CEO of SEMPRE
- What is SEMPRE? What are the problems it solves and the solutions it offers?
- Rob clarifies what’s written in his 5G report, which was taken out of context in 2018
- He emphasizes building enough spectrum into the network to take full advantage of the 5G technology
- Rob’s take on PCB manufacturing, and semiconductor manufacturing onshore
- Onshore manufacturing has its advantage in controlling and protecting intellectual property
- Most corporations are making decisions on the basis of, what's my margin?
- TSMC has built itself up to be the best chip company in the world because they own the manufacturing line
- Hardware-level security in base stations
- Ability to zerorize crypto–shutting infrastructure down, and shut that thing down physically destroy certain things
- SEMPRE uses FPGAs as a security advantage
- It's data that really drive value in the economy
- If we can’t protect our data, then we can't protect the integrity of who we are as individuals and who we are as a nation
- Rob demonstrates how vulnerable is the public from being spied on
- A recent survey reveals that there will be a talent shortage in the PCB design and manufacturing industry in the next 15 years
- Rob suggests allocation of budget to sponsor American kids through four-year degree programs in STEM
- During the Cold War, the US had initiated education for national security–a lot of scientists and engineers in the space race were educated through this initiative
- The advantages of bringing the manufacturing back to the US
Links and Resources:
Connect with Dr. Rob Spalding on LinkedIn
Visit SEMPRE website
Read about the shortage of talents in the PCB industry in 15 years: In an Unpredictable World, PCB DESIGN ENGINEERING Stays Steady
US Government Calls for Revitalizing American PCB Manufacturing
Connect with Zack on LinkedIn
Full OnTrack Podcast Library
Altium Website
Download your Altium Designer Free Trial
Learn More about Altium Nexus
Altium 365: Where the World Designs Electronics
Tuesday Jul 27, 2021
Tuesday Jul 27, 2021
“Engage your suppliers early on the design process” - Ed Becze
Everyone wants a lower price, and often the “real cost” is not realized until it’s too late. In this episode, Ed Becze of Pegmatis, a highly experienced R&D company with end-to-end product development capabilities, joins us to help start-ups and design engineers like you avoid electronic product development failures.
Altium 365: Where the World Designs Electronics
Watch the video, click here.
Show Highlights:
- Introduction and the interesting origin of Pegmatis’s company name
- Ed explains the foundation of a good product development process
- A thoughtful development plan mitigates risk early on—engage vendors and suppliers early on the design process (understand parts, availability, vendor capabilities aligned with your product)
- Holistic understanding of electronic product development: strategy, cost, and your design team’s experience level
- Start-up challenges, how to prevent failures:
- Understanding the risk of “development by demo”
- Address the lack of system-level design experience (use external expertise if needed)
- Don’t trust the data sheets—only 5% of chipset providers give adequate design rules to follow. The rest, you are on your own.
- Manufacturing test is absolutely critical—test equipment and test development are often overlooked
- Engage early on the design process. Ed stresses the benefits of nurturing your relationships with your vendors and manufacturers.
- Successful product development relies exclusively on your network—find capable vendors
- Supply chain intelligence, plan ahead when coping with supply challenges
- Cost reduction—do it, but follow the process that is within the constraints of what you intended to create.
- What are the costs of NOT thoughtfully designing? It’s huge! Money and time. Delays inTime to market are extremely expensive.
Links and Resources:
Pegmatis Website
Ed Becze on LinkedIn
Full OnTrack Podcast Library
Altium Website
Download your Altium Designer Free Trial