Log in
Skip to content
Main Navigation
Blogs
Products
All Products
Additive Manufacturing Software
Aprisa
Calibre IC Design & Manufacturing
Capital
Catchbook
Custom IC
Digital Logistics
EDA Consulting Services
Electronic Systems Design
Fibersim
Hardware Assisted Verification
HLS Design & Verification Blog
Insights Hub
JT
Mendix
NX Design
NX Industrial Electrical Design
NX Manufacturing
Opcenter
Pave360
PLM Components
Polarion
Questa
Semiconductor Packaging
Service Lifecycle Management
Simcenter
Solid Edge
Teamcenter
Teamcenter Manufacturing
Tecnomatix
Tessent Solutions
Valor
Industries
All Industries
Aerospace & Defense
Automotive & Transportation
Consumer Products & Retail
Electronics & Semiconductors
Energy & Utilities
Heavy Equipment
Industrial Machinery
Marine
Medical Devices & Pharmaceuticals
Podcasts
All Podcasts
3D IC
Additive Manufacturing Podcast
AI Spectrum
Bugged Out
Cloud Talk Today
Digital Powers Flexible: Consumer Products Podcast
Digital Transformation Podcast
Empowering Engineering Educators
Energy Transformation Podcast
Engineer Innovation Podcast
Engineering the Future Workforce
Model Based Matters
Next Generation Design Podcast
On the Move: A Siemens Automotive Podcast
Pioneers: Startups from Dreams to Reality
Printed Circuit Podcast
Security by Design
Talking Aerospace Today Podcast
The Battery Podcast
The Digital Dig - A Siemens Heavy Equipment Podcast
The Industry Forward Podcast
The Marine Industry Podcast Series
The Voice of Smart Digital Manufacturing Podcast
Where Today Meets Tomorrow Podcast
German only Podcasts
Machinenbau Talk
Thought Leadership
All Thought Leadership
Digital Transformation
Embedded Software
Expert Insights
Simulating the Real World
The Art of the Possible
Thought Leadership
Verification Horizons
Corporate
All Corporate
Academic and Future Workforce
AWS Partnership
Corporate Blog
Cre8Ventures (Siemens EDA)
EDA Support Blogs
Employee Spotlight
Partners
Realize LIVE
Siemens Xcelerator Academy
Siemens Xcelerator Software for Industry
Small & Medium Business
Xcelerator for Startups Videos
Community
Home
Products
John McMillan
Xpedition® VX.2.11 is now available for download!
March 22, 2022
Before you read on, a newer version of Xpedition is now available. To learn more, visit the VX.2.12 product highlights...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
CONNECT – For PADS Professional
February 1, 2022
Going beyond your desktop workspace and seamlessly collaborating with teammates and partners worldwide in a secure cloud environment just got...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
New 3D IC Podcast Launch
January 31, 2022
NEW PODCAST – We’re excited to announce the launch of our new podcast dedicated to 3D IC! Join me as...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Stoneridge: Addressing Digital Transformation with Xpedition Enterprise
October 25, 2021
Stoneridge’s global engineering team wanted to standardize their electronic systems engineering platform and evaluated enterprise ECAD systems to meet this...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
NEPES partners with Siemens to streamline its advanced wafer-level IC Packaging wafer map mask creation process
August 23, 2021
Siemens’ Xpedition Package Designer automates a manual error prone process saving days of effort and reducing risk Seoul, South Korea.,...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Model and Simulate LED Dimmer Circuits in the SystemVision Cloud!
January 14, 2021
Have you ever wondered how to dim an LED? Well now is your chance to try it! No matter if...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
What’s New in HyperLynx® – VX.2.8
November 25, 2020
Check out what’s new in the latest VX.2.8 release of HyperLynx – the industry’s complete family of analysis tools for...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Accelerate Design With Integrated FPGA-PCB I/O Co-Design
July 27, 2020
Did you know that a PCB design tool flow with FPGA I/O Optimizer technology eliminates the barriers between FPGA and...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
How RF Laboratories Drives Design Constraints in PADS Professional
June 30, 2020
Designing electronic products with capabilities geared for the Internet of Things (IoT) is no longer the exception. It is the...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
7 Ways PCB Designers Can Improve Productivity While Working from Home
April 24, 2020
Working from home, optional or not, does have its unique set of challenges. Technology companies are racing to enable customers...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Test Point Placement Enhancement in PADS® Professional VX.2.7
April 21, 2020
The new release of PADS Professional VX.2.7 is now available for download. This release is enhanced with many new features...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Schematic Capture Enhancements in Xpedition® – VX.2.7
April 21, 2020
The latest release of Xpedition® VX.2.7 is enhanced with many new Schematic Capture features that improve both product usability and...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Layout Enhancements in PADS® Professional VX.2.7
April 14, 2020
The new release of PADS Professional VX.2.7 is now available for download. This release is enhanced with many new features...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Layout Enhancements in Xpedition® – VX.2.7
April 14, 2020
The latest release of Xpedition® VX.2.7 is enhanced with many new Layout features that improve both product usability and efficiency....
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Usability Enhancements to Schematic Capture in PADS Professional VX.2.7
April 7, 2020
The new release of PADS Professional VX.2.7 is now available for download. This release is enhanced with many new features...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
What’s New in Xpedition® IC Packaging Design for VX 2.7
April 3, 2020
Mentor’s Xpedition® IC Packaging design tools bridge the gap between engineering teams for IC layout, package substrate design, and PCB...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
What’s New in HyperLynx® VX 2.7
March 24, 2020
HyperLynx is industry-renowned for ease of use, with automated workflows that make sophisticated analysis accessible to designers new to power...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PADS Professional VX.2.7 is Now Available!
March 17, 2020
Before you read on, a newer version of PADS Professional is now available. To learn more, visit the product release...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
What’s New in Xpedition VX.2.7
March 11, 2020
The latest release of Xpedition® VX.2.7 is now available for download! Xpedition® Enterprise is the industry’s most innovative PCB design...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
7 Questions Every Engineering Manager Should Ask Their PCB Design Teams Today
February 5, 2020
Your answers to these 7 questions may very well change the way you’re designing PCB’s today. We don’t know what...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
10 Things You Must Consider in Your PCB Design Tool Choice
January 14, 2020
The most recent Aberdeen Study revealed that the top pressures to improve PCB design included; Market demand for lower cost...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Multi-trace Routing – A New Era in PCB Routing Acceleration
January 2, 2020
High-speed multi-trace routing empowers PCB designers to reduce layout time, costly rework and time delays on complex PCB’s. With these...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
New Podcast – Year 2019 in Review and Looking Ahead to 2020
December 24, 2019
Wow! 2020 is just around the corner. In this special year end podcast I reflect on technology not just over...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Whats New in Xpedition VX.2.6 – Design Verification
October 7, 2019
In the previous What’s New in Xpedition VX.2.6 blog post I presented some of the new Layout functionality that is...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Whats New in Xpedition VX.2.6 – Layout
October 4, 2019
In the previous What’s New in Xpedition VX.2.6 blog post I presented the new Data Management functionality that is available...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Whats New in Xpedition VX.2.6 – Data Management
October 1, 2019
In the previous What’s New in Xpedition VX.2.6 blog post I presented the new FPGA/PCB Co-Design functionality that is available...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Whats New in Xpedition VX.2.6 – FPGA/PCB Co-Design
September 26, 2019
In the previous What’s New in Xpedition VX.2.6 blog post I presented the new Schematic Capture functionality that is available...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Whats New in Xpedition VX.2.6 – Schematic Capture
September 24, 2019
In the previous What’s New in Xpedition VX.2.6 blog post I presented the new Multi Board Systems functionality that is...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Whats New in Xpedition VX.2.6 – Multi-board Systems Design
September 17, 2019
In the first What’s New in Xpedition VX.2.6 blog post I announced the latest releases of Xpedition Layout and Xpedition Team...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
What’s New in Xpedition VX.2.6
September 12, 2019
The latest release of Xpedition® VX.2.6 is now available for download! Xpedition® Enterprise is the industry’s most innovative PCB design...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Podcast Downloads Span the Globe!
July 11, 2019
With half of 2019 in the books I think its a great time to share our 1st half results for...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
What Performance Class is Your PCB?
July 3, 2019
For this answer we’ll refer to IPC-2221B. There are three general classes that have been established to reflect progressive increases...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
IPC-7351 and other PCB Design Standards
June 21, 2019
I’ve been in the PCB design industry for more than 35 years now. One of the great things about working...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
10 PCB Design Tool Accelerators That Get Your Products To Market Faster
May 31, 2019
Is your current PCB design tool actually costing you time and money? Fact is, today there are powerful modern design...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Being Social in EDA Helps you Learn, Engage, and Connect!
May 14, 2019
Are you missing out? If you aren’t in the half of the world’s population that is using social media platforms...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
What’s New in Xpedition VX.2.5?
March 27, 2019
The latest release of Xpedition® Enterprise, VX.2.5, is now available for download! The VX.2.5 release delivers new and improved features...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
After the Webinar Podcast – MCAD Collaboration and Co-design
January 30, 2019
Last weeks MCAD Collaboration and Co-design Webinar was a hit! What MCAD tools are supported? – Where do the 3D...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Still Leaving Your Electronic Products Assembly to Chance?
January 11, 2019
Did you know that poor or lack of electro-mechanical co-design processes, account for projects missing their time to market and...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Game Changers in Electronic Product Design – PCB Tech Talk
January 2, 2019
GAME CHANGERS. Today, designing printed circuit boards in 3D is not the exception – it’s the norm. The same can...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Students at electronica Win Great Prizes Sponsored by Mentor and SparkFun!
November 28, 2018
Hundreds took part and nine lucky students attending Student Day at electronica 2018 in Munich won prizes sponsored by Mentor...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Electronica 2018: Mentor showcases shift-left technologies and “sparks” the fun on Student Day!
November 20, 2018
Q: What takes place in Munich Germany every 2 years, is 4 days long and draws more than 80,000 attendees...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
What’s New in Xpedition VX.2.4 – Design Verification
October 11, 2018
In the previous What’s New in Xpedition VX.2.4 blog post, I reviewed the new Layout functionality that is available in...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
What’s New in Xpedition VX.2.4 – Layout
October 5, 2018
In the previous What’s New in Xpedition VX.2.4 blog post, I reviewed the new System Design functionality that is available...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
What’s New in Xpedition VX.2.4 – System Design
September 28, 2018
In the previous What’s New in Xpedition VX.2.4 blog post, I reviewed the new Data Management functionality that is available...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
What’s New in Xpedition VX.2.4 – Data Management
September 25, 2018
In the first What’s New in Xpedition VX.2.4 blog post I announced that this release provides innovative technologies that recognize the...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
What’s New in Xpedition VX.2.4?
September 17, 2018
The latest release of Xpedition® Enterprise, VX.2.4, is now available for download! The VX.2.4 release provides innovative technologies that recognize...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Multi-Domain Collaboration in the Digital Enterprise
August 30, 2018
System-level product optimization requires that teams across all disciplines of product development collaborate efficiently; this includes the mechanical, electronic, and...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Eliminate Design Spins Through Early Validation in the Digital Domain
August 13, 2018
Increasing performance requirements, coupled with pressure to improve product quality, are driving engineering teams to consider alternatives to their current...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Optimizing Engineering Team Efficiency in the Face of Increasing Product Complexity
August 3, 2018
Engineering team efficiency is inversely related to the complexity of the designed product and size of the team. With increasing...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Accelerate Development Through Digitalization of Design Data
July 18, 2018
In the rapid-fire process of complex electronics development, it’s easy to lose track of design data versions and possibly outdated...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Tech Talk Podcast: Is Pre-Layout Schematic Verification Possible?
June 21, 2018
Is design verification at the schematic level, before you take any steps into the PCB layout phase in the PCB...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Tech Talk Podcast: Is Pre-Layout Schematic Verification Possible?
June 21, 2018
Is design verification at the schematic level, before you take any steps into the PCB layout phase in the PCB...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Forums – Times They Are A-Changin’
June 5, 2018
Want to know what terms like left-shift, digitalization and transformative development have to do with PCB design? Then you’ll want...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Here’s What’s New in PADS Professional
May 15, 2018
PADS Professional VX.2.3 release is packed with new features as well as performance and quality enhancements including: Rigid-Flex Constraint manager...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Tech Talk Podcast: Evolving and Emerging Technologies
April 14, 2018
In the age of the Internet of Things (IoT), ‘smart’ technologies have gone far beyond phones, enhancing products in all...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Tech Talk Podcast: Evolving and Emerging Technologies
April 14, 2018
In the age of the Internet of Things (IoT), ‘smart’ technologies have gone far beyond phones, enhancing products in all...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Here’s What’s New in PADS Standard and Standard Plus
April 10, 2018
PADS VX.2.3 release many performance and quality enhancements for PADS Standard and PADS Standard Plus including: 3D model handling Dynamic...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Tech Talk Podcast: Can Electrical Sign-off be Automated?
March 19, 2018
Dive into the world of Electrical Sign-off using automated Design Rule Checking. Learn how implementing this process can help reduce...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Tech Talk Podcast: Can Electrical Sign-off be Automated?
March 19, 2018
Electrical sign-off has become, more than ever, a critical part of the PCB design process. Manually doing this, as has...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Tech Talk Podcast: 7 Habits of Highly Efficient PCB Designers
March 5, 2018
Designing a PCB is similar to a complex puzzle, except there’s no picture on the box to follow. Every step...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Tech Talk Podcast: PCB Design Accelerators
February 12, 2018
Are you taking advantage of these PCB design accelerators? Are you taking steps to reduce your PCB design cycle and...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Engineer’s Guide to Successful DDR Bus Design
February 6, 2018
Designing high-speed DRAM DDR memory busses can be stressful. While the schematic design for such busses may amount to simply...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Behind the TLA Winners: Yanfeng Visteon Electronics Technology
January 29, 2018
This is the ninth in a series of blog posts showcasing the winning designs from the 27th Annual PCB Technology...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Behind the TLA Winners: Coriant Oy
January 16, 2018
This is the eighth in a series of blog posts showcasing the winning designs from the 27th Annual PCB Technology...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Behind the TLA Winners: Altice Labs
January 15, 2018
This is the seventh in a series of blog posts showcasing the winning designs from the 27th Annual PCB Technology...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Behind the TLA Winners: Thales Alenia Space
January 3, 2018
This is the sixth in a series of blog posts showcasing the winning designs from the 27th Annual PCB Technology...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Behind the TLA Winners: Curtiss-Wright
December 28, 2017
This is the fifth in a series of blog posts showcasing the winning designs from the 27th Annual PCB Technology...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Behind the TLA Winners: mindray
December 21, 2017
This is the forth in a series of blog posts showcasing the winning designs from the 27th Annual PCB Technology...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Carolina 2017 – Another record breaking year!
November 16, 2017
This year’s PCB Carolina electronics show was once again held at the McKimmon Center on November 8th at NC State...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
7 Habits of Highly Efficient PCB Designers
October 16, 2017
Every step taken during the printed circuit board (PCB) design process is taken purposefully. PCB’s are essentially complex puzzles where...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Designing PCB’s for IoT – Part 5: Manufacturing and Assembly
July 31, 2017
This is Part 5 in a 5-part blog series examining the unique aspects of IoT PCB design. Previous posts are...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Designing PCB’s for IoT – Part 4: Schematic and Layout
July 18, 2017
This is Part 4 in a blog series examining the unique aspects of IoT PCB design. Click here to read...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Designing PCB’s for IoT – Part 3: IoT Design Form, Fit and Function
June 12, 2017
This is Part 3 in a blog series examining the unique aspects of IoT PCB design. Click here to read...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
A Day at Maker Faire Bay Area 2017
June 5, 2017
Maker Faire Bay Area 2017 in San Mateo did not disappoint! Makers from all over the US and beyond displayed...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
It’s okay to BRAG! The PCB Technology Leadership Awards Are Here!
April 17, 2017
We’ve all dealt with one of “those” designs. You know, that design with the unrealistic schedule or the impossible to...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Designing PCB’s for IoT – Part 2: IoT Design Domains
April 5, 2017
This is Part 2 in a blog series examining the unique aspects of IoT PCB design. Click here to read...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Designing PCB’s for IoT – Part 1: IoT Everywhere
February 8, 2017
A recent IHS report forecasted that the IoT market will grow from an installed base of 15.4 billion devices in...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Eliminating PCB Performance Pitfalls Prior to Fabrication
November 17, 2016
Getting your newest PCB design back from fabrication is always exciting for an engineer. We are anxious to get the...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
American Ninjas Take on the Circuit Board
August 2, 2016
American Ninja Warrior is an annual sports entertainment spin-off of the Japanese television series Sasuke. It features hundreds of serious athletic competitors that...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Accelerating Product Creation with PADS User-Centric Ecosystem
July 19, 2016
Designing within the PCB design ecosystem on a single platform ensures that designs are robust, reliable, and can achieve first-pass...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
The PCB Design Ecosystem = Unified Tools
June 28, 2016
Access to design IP and collaboration is key to meeting the needs of engineers in the electronics product design ecosystem....
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Interactive Wearables: From Taylor Swift to the Stanley Cup!
June 23, 2016
If you’ve been to a major concert lately, or perhaps watched the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup finals you’ve either worn...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
The PCB Design Ecosystem
June 14, 2016
In printed circuit board (pcb) design, a product creation ecosystem enables engineers to address the nuances of design early and...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Chicken Dots, Mouse Bites and Jellybeans
April 28, 2016
Folks that have been around PCB design for many years or just a few have used many terms and descriptions...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Now we’re talking!
April 18, 2016
We are all aware of the importance of networking both personally and professionally. Networking with your peers within an online...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Tech Talk: DFM Analysis
April 4, 2016
Engineers, PCB designers, business execs, and even marketing and sales teams all understand the value in both time and cost...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
DFMA – Integrated DFM Analysis in PADS
March 22, 2016
In my previous posts in this series (DFMA – Preparing for the best! and DFMA – PCB Fabrication Success by Design), I...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
DFMA – PCB Fabrication Success by Design
March 14, 2016
In my last post, DFMA – Preparing for the best! I wrote about my recent article in PCD&F entitled 6...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
DFMA – Preparing for the Best!
March 7, 2016
PCB designers work on a budget for both time and costs. We can’t afford time delays that come from poor...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Search, select, and place components quickly with PartQuest
March 1, 2016
PartQuest enables designers to get product designs off to a fast start with access to more than 680,000 manufacturer parts...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
It’s Engineers Week!
February 24, 2016
When I was a kid I remember being impressed by how quickly new technologies seemed to come about. To me,...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Tech Talk Podcast: Bridging the Gap between ECAD and MCAD
February 18, 2016
Where does collaboration with MCAD fit into your PCB design flow? Are you still encountering communication barriers between electrical and...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Real ECAD/MCAD collaboration supports multiple MCAD tools – not just one
February 8, 2016
Do you remember the old days of exporting and importing DXF files to ensure that the printed circuit board mates...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Tech Talk Podcast: EDA Industry Update + Giveaway
January 19, 2016
In this podcast episode, I talk about EDA industry updates including cool gadgets, 2016 technology and EDA events, EDA industry news,...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Tech the Halls! 3 Gadgets that Stood Out the Most
December 30, 2015
The gifts are all exchanged, the Christmas tree is getting dry and the weather here in North Carolina feels more...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Tech Talk Podcast: PCB Industry Design Trends and Challenges
December 23, 2015
Listen in as guest David Wiens and I discuss PCB design industry trends over the years and new trends and challenges...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
2015 PADS Blog Highlights
December 18, 2015
2015 was another very busy and exciting year for PADS! Here is a look back at the top three PADS...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Tech Talk Podcast: Key Advantages of 3D PCB Layout
November 23, 2015
Having a 3D view in PCB design tools is not new. However, 3D capabilities have greatly evolved over the past...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Carolina 2015 – Raleigh NC
November 23, 2015
2015 was another record-breaking year at PCB Carolina, the premier PCB design and fabrication conference in the Southeastern U.S. The...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
5 Key Advantages of 3D PCB Layout
November 9, 2015
Having a 3D view in PCB design tools is not new. However, 3D capabilities have greatly evolved over the past...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Tech Talk Podcast: Addressing Your Comments and Questions on the Aging PCB Design Workforce
November 1, 2015
We received a lot of great feedback from listeners regarding the question proposed in episode three about whether or...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Record-breaking Engineering Career Fair
October 7, 2015
The annual NCSU College of Engineering Career Fair was the place to be on September 30. Held specifically for engineering...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Edison Bulbs VS. LED: is vintage IN and high-tech OUT?
September 30, 2015
The big box home improvement stores in my local shopping centers all have the same view upon entering those big...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Tech Talk Podcast: PCB Design Trends and How to Enter the Technology Leadership Awards
September 24, 2015
In the fourth episode of PCB Tech Talk, I speak with special guest, David Wiens (Business Development Manager, System Design...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
26th Annual Technology Leadership Awards
September 18, 2015
Started in 1988, the Technology Leadership Awards (TLAs) is the longest running competition of its kind in the Electronic Design...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Elvis Presley: a technology early adopter?
September 16, 2015
Elvis is famous for many reasons: his music, his movies, and his moves. But, have you ever considered Elvis as an...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Tech Talk: now available on iTunes!
September 14, 2015
All PCB Tech Talk podcast episodes are now available on iTunes! Search “PCB Tech Talk” in iTunes or the Podcasts...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
The Schematic that Revolutionized London
September 4, 2015
London is known for its historic and very extensive underground tube. Londoners found that the original maps of the underground...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Tech Talk Podcast: Are PCB designers becoming an endangered species?
August 27, 2015
In this episode, I talk about the PCB design profession and, perhaps, bust the myth that PCB designers are quickly...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Tech Talk Podcast: The Foundation for Every PCB
August 17, 2015
Ask any PCB designer what the foundation or building blocks are for printed circuit board designs and you’ll get the...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Design Then and Now
July 14, 2015
It’s hard to believe that nearly three decades have past since I designed my first printed circuit boards. I can...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Exercising Your Options
June 29, 2015
Is it true that the bigger the company you work for – the less aspects of the PCB design flow...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Setting the Standard for PCB Design Tool Solutions
June 19, 2015
No matter if you are part of a small team focusing on just one aspect of the PCB design flow...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Announcing the PCB Tech Talk Podcast!
June 15, 2015
Today I’m excited to announce a new podcast – PCB Tech Talk! In the first episode I talk about a...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
4 Component Library White Papers that You’ll Keep on File!
June 6, 2015
If you’re a PCB Librarian, PCB Designer, ECAD Engineer, NPIE, new to PCB design, involved in PCB manufacturing or anywhere...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
2015 PADS World Tour: Built for the Challenge
May 13, 2015
Attention Electrical Engineers, PCB Designers and Managers. EVENT: 2015 PADS® World Tour – “Built for the Challenge” – will explore...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PADS @5K – Proven Technology at an Unbeatable Price!
April 22, 2015
If you are looking for an affordable full-flow PCB design environment – look no further than PADS Standard. Priced at...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
BeagleBone Black – Free PADS Reference Design Data
April 8, 2015
This FREE BeagleBone Black data provides the hobbyist/maker community and beyond with PADS reference design data to work with, take...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
QFNs – CAD Library Series: Part 4
March 19, 2015
In the 4th of this 4 part whitepaper series dedicated to CAD library quality, we’ll describe each aspect to consider...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
BGAs – CAD Library Series: Part 3
March 11, 2015
In part 3 of this a 4 part whitepaper series dedicated to CAD library quality, we’ll describe each aspect to...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
SOT Components – CAD Library Series: Part 2
March 4, 2015
In part 2 of this 4 part CAD library white paper series we cover Small Outline Transistor (SOT) components. As...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Molded Body Parts: CAD Library Series: Part 1
February 24, 2015
The CAD Library White Paper Series: Part 1 – Molded Body Parts The CAD library is the starting point that...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Now Available – Unlimited connections with Designer premium editions!
January 23, 2015
New Designer premium editions with unlimited connections are now available on DigiKey.com! Thats right!, our EDN 2014 “Hot 100” award...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Cool Earth Solar powers up designs with PADS
January 14, 2015
Cool Earth Solar designs and develops solar products to reduce the world’s dependence on fossil fuels. The company has created...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PCB Design Archiving – 6 Key Areas of Functionality
January 5, 2015
Long gone are the days of manually backing up and archiving PCB design data or running scripts or routines that...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
2014 In Review – PADS Highlights
December 29, 2014
2014 was a very busy and exciting year for PADS. Here is a look back at the top 3 PADS...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
NASA Wins Mentor Technology Leadership Award With PADS!
December 11, 2014
Congratulations to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, United States Category: Military & Aerospace – End Product: Spacecube Processor DESIGN TEAM: Dave...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Touch Screen Use in PCB Design?
December 9, 2014
PCB design engineers have had the front row seat to the evolution of touch screen technologies. In this HMI (human...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
7 PCB SILKSCREEN QUICK TIPS – White paper
November 30, 2014
Today, it’s hard to imagine a GPS that doesn’t list landmarks, street names, or even exit numbers. Every bit of...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
3D Printers for Printed Circuit Boards!
November 19, 2014
Technology companies have been using 3D printers for years now for everything from rapid prototypes, product development and data visualization. Models...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Standing Room Only @PCBCarolina 2014
November 12, 2014
Raleigh, NC — The premier show for printed circuit board design and manufacturing in the Southeast, PCB Carolina Conference & Exhibition, returned...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
See you at ‘PCB Carolina 2014’ in Raleigh NC on Nov. 5th!
October 22, 2014
If you’ve never attended the PCB Carolina electronics trade show – you have been missing out! This FREE event will...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
EE Journal – Chalk Talk Videos “Show and Tell” It Like It Is !
October 13, 2014
Hosted by EE Journal’s Amelia Dalton, this PADS Chalk Talk series of webcasts delivers an informative and engaging question-and-answer session with...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
FREE White paper: 100 Ways to Ensure DFM Optimization in Your Desktop PCB Design Process
October 8, 2014
In today’s competitive marketplace companies cannot afford to have PCB production delayed because of slivers, unintended copper exposed by soldermask,...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
‘Tis The Season! – For College Engineering Career Fairs
October 1, 2014
This week I had the pleasure of meeting and talking with engineering students along with our recruiting staff at the...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
pads – Customer Story Series: Bella AG
September 17, 2014
“Most cattle are healthy most of the time; it’s the ones that aren’t that you need to know about.”...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
How to get your FREE PADS® libraries!
September 13, 2014
The foundation of every PCB design is its libraries. And we all know that PCB designers and Librarians can spend...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Want to be in the PADS Customer Spotlight?
September 9, 2014
Hello PADS users ! For us, nothing is more important than our customers’ continued success. When we hear about the...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PADS VX Event: Video Roundtable – Sept. 9
September 3, 2014
You sent in the questions – Now lets get the answers ! Join me September 9, 2014 for our first...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Attention PADS users – Submit your design today!
August 19, 2014
PADS Users – Now Open for 2014! It’s time to show-off your stuff in the most prestigious contest in PCB,...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
GET THE FREE – EIGHT STEPS FOR ENSURING PCB DESIGN SUCCESS – WHITE PAPER
August 15, 2014
Printed circuit boards are the backbone of electronics products, providing the electrical system upon which the performance, life span, and...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Beyond the vault: PADS Archive Management
August 7, 2014
The days of manually backing-up PCB design data or running a script that bundles-up a targeted set of design files...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PADS Logic vs. xDX Designer? – When YOUR Use Case Changes
August 4, 2014
Since the release of PADS VX there have been some great questions regarding the integrated project use of xDX Designer...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
How Constraint Management Optimizes PCB Design
July 16, 2014
As a follow-up to my recent article in Printed Circuit Design & Fab; pcdandf.com, entitled; Effectively Managing PCB Design Constraints,...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
The PCB Design Flow of the Future
July 1, 2014
Back in the mid-80’s when I first started hand-taping PCB designs 2:1 on mylar, it was pretty clear that printed...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
How the Free Land Pattern Creator in PADS will save you time! : Part 5 – I’m Answering Your Questions!
June 19, 2014
As stated in my LPC Part 4 vBlog, Part 5 is dedicated to answering your LP Creator questions. Parts 1,...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Vblog ! How the Free Land Pattern Creator in PADS will save you time!: Part 4
June 2, 2014
This is the 4th of my 5-part blog series focusing on cool features, tips and tricks that will enable you...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Don’t miss this Free Web Seminar on how to shorten PCB design time with PADS real-time data synchronization and integration
May 23, 2014
Are you tired of having to undo days of work and upload new ASCII files whenever the engineer “tweaks” the...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
How the Free Land Pattern Creator in PADS will save you time! : Part 3
May 20, 2014
This is the 3rd of my 5-part blog series focusing on cool features, tips and tricks that will enable you...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
How the Free Land Pattern Creator in PADS will save you time! : Part 2
May 9, 2014
This is the 2nd of my 5-part blog series focusing on fun facts, tips and tricks that will enable you...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
How the Free Land Pattern Creator in PADS will save you time! : Part 1
May 1, 2014
In this 5-part blog series I’ll focus on cool features and tips and tricks that will enable you to get...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
TechValidate surveys PADS users – Collects more than 30 Case Studies
April 2, 2014
TechValidate, an independent third-party survey company, recently surveyed over 15000 verified PADS users with real-world questions about their PADS experiences....
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Webinar – PADS Advanced Library Capabilities Accelerate the PCB Design Cycle
March 28, 2014
Successful PCB designs start with your library. You can’t afford to spend hours in library development and management! With the...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
PADS.com: it all starts here!
March 21, 2014
We are very excited to announce the launch of our new PADS.com website. This new site is focused on making...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Save the Date! PADS VX Release World Tour
March 17, 2014
PADS VX Release Worldwide Seminar Tour | March 19 – April 11 Register Now to join one of our free half day...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Less Is More! Fewer Prototypes Equals More Savings!
February 27, 2014
Are you using a Best-In-Class design flow? An Aberdeen study entitled” Why Printed Circuit Board Design Matters to the Executive:...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
Finding EDA in social mEDiA
February 14, 2014
I’ve read several articles over the past few years that explore what the fit for social media outlets like Twitter,...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
The Votes are in.. and the Winner is…
January 27, 2014
Thanks to everyone that responded to our “ECAD or MCAD, one giant “STEP” for Design-Kind” poll last week online and...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
ECAD or MCAD, one giant “STEP” for Design-Kind…
January 7, 2014
I’ve had a great time leading the EDMD Collaboration team over this past year and l’m looking forward to presenting...
By John McMillan
< 1
MIN READ
