Breaking barriers: how two women are redefining PCB design through ECAD/MCAD collaboration

By Stephen V. Chavez

Can seamless ECAD/MCAD collaboration revolutionize your PCB designs? How can women in engineering shape this bright future and lead the charge in challenging industry norms?

I’m your host, Steph Chavez, and in this episode, we take a deep dive into the world of ECAD/MCAD collaboration with industry experts Charlene McCauley and Terrie Duffy. They share their vast experience working on complex PCB designs for major companies like Dell, highlighting the importance of seamless integration between electrical and mechanical design.

Charlene and Terrie also reflect on their journeys as women in the traditionally male-dominated field of engineering. They talk about their efforts to mentor the next generation of engineers, and they emphasize the growing opportunities for women in PCB design and engineering.

This episode is packed with insights on overcoming design challenges, the evolution of collaboration tools, and inspiring stories about breaking barriers in the engineering world.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

The importance of communication in PCB design (06:05)
Deciding to integrate ECAD/MCAD in PCB design (06:40)
Is PCB design possible without MCAD collaboration? (09:55)
Examples of how ECAD/MCAD collaboration improved the design cycle (12:20)
The types of data exchange formats that are used, i.e., IDX, DXF IDF, EMN (14:45)
Advice to the new generation of engineers, especially women (17:50)