WILSONVILLE, OR - Mentor Graphics Corporation announced a call-for-entries for its 20th annual Technology Leadership Awards competition. The competition recognizes engineers and computer aided design (CAD) designers who use Mentor tools to address complex PCB systems design challenges and produce industry-leading products.

Entries can be submitted from January 10th through March 14, 2008. Entrants can apply online at www.mentor.com/go/tla. Judging will be based on overcoming complexity challenges, such as small form factor, high-speed content, design team collaboration, advanced PCB fabrication technologies and design-cycle time reduction. Judging will start in mid-March and winners will be announced at the PCB Design Conference East, Tinley Park, IL in May 11-16, 2008.

PCB industry experts will judge the contest. This year’s judges include Happy Holden, senior technology specialist of Mentor Graphics; Gary Ferrari, technical support director, FTG Circuits; Pete Waddell, vice president of UP Media, publisher of Printed Circuit Designs & Fab Magazine; and Rick Hartley, senior principal engineer, avionics division of  L-3 Communications.

Entrants can submit their design accomplishments in any of six categories representing a wide variety of industries:

·        PC computers and peripherals

·        Consumer electronics and handhelds

·        Industrial control, instrumentation, security and medical

·        Military and aerospace

·        Telecom switches, network servers, base stations and computer mainframes

·        Transportation and automotive

“Mentor Graphics is committed to the PCB systems design community, and our PCB Technology Leadership Awards contest provides the opportunity to showcase the most innovative and talented designers worldwide,” said Henry Potts, vice president and general manager, systems design division, Mentor Graphics. “The program continues to attract the most skilled users of our PCB systems design tools and Mentor expects this year’s competition to be bigger than ever with entries from virtually all the major electronics countries in the world.”