About this time each year, PCD&F conducts our annual readership survey. I want to thank all of you who took the time to respond. Over 900 readers (12.9% of those polled) submitted their thoughts on the topics covered in 2008 and suggested topics for 2009.

Responses came from a broad cross-section of readers. The largest group, with over 500 responses (56.8%), was the designers, including electrical engineers from different disciplines and design/layout practitioners. (Managers are not included in these numbers.) A whopping 64.5% work for OEMs, 10.5% for service bureaus and 9% are employed by both. The remaining 16% work for merchant and captive PCB fabricators, or are consultants, educators or other design supply-chain members.

Among designers, the columnists who speak the same language scored high grades. Over 90% indicated they regularly read the columns by Dr. Abe Riazi (Interconnect Strategies), Charles Pfeil (BGA Bulletin), Dr. Bruce Archambeault (EMC for the Real World) and Susy Webb (Tip Jar). About 83% also read the columns on business and fabrication topics.

In general, topics designers want covered range from layout and design techniques (95.7%) to PCB fabrication (69%). Over 95% of designers seek more coverage on emerging technologies, new products and processes, while 37.8% are looking for information on process improvement and quality issues. When we drill down to the specific topics, it gets very interesting. When asked about technical subjects, the topic with the highest level (72.3%) of interest for designers is DfM techniques, followed closely by high-speed/signal integrity/EMC design (68.6%) and PCB design basics (67.1%).

When asked about topical subjects, standards are at the top of everyone’s list. With a 66.7% response, it outpaced the next closest topic, lead-free manufacturing (45.6%). Environmental issues came in at 43.5% and education at 40.2%. Over 25% of you took the time to write in specific topics you would like to see covered in 2009. These topics and others were voted on at Designer Decision 2008, during PCB West. The six topics receiving the highest number of votes have been added to our editorial calendar for 2009. Review the winning topics at pcdandf.com/cms/designerdecision2008.

Fabricators let their voices be heard, too. And it comes as no surprise the columns with a fab focus are the ones most read by fabrication engineers, managers and supporting supply chain readers. Coming in at the top of the pack, Final Finish Forum; with rotating contributors Don Cullen, Jim Kenny and George Milad is read by 96.8% of those who work for fabricators. Positive Plating by Mike Carano and From the Field (company profiles) both scored an over 90% readership.

Predictably, PCB fabrication topics lead the way, with 81.6% of the fabricators wanting to read more on this topic. New products and processes, emerging technologies, process improvement and quality all came in over 50%. On technical topics, fabricators had high interest in topics covering laminate materials selection (66.9%), advanced technologies (66.9%) and final finishes (63.2%). Specific topics like drilling, imaging, lamination and plating also scored high, above 50%.

Fabricators were interested in design topics too. DfM and PCB design basics got high marks. Differing starkly from their design counterparts, for fabricators the No. 1 topical subject was the global PCB market (61%), followed closely by lead-free manufacturing (58.1%). Lead-free related topics including laminate selection, final finishes and design for lead-free manufacturing taken together were by far still something fabricator want to hear more about.

Your voices have been heard so look for your choices in the 2009 editorial coverage. There will be new columns and a few new approaches next year. Helping me will be latest addition, associate editor Margo Lakin. She recently joined Printed Circuit Design & Fab, having previously served as associate editor with Art & Antiques magazine. She has a bachelor’s in English and has worked as an editorial assistant with the Kennesaw (GA) University Press. Look for her coverage of news, products and industry issues in the coming months.

Finally, our sincere apologies to Dr. Hayao Nakahara and readers who had difficulties with Table 3 in the September cover story, “The NTI $100 Million Club.” Table 3 was printed with incorrect headlines. A corrected Table 3 can be found at pcdandf.com/cms/cms/content/view/5130/95/.