Printed Circuit Design & Fab Online Magazine

Best Practices

Stephen V. Chavez

Rigid-flex technology is redefining electronics design, merging flexibility with structural reliability.

Think of rigid-flex as the ultimate chameleon of circuit boards, seamlessly blending the robust stability of rigid boards with the dynamic flexibility of flexible circuits. This hybrid approach opens doors that rigid PCBs simply cannot, especially when it comes to adapting to shrinking envelopes that constantly constrain physical hardware configurations and challenge most engineering teams.

If you haven’t explored rigid-flex as a viable alternative solution, you might be missing out on a truly transformative tool in your engineering arsenal. What does rigid-flex enable that rigid PCB does not?

Read more: Why Rigid-Flex PCBs are an Untapped Design Solution

Stephen V. Chavez Securing PCB design collaboration through tiered access controls and secure cloud environments.

In today's interconnected world, engineering teams are increasingly global, collaborating across time zones and continents to bring complex products to market faster. This collaborative spirit, while driving innovation, introduces significant security challenges, particularly in sensitive fields like printed circuit board (PCB) design. Protecting intellectual property and customer data is paramount, demanding sophisticated solutions that balance accessibility with stringent security.

Read more: Navigating Collaboration and Confidentiality in PCB Design

Stephen Chavez Real-time breakdowns cost more than you think.

Before I get into how cloud-based collaboration is transforming PCB design workflows, allow me to paint a fictional example of a scenario where cloud collaboration was not implemented in a PCB flow, leading to costly mistakes and potential damage to industry reputation. Note that this example is a collage of real-world scenarios I’ve encountered throughout my career.

Read more: Cloud Collaboration: Avoiding PCB Design Chaos

Digital tools enhance collaborative problem-solving.

The PCB design team gathers in the conference room for its weekly project review, but the atmosphere is tense and somber. Everyone feels the pressure as they realize the project is not meeting the planned timelines. Stress is palpable in the room as colleagues exchange worried glances and fidget with their notebooks and pens.

Read more: Eliminating Silos in Electronic Systems Design