OnTrack: The PCB Design Podcast

By Altium LLC.

The PCB Design Podcast features conversations on all facets of PCB Design and Hardware Development... more

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FAQs about OnTrack: The PCB Design Podcast:

How many episodes does OnTrack: The PCB Design Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 297 episodes available.

OnTrack: The PCB Design Podcast episodes:

August 02, 2023Stopping the Infiltration of Counterfeit Hardware through AI
We are very fortunate to have Dr. Eyal Weiss for today’s episode. He is the CTO and founder of Cybord, an AI tool for detecting counterfeit hardware and electrical components.
This is a very exciting conversation. We will talk about a better, practical applications of AI in the electronics industry, outside of design.
Watch through the end and make sure to check all the additional links and resources below.
Watch the episode here.
Show Highlights:
Introduction to Dr. Eyal Weiss, CTO and founder of Cybord an AI tool for detecting counterfeit hardware and components
Dr. Eyal Weiss's company is using AI-based component inspection services to detect counterfeits and ensure component quality.
The system utilizes images of individual components taken during the placement process, leveraging big data and deep learning technology.
The software integrates seamlessly with existing pick-and-place machines' internal vision systems, making it a plug-and-play solution.
AI plays a crucial role in understanding and processing the vast diversity of component types, enabling accurate identification and fingerprinting of individual components.
Most component failures are due to component-level issues, not board-level failures, making it crucial to focus on component quality.
The traditional industry approach treats components as bulks, similar to handling grains, without addressing them individually.
AI and big data technology now enable the ability to address components as individuals, allowing for better traceability and targeted recalls.
Dr. Eyal Weiss's company uses AI and image analysis to examine individual components, providing detailed information about quality, authenticity, and potential defects.
By analyzing individual components using AI-based inspection, manufacturers can conduct more targeted and efficient recalls based on specific fingerprint information.
AI-driven analysis can also identify mismatches in traceability information, preventing wrong recalls and improving recall precision by targeting smaller groups of components.
The AI system uses image recognition and natural language processing to interpret component markings and extract relevant data for traceability.
The individual component level traceability is recommended in the latest IPC standard (IPC-1782B) and can provide the highest level of traceability with minimal additional cost.
The AI system's feedback allows OEMs and CMs to improve their processes and make informed decisions on recalls, ensuring a win-win situation for both parties.
Dr. Weiss wishes everyone success and a lifetime of no recalls ;)
Links and Resources:
Read related articles:
The Path Forward for Embedded AI
Bringing AI to Market the Easy Way
Connect with Dr. Eyal Weiss on LinkedIn
Visit Cybord website
Learn more about the IPC-1782
Visit Octopart.com, the Electronic Parts Search Engine
...more
43min
August 02, 2023Kelly Scanlon
Sustainability in electronics encompasses environmental, social, and corporate governance aspects, and IPC aims to make it easier for companies by providing standards, education, and advocacy to navigate these complex issues.
In this episode, we are very pleased to have Kelly Scanlon of IPC to enlighten us about the importance of sustainability in the electronics industry and how you can contribute as a PCB designer.
Watch this episode here.
Show Highlights:
Introduction to Kelly Scanlon, the Lead Sustainability Strategist at IPC
Kelly talks about her role at IPC and her background before landing her current position
Kelly explains that sustainability covers environmental, social, and corporate governance
The European Union (EU) has been leaders in producing policies that have real opportunities for environmental change, in the space of sustainability
What are the ways can companies prove their compliance to sustainability?
Environmental sustainability in the electronics industry has well-defined processes and regulations, like the RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment) and REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) making it easier to manage and communicate compliance
Social sustainability poses greater challenges as there is no clear process and requires multidimensional teams to address issues like worker health, labor practices, and corporate governance
Vendor checklists and assessments are used to vet suppliers, but there is a need for increased transparency and honesty in supply chains
Companies rely on policies and regulations to ensure compliance throughout the supply chain and are pushing for accountability and reliability from their suppliers
Kelly Scanlon emphasizes the need for a strong community and collaboration to address environmental, social, and governance sustainability in the electronics industry.
Designers play a crucial role in driving sustainable practices by incorporating conscientious and intentional lifecycle management in their design decisions, and by advocating to manufacturers to prioritize sustainability
Designers can make their voices heard by reaching out to IPC and participating in workshops, case studies, and events focused on sustainability
IPC formed its Sustainability for Electronics Leadership Council, a team with diverse geographic background and diverse supply chain background that come together sharing their insights and expertise
Designers and manufacturers are encouraged to connect with Kelly, ask questions, contribute your expertise, and to actively advocate sustainability efforts in the electronics industry
...more
46min
July 25, 2023Photonics, the Next Generation Communication Processors
Is there a need for a photonic iPhones and smartphones? We have a very interesting topic today with our guest Daniel Pérez López, the CTO and Co-Founder of iPRONICS, programmable photonics.

“When we refer to programmable photonics, we are referring to the ability of first being able to integrate light signals into a semiconductor chip that is widely known as integrated photonics, integrated optics.” -Daniel Perez Lopez

Watch this episode here.

Show Highlights:
Tune in now and watch through the end, you wouldn’t want to miss this!
introduction to Daniel Perez Lopez Co-founder and CTO of iPronics
What are programmable photonics?
The photonic field or the integrated photonic field, is mainly limited to two key volume driven market segments that are transceivers and data centers
One of the growing benefits of photonics is to ability to configure systems, real-timebases on the specific environmental condition and specific performance
Photonics technology as a complimentary technology to electronics
Daniel describes the structure of iPronics’s photonics processor and how it functions
iPronics has figured out miniaturization, they believe that reducing the form factor is a way to open their product to the bigger market
Is there a need for a photonic iPhones and smartphones with pure photonics processor?
Daniel enumerates the various photonics applications including in RF systems
Cointegration of lasers with with the photonics integrated circuits is no longer rocket science
Enhanced technology, sooner than later; integrating high performance photo ejector in the chip is no longer a challenge
Lasers sound cool, but miniaturization or focusing on the form factor and delivering high performing systems are more of a priority
Is there any iPronics product currently available off the shelf for integration?
iPronics is focusing on communications space for optical based communications and management for RF communications and the processing intra data center communications
Links and Resources:
Read Related Articles:
Silicon Photonics Integration Challenges in PCB Design
Quantum Computing Electronics vs. Photonics: New Chips Will Shift the Balance
Optical Interconnects in PCB Design: Progress in 2020 and Beyond
Connect with Daniel Pérez López on LinkedIn
Visit iPronics website
...more
32min
July 07, 2023Firing Your Hiring Habits by John Mitchell, President and CEO of IPC
We have a seasoned favorite guest in the podcast today. John Mitchell the President and CEO of IPC talks about his new book Firing Your Hiring Habits.
This is a very insightful conversation! We tackled acquisition, retaining and upskilling talents in your team. PCB designers, aspiring entrepreneurs and leaders in any company will surely benefit from this discussion. Make sure to watch through the end and check the additional resources below.
Watch this episode here.
Show Highlights:
Introduction to John Mitchell and his new book, Fire Your Hiring Habits
John Mitchell shares his inspiration about writing the book and revealed who he wrote it for
The two fundamental problems in building a team are one, acquiring the right talents, and second retaining them
The key to retention is helping employees aspire for a career and providing them with a pathway to reach a higher goal
“Upskilling” is also a significant factor to retaining employees especially now that we have AI’s that manage automated processes
How is the rise of remote jobs affecting the job industry?
A lot of people are going “hybrid” appropriate for specific positions, and found it to be very effective. Working from home 75% of the time and face to face for the rest have increased productivity and employee retention
Human connection like in a team building can strengthen the team and can result to much better working relationships
Does the challenges in employee turnover related to age? John has a very eye opening answer to this
The longest chapter in John’s book talks about “company’s culture”. He explains in detail what makes a company’s culture and how sticking to principles can have a great impact to a company
“There are always going to be limitations, but within the right limitations, there are freedoms you can afford by eliminating some things that it's just a matter of constantly asking yourself the question, "Why are we doing it this way? Why did this come about and does it still apply today?" If it does, great, we're going to keep doing it. That's an aspect we need to keep.” - John Mitchell
Leadership loves people that brings answers
John encourages everyone to learn from every experience, good and bad
Talents leave, but they’ll come back to a company that matches their culture
To sum it all up, John stresses the importance of knowing exactly the talents you need, and when you find them create an environment that works for them. Lastly, invest on them through trainings and give them room and path to grow
“Fire your Hiring Habits” is available at Barnes & Noble. All proceeds goes to IPC Education Foundation
Links and Resources:
Watch Previous Podcast Episode with John Mitchell
IPC CEO John Mitchell on the Supporting American Printed Circuit Boards Act
IPC CEO John Mitchell on the Impact of COVID-19 on the Electronics Supply Chain
John Mitchell, CEO of IPC, Visits The White House to Participate in the Pledge to America’s Workers
Read Related Articles:
How to Hire the Right PCB Designer for Your Project in 2023
Costs of Hiring Your First Electronic Engineer
Guide To Attracting Engineering Talent To Your Hardware Startup
Connect with John Mitchell via LinkedIn
Get the book Fire Your Hiring Habits by John Mitchell
...more
40min
June 06, 2023Better Thermal and Power Efficiency for Your PCB
Better thermal efficiency, how to do better power efficiency, how to reduce losses, how to help people handle those thermal losses? This episode is a real treat.
Our guest Steven Schnier, Systems Engineer for Power Management at Texas Instruments generously shares the different strategies for designing better thermal and power efficient PCB.
Watch through the end, this episode is sure have great tips and strategies that you don’t want to miss.
Watch this episode here.
Show Highlights:
Introduction to Steven Schnier, Systems Engineer for Power Management at Texas Instruments
Steven shares that Texas Instrument is currently focusing on better thermal efficiency, how to do better power efficiency, how to reduce losses, how to help people handle those thermal losses
What is the best strategy in regulating the LDO?
Eliminating the LDO to lower the noise, but keep in mind that LDO does not solve all the noise issues
Steven briefly explains the difference between low noise, ripple, and EMI
Using a ferrite bead filter is one of most common ways to suppress noise and switching frequency
Steven dives in the details on the appropriate use of ferrites and shares about Texas Instrument’s integrated ferrite bead filter
Where would you add damping in that pie circuit that you might be putting on the output of that buck converter?
Steven shares a tip on how to reduce output voltage ripple
Ferrite beads help with EMI concerns, crosstalk concerns, and transmission line effects, but ultimately to kill the noise and the output ripple
Steven generously shares different strategies for designing for better thermal and power efficiency
Various ADC (analogue-to-digital converter) products at Texas Instruments
When does a multi-phase converter applicable to use?
Steven talks about the Texas Instruments’ TPS series module equivalents
BGA vs QFN, when to use what?
Texas Instruments is going with higher power density, so expect more progress on that
Links and Resources:
Read Power Integrity related articles
Read: The Beginner's Guide to PCB Power Integrity: From Board to Package
Watch related videos:
Ferrites in Power Delivery Networks - Part One
Ferrites in Power Delivery Networks - Part Two
LDOs Vs. Switching Regulators - Power Regulation in PCB Design: Part One
LDO Deep Dive - Power Regulation in PCB Design: Part Two
Connect with Steven Schnier via Linkedin
Visit Texas Instrument Website
...more
37min
May 30, 2023Inspire and Educate through Open-Source Hardware Products with Lukas Henkel
Lukas Henkel, our guest in this episode was already into electronic engineering at age 10.
He will share with us what made him interested in designing electronics, some details about the development of his Open-source laptop project, and will even give us a sneak peek of the actual design development on Altium Designer.
You don’t want to miss this! Watch through the end and be sure to check the additional resources below.
Watch this episode here
Get Your First Month of Altium Designer® for FREE
Episode Highlights:
Lukassz Lawrocki, Technical Marketing Manager at Altium makes a special appearance to explain Altium’s new initiative that encourages and supports electrical engineers to create open-source projects
The open source Laptop project by Lukas Henkel is the first project to be supported by this new initiative
Introduction to Lukas Henkel
Lukas talks about his background and his first electronic project at age 10
Robert Feranec and the Altium OnTrack Podcast are just a couple of Lukas’s inspirations for discovering his interest in electronics and PCB design
Lukas chose a laptop for his open-source project because of its composition—a variety of components working together
Electrical vs mechanical, which one did Lukas find more challenging?
The laptop project will have a full aluminum body, which is a cheaper choice for producing prototypes in a smaller volume
Lukas talks about why the flex part of the enclosure is one of the challenging parts of his project
While there are commercial and open-source tools to help with high-speed signal optimization, complex optimization problems are best solved through a manual process — comparing solutions and comparing the impact of each domain
Lukas shares his transition from working with Semikron to his own company, OV Tech
Zach and Lukas exchange experiences in running their companies - challenges, projects, and clients
Lukas encourages everyone who is interested to learn more about his open-source laptop to follow him on LinkedIn for development updates
Design Demonstration via Altium designer
Watch for Lukas's next project, the Open Source Smartwatch
Links and Resources:
Connect with Lukas Henkel via LinkedIn
Subscribe to Robert Feranec Youtube Channel
Watch all previous Altium OnTrack Podcast episodes
Watch related episodes:
Robert Feranec and IoT Security
Open Source Ventilator Project (OSV) Combats Ventilator Shortage
Seven Design Guidelines to Break Bad Habits from Using Open-Source Designs
Read: Open Source Hardware & PCB Projects in Altium Designer

Get Your First Month of Altium Designer® for FREE
...more
55min
May 25, 2023The Emerging Role of Mexico in the Electronics Supply Chain
The globalization of the electronics supply chain has been a widely discussed topic, and having Andrew Hupert, an esteemed supply chain consultant, in this episode is incredibly timely.
In this insightful discussion, Andrew sheds light on Mexico's distinctive edge in electronics production. Furthermore, he provides us with a comprehensive comparison of the logistical aspects between Mexico's and China's production processes.
Key Highlights:
Introduction to Andrew Hupert, professor at Holt University and Supply Chain Consultant
Andrew talks about his career in cross-cultural negotiation. From China to Thailand, Vietnam, and now to Mexico
Compliance costs are becoming unmanageable, and logistics becoming more unpredictable, these are just a couple of the challenges in the electronics supply chain
NAFTA (North America Free Trade Agreement ) aka USMCA, the US, Mexico, and Canada agreement puts Mexico on top of the list as far as production sites for large-scale factories
US trade agreement with Columbia, is it possible?
Guadalajara is in the process of becoming the software center in Mexico
Andrew describes the challenges of sourcing electronics products from Mexico
In China, one person knows people who can give you all the necessary connections to start and finish a project, meanwhile in Mexico, people will keep their mouths shut
The level of workmanship in Mexico is high, however, project management is very poor
The auto industry is the kind of business that is built for Mexico. American automakers have been producing automobiles in Mexico for over 70 years
Mexico has EMEC which allows companies to bring in equipment, materials, raw materials, or components, all of it duty-free provided they ship it out or export it and not for sale in Mexico
Andrew gives his insight on what the supply chain will look like
Only a certain percentage of the electronics production will move out of China to Mexico
Sophisticated design based in the US such as Texas, Arizona, California, and Mexica can handle the assembly
Apple is moving its production to India
“India is a tough one”, Andrew explains the challenges in producing electronics in India
GM (General Motors) moved all their electric vehicle manufacturing to Mexico
It’s hard to get business intelligence on Mexico, Andrew encourages companies to plan their transition or hire a project manager to do the legwork
...more
53min
May 16, 2023 Can Photonic Chips Replace the Electronic Chips?
10 years from now we may start enjoying a photonic smartphone. So the question is, will photonics ever replace electronics?
We have a very interesting episode with Syed Faraz, the Electronics Package Lead at iPronics Programmable Photonics. He will generously share with us the development in the photonics industry from the benefits, the logic, and what we can expect in the future.
Tune in now and make sure to watch through to the end.
Key Highlights:
Introduction to Syed Faraz the Electronics Package Lead at iPronics Programmable Photonics
Syed emphasizes what makes programmable photonics unique is the ability to reconfigure its program without touching the hardware
currently, the photonics technology has gotten a lot of good feedback and has caught the interest of some semiconductor companies like Nokia and Ericsson
Photonics chips are implemented on optical smartphones, AI, and cloud computing
Syed breaks down the programmable photonics logic
How do you get all those signals from the dye to the PCB?
DFM could be a challenge for substrate layouts
Photonic chips are not like electronic chips, photonic chips change their behavior if the temperature is changed.
Syed stresses that the packaging is the most challenging aspect of photonics
Photonics works with wire bonds but will shift to the flip chips
The future is looking up, we may have a photonics iPhone in 10 years
Ongoing research is up to figuring out shifting PCB connectivity from copper to optical components
In a nutshell Syed describes how to measure the performance of optical signals coming from the photonics chip
While silicon photonics are more in demand, some applications may work best with germanium which is a cheaper alternative
Ending the conversation with a forecast. Electronic Chips Manufacturing company will replace the electronic chips with the photonics ships in the next 10 years
...more
39min
May 12, 2023New Opportunities for PCB Education with John Watson
Today we're thrilled to be joined by John Watson, Customer Success Manager at Altium. He and Tech Consultant Zach Peterson chat about the importance of education for designers, what it's like working with students, and what new opportunities there are for PCB designers in today's market.
Watch this episode here.
Get Your First Month of Altium Designer® for FREE
Key Highlights:
Introduction to John Watson, Altium Customer Success Manager
John talks about his teaching profession at Palomar College in San Marcos, California where he teaches Basic and Advanced PCB design
The Middle College Program at Palomar College was created for junior and senior high school students to give them a head start in taking college courses
The demand for PCB designers is driven by a lack of interested individuals in the industry
An increasing number of young engineers are drawn to computer science and software development, while the fields of hardware, electrical engineering, and PCB design are experiencing a declining interest
John elaborates on the content covered in his comprehensive 32-week course, encompassing both fundamental and advanced aspects of PCB design
Companies are losing their talent every single day through retirement. Now more than ever, there is a huge need to fill the pipeline
John shares his early days as an electrician on the kitchen floor with a screwdriver in the toaster
John finds Ai concerning, and he doesn’t allow it in his class
John describes the kind of students he has in his class
Overanalyzing is a typical problem for electrical engineers
PCBs are works of art
Zach describes a PCB designer as a “constraint manager”
John works with different organizations to give the students a leap towards their next step after they finished his 32-week course
From a janitor to a PCB designer, a winning moment to one of John’s students
Give back no matter what level we’re at, this is John’s message to his peers and everyone in the electronics industry
There are 25 spots available in John’s PCB design course, those who will not make it will be on the waiting list. You can check more information here.
Links and Resources:
Connect with John Watson on LinkedIn
Visit the Palomar College Website
Check out John Watson's PCB design course outline here
Read John Watson's Blogs
Get Your First Month of Altium Designer® for FREE
...more
54min
April 27, 2023Making Smart Wearable Devices Smarter
Making wearable smart devices smarter, is one of the heavily invested research in the tech industry today.
Our guest Henry Crandall, a National Science Foundation graduate research fellow and Ph.D. candidate at the University of Utah talks about his electrical research applied to human health monitoring and diagnosis. He will also briefly talk about his involvement in the IEEE, BioHive Utah, and his exciting role as a student board member in the IPC.
Show Highlights:
Introduction to Henry Crandall, his research, and involvement with IPC
Henry’s research focuses on the intersection of electrostatic and biology. How electrical applications can help diagnose disease and monitor health care condition
How Henry’s research relates to Elon Musk’s “Neuralink”
What is Neural Engineering?
Bioimpedance and non-invasive sensor products are already available through wearable health devices just like the smartwatches
Henry explains briefly the difference between surface measurement and penetration depth
Photoplethysmography is what you called the green lights on the back of your smartwatches, it uses light to monitor the cardiovascular system
Henry’s current research in a nutshell: a Bioimpedance sensor to monitor blood pressure
One of Henry’s goals in his research is to collect as much data and come up with an algorithm that will help smart devices to become even smarter
Major tech companies are investing heavily in research that could help make wearable smart devices gather actual clinically relevant data
Henry talks about his involvement in the IPC as a student member of the IPC Board of Directors
Both Zach and Henry share their experience with the IEEE
As a student member of the IPC board of directors, Henry gets involved in decision-making regarding governance, the strategy, and the financial sides of the organization
IPC has definitely prioritized and put a lot of effort to attract the youth to engineering
Henry with a health tech focus start-up called BioHive Utah
Links and Resources
Connect with Henry Crandall on LinkedIn
Meet Henry Crandall: New IPC Student Board Member
Learn More About BioHive
Read: Henry co-authored IoMT-enabled stress monitoring in a virtual reality environment and at home
...more
45min

FAQs about OnTrack: The PCB Design Podcast:

How many episodes does OnTrack: The PCB Design Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 297 episodes available.

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