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If you've ever been on the receiving end of a circuit board that failed during first-pass assembly, you know how frustrating it can be. The board looks good, the design checks out electrically, but something goes wrong during fabrication or assembly, and the result is a costly delay. When it comes to designing PCBs, especially in advanced applications like Ultra HDI or flex, getting it right the first time isn’t just about pride, it is about...

Integrated circuits have driven huge levels of integration, bringing digital logic and basic analog functions into the same package, known as mixed-signal ASICs. The digital side has always been programmable to some extent, with application logic being built into firmware or hard-coded into the silicon. Programmable logic as found in CPLDs or FPGAs is unique in that the core digital functions can be reconfigured and rewritten as needed, but this...

In an industry defined by supply disruptions and cost volatility, fast, insights‑driven decisions are essential. They speed the time to market and build resilience in hyper-competitive environments. Engineers who embed up-to-date, verified, and collaborative data into their workflows can accelerate development, reduce risk, and build products that are ready for both the marketplace and the production line. Octopart’s 2024 User Survey found that...

As supply chains dictate what’s buildable, flexibility at the component level has become a strategic design imperative. A single-source strategy often fails to deliver the necessary ability to maintain margins in a market characterized by shortages, disruptions, and lifecycle unpredictability. In response, multi-footprint design has gained traction as a low-effort, high-impact way to address these challenges. Ultra Librarian’s Market Data...

Why the Best BOM Software Matters Every component you choose affects more than just the performance of a design. Availability, cost, lead time, and lifecycle status determine whether a product can be built on time and at scale. The bill of materials (BOM) is central to these decisions. BOM management tools play a critical role in managing this complexity. A well-structured BOM helps teams anticipate sourcing risks, reduce delays, and maintain...

Every successful hardware project depends on teamwork, timing, and the ability to adapt. And at the center of it all is the BOM, serving as a living blueprint that connects design intent with supply chain execution. BOM creation and management directly shape cost, availability, and manufacturability, often determining whether a project stays on track or falls behind. When teams rely solely on spreadsheets and email for managing BOMs, they often...

Electronics procurement teams rarely enjoy a break from sourcing challenges. If not managing immediate changes in their supply chains, their attention turns to the search for more efficient and cost-effective components or resilience-building efforts – ongoing BOM management.  As such, companies must regularly update large BOMs – often containing hundreds of entries – and sift through lines and lines of parts with myriad alternatives for almost...

Small modeling mistakes can bring even the most advanced designs to a halt. In the high-precision world of electronics, symbols, footprints, and 3D models drive layout accuracy, sourcing confidence, and manufacturing success. Flawed models quietly undermine every stage of the design process. Model Errors Disrupt the Workflow A mismatched model can derail layout, delay validation, or throw off mechanical integration. Pads rotated by half a...

New flexible and stretchable electronic components are the (very flexible) backbone of new devices that bend, flex and reshape the limits of design. Once confined to research labs and experimental builds, these materials are driving a new generation of high-performance wearables, medical sensors, conformal automotive surfaces and shape-shifting consumer tech. According to Polaris Market Research, the global flexible electronics market generated...