Articles & Resources

For months, I've been tracking online discussions that have been buzzing with frustration from PCB designers who grew up on Altium. Subscription hikes, the loss of perpetual licenses, and mandatory cloud workflows have left many feeling boxed in. As one designer bluntly put it: “The mid-tier is dead. KiCad for basics, but nothing pro without breaking the bank.” This isn’t just a bunch of online trolls; it’s a real problem affecting nearly a third of PCB designers who need an

I recently heard from one of our EEcosystem community members, Rok Mih  from Slovakia, who said he loved our post on free engineering tools and suggested we highlight another resource worth sharing. That tool is Qucs (Quite Universal Circuit Simulator)  — a free, open-source circuit simulator that offers surprising power and flexibility.🔗 https://qucs.sourceforge.net/ Qucs lets you capture schematics, simulate them, and visualize results in plots and diagrams. It supports DC

Back on August 5th, I joined engineers, product teams, and ecosystem partners at Microchip MASTER 2025  in Scottsdale, AZ. During the event, I had deep conversations with Matt Bromley (VP, Siemens EDA)  and Rodger Richey (VP, Microchip Technology)  about their new collaboration and how it’s transforming the engineering workflow. I've been thinking about it ever since, as I've continued to work with and communicate with the Siemens team. This week, I will be sharing what I've

What do AI, cloud-seeding drones, industry Legends, and Innovators have in common? They all made my week at PCB West 2025  one to...

If you’re deep into electronics hardware design and development, you know how crucial it is to have the right tools at your fingertips....

A few years ago, I walked away from what truly was a dream job at Altium. I lived and worked in beautiful La Jolla, CA, doing work that...

When it comes to real-world, actionable DFM (Design for Manufacturability), few people bring more clarity and experience than Gerry...

This week on LinkedIn, I saw my friend Bert Simonovich  post about the effects of anisotropy  in PCB materials—and it took me right back...

I was recording a podcast with Steve Sandler yesterday, and he was expressing how crazy the acceleration of the "speed curve" has become over the last couple of years, and the unprecedented demands on engineers he's been witnessing. To drive his point home, he asked me if I'd seen the news about the latest breakthrough announcement about the 124-layer PCB. Since I'd missed the news, I went looking for it this morning, and what I learned is worth sharing. OKI Circuit Technolog

Full-Stack Hardware Success with Low-Cost Pro-Level Tools Every once in a while, someone comes along who reminds you why engineering is...

By Judy Warner, The EEcosystem When we launched Transmission Lines 101 with Dr. Eric Bogatin, he brought more than great teaching—he...

Learn about the origins of the Electronics Masterclass, who it's for, and how it can help you grow as an engineer

Last week, I made my way back to PCB West in Santa Clara after many years. Thanks to the support of three of our sponsors of The...

The title of this blog harkens back to the 1970s book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance , which is the best-selling philosophy...

Speed has become synonymous with the quality of our life especially as it relates to the digital domain.