EEcosystem Podcast Episodes

Many engineers still think of KiCad as a hobbyist PCB design tool. That perception is changing. In this episode, Judy Warner sits down with Seth Hillbrand, lead KiCad developer and founder of KiCad Services Corporation, to discuss how KiCad has evolved into a professional EDA platform trusted by startups, aerospace companies, research organizations, and enterprise engineering teams. You'll learn: -Why more professional engineers are choosing KiCad -How open-source EDA compares to commercial tools -Why preserving design intent and long-term IP matters -How KiCad's architecture is enabling the next generation of AI-powered -PCB design -Seth's perspective on using AI to make engineers more effective—not replace them Whether you're evaluating new PCB design tools or simply curious about the future of electronic design automation (EDA), this conversation offers an inside look at one of the fastest-growing platforms in the industry.

Many engineers still think of KiCad as a hobbyist PCB design tool. That perception is changing. In this episode, Judy Warner sits down with Seth Hillbrand, lead KiCad developer and founder of KiCad Services Corporation, to discuss how KiCad has evolved into a professional EDA platform trusted by startups, aerospace companies, research organizations, and enterprise engineering teams. You'll learn: Why more professional engineers are choosing KiCad How open-source EDA compares to commercial tools Why preserving design intent and long-term IP matters How KiCad's architecture is enabling the next generation of AI-powered PCB design Seth's perspective on using AI to make engineers more effective—not replace them Whether you're evaluating new PCB design tools or simply curious about the future of electronic design automation (EDA), this conversation offers an inside look at one of the fastest-growing platforms in the industry.

AI is starting to take on real work in PCB design, but engineering teams still want and need to stay in control of the process. In this episode, Judy Warner talks with Sergiy Nesterenko, founder of Quilter, about how their AI-powered layout tool has evolved over the past year. They discuss keeping designers in control through custom constraints, lessons learned from laying out Quilter's own NXP i.MX8 board, building trust with engineering teams and their downstream customers, and how physics-based verification, including a new signal-integrity integration with Simbeor, is helping to close the gap between solid engineering skill, automation, and real-world reliability.

In this episode, Judy Warner sits down with Colin Stoner, co-founder of Zenode (zenode.ai) and a veteran electrical engineer with 250+ unique board designs under his belt. Colin shares how he turned years of real-world frustrations and endless datasheet digging, pinout copying, power budgeting, and last-minute alternate part hunts into an AI-powered component intelligence platform that actually delivers results for hardware engineers. If you’re tired of AI hype that doesn’t translate to real workflow wins in electronics design, this conversation may restore your faith. Discover how Zenode combines specialized data, engineering context, and modern AI to automate the boring but critical tasks so you can focus on actual design work.

In this episode of The EEcosystem Podcast, Judy Warner sits down with David Schild of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America (PCBAA) for a timely, high-impact conversation about the future of U.S. PCB manufacturing. David shares insights on The New Frontier, a new documentary spotlighting the human stories behind America’s PCB industry and the urgent need to reshore domestic manufacturing. Together, they unpack why PCBs are critical infrastructure—powering everything from AI data centers to national defense—and why rebuilding this ecosystem is essential for innovation, security, and workforce development. 00:00 The Industry No One Talks About (But Should) 00:58 The First-Ever PCB Documentary 02:00 The Hidden Supply Chain Crisis 04:35 Why “Chips Don’t Float” Changes Everything 07:49 The Policy Shift That Could Reshape Electronics 11:26 What’s Coming Next (Events & Momentum) 12:08 How You Can Be Part of the Movement 13:53 The Engineers Building the Future If you care about the future of electronics, national security, and sustainable engineering careers, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.

In this conversation, David Schild, the Executive Director of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America (PCBAA), discusses the current state of PCB manufacturing in the U.S., the importance of national security for the industry, and the challenges posed by foreign dominance in the market. He emphasizes the importance of reshoring manufacturing capabilities and the intersection of industrial policy and national security. The conversation also touches on the implications of AI for hardware engineering jobs and the growth of PCBAA as an organization advocating for the PCB ecosystem.

In this episode, signal integrity expert Eric Bogatin and Judy Warner, partners in creating The EEcosystem Engineering Masterclasses, introduce the S-Parameters Masterclass, the third course in the series. They discuss why S-parameters are essential but often misunderstood in high-speed digital, signal integrity, and hardware design, and how engineers can interpret return loss, insertion loss, crosstalk, and time-domain behavior from simulation and measurement data. This conversation is essential for signal integrity engineers, hardware designers, and PCB designers who use TDR, field solvers, or measured S-parameters and want to understand them and never be intimidated by them again!

In this conversation, David Schild, the Executive Director of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America (PCBAA), discusses the current state of PCB manufacturing in the U.S., the importance of national security for the industry, and the challenges posed by foreign dominance in the market. He emphasizes the importance of reshoring manufacturing capabilities and the intersection of industrial policy and national security. The conversation also touches on the implications of AI for hardware engineering jobs and the growth of PCBAA as an organization advocating for the PCB ecosystem.