In the most recent issue of Design007 magazine, we introduced strategies for managing specific types of data. But in this issue, we will study data management technology from the company level.

The I-Connect007 editorial team recently had a conversation with three PCB designers. They have a lot of views on PCB data management: John Watson of Altium, Dugan Karnazes of Bissell and Patryk Akhurst. They discussed their data management philosophy, the detailed process requirements for each company, and why data management technology must be continuously improved to be effective.

Andy Shaughnessy: Dugan, could you please share your general view on data management, where we will start?

Dugan Karnazes: Coming from the consulting industry, my first question determines who is managing the data, "Who is your customer?" If you are managing data for contract situations, you must eventually return all files to the customer. You want them to have standards on how to store these things. The unfortunate reality I see is that many companies do not. Even if they specify how they wish to restore their files (a good file will give you a list of all the contents of the complete data package), usually they don't even enforce it. Many times, four months later, they will ask again. So, who are the customers? What are their requirements, and what are your own higher requirements?

When I was responsible for handing over the design to the client, a company gave me a list of everything they wanted: "We want PCB in this format. We want to export the schematic library and the package library separately." It Make it easy. When I gave it to them, they were very surprised because no one had ever given it to them.

I have other customers who said, “I don’t even know what an RC filter is. What are you asking me for? I just want to come to you to get the board.” Now I need to do all this according to my standards, I need to be in-house There is a system to track it. I think the ownership of the standard needs to be set at the manager level, but in the end, it always comes down to the engineers and the people in the CAD package to ensure that the data meets these standards. I would love to know how other people deal with this problem, because every group I have talked to deal with it differently.

Shaughnessy: Yes. John, you have worked in an OEM for many years; you have many designers working for you. Who is responsible for all this data?

John Watson: First of all, it really depends on whether the data is working well (laughs). However, it is important to understand your finish line and the products you provide for that customer. Suppose the Christmas card made by your company will play music when you open it. They will not look for data of the same quality as the Department of Defense company. It is a matter of understanding each person's role within the company. Who is responsible for creating documents or data? Who is responsible for quality control? Who is responsible for falling behind and ensuring that it is correct?

Dan Feinberg: Suppose there is a serious error that should be discovered. Who is responsible: the company or the employee who made the mistake?

Watson: I think both of these are because the company is responsible for implementing the necessary quality checks to ensure that they are correct. If this process is not in place and not followed, then you are doomed to fail.

Feinberg: This is a good answer. I agree.

Watson: If you put unchecked and verified footprints on the board according to the standard, and you are using fabs and assembly plants to verify your footprints, forget it; you are done as a company. I have worked as a PCB layout staff in the medical field and the Ministry of Defense. I can tell you that their standards are so high that they have a set of procedures and processes to do things with the required endpoints and deliverables; if you violate that SOP, you are done. This is the level at which you must work today.

Feinberg: Especially today. I agree, because we see a trend of individuals not wanting to take responsibility.

Watson: Yes. When things happen, the first sentence in anyone’s mouth is, “It’s not my fault. It’s not my domain. It’s not my responsibility.”

In fact, I have asked my engineer to sign the document, sign the schematic, sign the PCB, and release it. We will conduct a design review. We will pass a piece of paper, and everyone who signs it will say: "Yes, I agree with this design." We have developed a habit. After six months, if there is something missing, everyone will say, "No. , I don’t agree." Then, you can pull out that piece of paper and say: "Well, this is your signature."

what happened? We need to perform post-mortem analysis and determine what happened here. Why does this happen? This is where many solutions happen in a company, and in this case, the negative situation may be positive for them. At least they learned a lesson from it.

To read the entire conversation appearing in the November 2021 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.

In the most recent issue of Design007 magazine, we introduced strategies for managing specific types of data. But in this issue, we will study data management technology from the company level.

The I-Connect007 editorial team recently had a conversation with three PCB designers. They have a lot of views on PCB data management: John Watson of Altium, Dugan Karnazes of Bissell and Patryk Akhurst. They discussed their data management philosophy, the detailed process requirements for each company, and why data management technology must be continuously improved to be effective.

Andy Shaughnessy: Dugan, could you please share your general view on data management, where we will start?

Dugan Karnazes: Coming from the consulting industry, my first question determines who is managing the data, "Who is your customer?" If you are managing data for contract situations, you must eventually return all files to the customer. You want them to have standards on how to store these things. The unfortunate reality I see is that many companies do not. Even if they specify how they wish to restore their files (a good file will give you a list of all the contents of the complete data package), usually they don't even enforce it. Many times, four months later, they will ask again. So, who are the customers? What are their requirements, and what are your own higher requirements?

When I was responsible for handing over the design to the client, a company gave me a list of everything they wanted: "We want PCB in this format. We want to export the schematic library and the package library separately." It Make it easy. When I gave it to them, they were very surprised because no one had ever given it to them.

I have other customers who said, “I don’t even know what an RC filter is. What are you asking me for? I just want to come to you to get the board.” Now I need to do all this according to my standards, I need to be in-house There is a system to track it. I think the ownership of the standard needs to be set at the manager level, but in the end, it always comes down to the engineers and the people in the CAD package to ensure that the data meets these standards. I would love to know how other people deal with this problem, because every group I have talked to deal with it differently.

Shaughnessy: Yes. John, you have worked in an OEM for many years; you have many designers working for you. Who is responsible for all this data?

John Watson: First of all, it really depends on whether the data is working well (laughs). However, it is important to understand your finish line and the products you provide for that customer. Suppose the Christmas card made by your company will play music when you open it. They will not look for data of the same quality as the Department of Defense company. It is a matter of understanding each person's role within the company. Who is responsible for creating documents or data? Who is responsible for quality control? Who is responsible for falling behind and ensuring that it is correct?

Dan Feinberg: Suppose there is a serious error that should be discovered. Who is responsible: the company or the employee who made the mistake?

Watson: I think both of these are because the company is responsible for implementing the necessary quality checks to ensure that they are correct. If this process is not in place and not followed, then you are doomed to fail.

Feinberg: This is a good answer. I agree.

Watson: If you put unchecked and verified footprints on the board according to the standard, and you are using fabs and assembly plants to verify your footprints, forget it; you are done as a company. I have worked as a PCB layout staff in the medical field and the Ministry of Defense. I can tell you that their standards are so high that they have a set of procedures and processes to do things with the required endpoints and deliverables; if you violate that SOP, you are done. This is the level at which you must work today.

Feinberg: Especially today. I agree, because we see a trend of individuals not wanting to take responsibility.

Watson: Yes. When things happen, the first sentence in anyone’s mouth is, “It’s not my fault. It’s not my domain. It’s not my responsibility.”

In fact, I have asked my engineer to sign the document, sign the schematic, sign the PCB, and release it. We will conduct a design review. We will pass a piece of paper, and everyone who signs it will say: "Yes, I agree with this design." We have developed a habit. After six months, if there is something missing, everyone will say, "No. , I don’t agree." Then, you can pull out that piece of paper and say: "Well, this is your signature."

what happened? We need to perform post-mortem analysis and determine what happened here. Why does this happen? This is where many solutions happen in a company, and in this case, the negative situation may be positive for them. At least they learned a lesson from it.

To read the entire conversation appearing in the November 2021 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.

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