Bryan LaPointe: A Great Time to Be Working With Technology

Reading time ( words)

I recently interviewed Bryan LaPointe, a product engineer with Cadence Design Systems, and one of the younger people in the world of PCB design and EDA tools. I asked Bryan to discuss some of the challenges technologists are facing in PCB design and engineering, as well as some of the things that make this field so exciting right now.

Andy Shaughnessy: Hi, Bryan. Give us a quick background about yourself and your time in PCB design and the EDA world.

Bryan LaPointe: My journey into the EDA world started seven years ago after graduating college. I decided to put my forensic science degree aside and began working as an intern, designing PCBs in New Hampshire. That internship morphed into a full-time position as a PCB designer, presenter, and trainer before finding my current position at Cadence Design Systems as a product engineer. Since then, I’ve spent much of my time branching out to learn new areas of the EDA industry and even finished my M.S. degree in psychology.

Shaughnessy: What do you see as the biggest challenge right now for PCB designers and design engineers?

LaPointe: The biggest challenge I see for PCB designers right now is the growing complexity of their jobs. Engineers and designers are continually being asked to take on more roles, perform more duties, and learn more tools and technologies.

Shaughnessy: What is your favorite part of your job or this industry?

LaPointe: The best part about being a product engineer has to be the immediate feedback and impact I get from the market. When a product engineer does something well, the EDA world benefits as a whole and the product engineer sees and feels the buzz and excitement. If I had to choose one thing about the EDA industry that really excites me, the best part comes from its cultural and experiential diversity. The EDA industry has been responsible for pulling together more countries, people, and cultures than perhaps any other in the world.

To read this entire interview, which appeared in the November 2019 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.

01/15/2021 | I-Connect007 Editorial Team

We asked for your questions for Keysight Technologies' Heidi Barnes, and you took us up on it! We know you all enjoyed reading these questions and answers, so we’ve compiled all of them into one article for easy reference. We hope you enjoy having another bite at the apple.

01/12/2021 | I-Connect007 Editorial Team

In this interview with the I-Connect007 Editorial Team, TTM’s Julie Ellis and Richard Dang drill down into stackup design, detailing some of the common stackup challenges that their customers face when designing for both prototype and volume levels, and offering advice to designers or engineers who are struggling with stackup issues. They also discuss why having too many different prepregs in a stackup can be asking for trouble, and how proper stackup design can optimize both the fabrication and assembly processes.

01/07/2021 | Chris Young, The Goebel Company

PCB design is more than a short sprint to the finish line; it is a journey best suited for the prepared adventurer. According to a study by Lifecycle Insights, the average PCB design project requires 2.9 respins. These respins can cost anywhere from tens of thousands to millions of dollars—each! As an engineer/business owner, I find respins frustrating because I would rather spend my time and money applying scientific principles inventing, improving technology, and solving problems. I am not an advocate for perfectionism, but rather I focus on becoming a better adventurer. Sometimes I get to taste the sweet wine that is a single spin PCB. As fellow adventurers, let’s discuss some topics that influence unnecessary return trips on our PCB design journey: simulation, technical reviews, and interest in PCB design.