The printed circuit design industry’s choice for comprehensive training and certification. This 40-hour live curriculum was developed by leading experts and includes a 400-page handbook containing information on everything from parts libraries to high-speed design.
SANTA CLARA, CA – May 28, 2025 – The Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA) today announced the debut of the PCB Management Forum at PCB West this fall.
The new all-day executive program will feature expert-led discussions on artificial intelligence (AI), managing businesses under fast-changing market conditions, supply chain challenges, new facility introduction, and new product introductions.
Attendees will gain valuable insights into resilient business strategies, risk mitigation, and navigating supply chain complexities in an era of evolving trade policies and technological advancements.
The PCB Management Forum takes place September 30, 2025, as part of PCB West, which will be held September 30 to October 3, 2025, at the Santa Clara (CA) Convention Center.
This will be the first time PCB West, the Silicon Valley’s largest event dedicated to PCB engineers, fabricators and assemblers, offers a program focused on the needs of executives.
“This groundbreaking forum will bring together top executives, innovators, and thought leaders to discuss the future of printed circuit board (PCB) design, fabrication and assembly, with a strong focus on the shifting landscape of circuit manufacturing and supply chains for advanced electronics in today’s uncertain geopolitical climate,” said Gene Weiner, founder, Weiner International and chairman of the PCB Management Forum.
“The global electronics industry faces unprecedented challenges, from geopolitical shifts to supply chain uncertainties,” said Mike Buetow, president, PCEA. “The PCB Management Forum is designed to address these issues head-on, providing executive-level discussions and actionable strategies to help professionals maintain leadership in an increasingly competitive market.”
Key highlights of the forum:
Registration for PCB West 2025 and the PCB Management Forum is now open at pcbwest.com. For more details and to secure your spot, visit pcbwest.com.
PEACHTREE CITY, GA – May 27, 2025 – The Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA) today announced the technical program for PCB West 2025, featuring more than 125 hours of in-depth electronics engineering training spread over more than 50 sessions. The program includes 30 classes new to PCB West, PCEA added.
Among the industry experts scheduled to speak this year are Rick Hartley, Susy Webb, Stephen Chavez, Chuck Corley, Karen Burnham, Tomas Chester, and Charlene McCauley. The conference will be held September 30 to October 3 at the Santa Clara (CA) Convention Center and features classes for every level of experience, from novice to expert.
The scope of classes ranges from designing all types of printed circuit boards to complex signal and power integrity and power delivery systems design. Foundational topics such as circuit grounding, signal integrity and PCB stackups are interspersed with advanced tutorials on switch mode power supplies, EMC, DDR5, thermal management, RF and mixed-signal design, and more.
New courses this year include high-power PCB design, designing using preexisting schematics, supply chain resilience, application of IPC-6012F to the factory, signal integrity analysis, designing in 3-D, and bypass capacitor placement, among others.
“PCB West is the best place for designers, design engineers and their manufacturers to connect,” said Mike Buetow, conference director, PCB West. “It’s the only place you’ll learn from all the industry’s leading experts and meet legions of new peers and colleagues.”
Registration will open shortly at pcbwest.com. Conference registrants who sign up by September 2 can take advantage of the Early Bird Special discounts for the conference.
An exhibition featuring more than 100 leading suppliers to the electronics design and manufacturing industry will be held Oct. 1.
This year’s show will also introduce the PCB WEST Management Program, a special one-day symposium featuring experts on the use of artificial intelligence (AI), new product introduction, global manufacturing and new facility engineering expansion, among other topics.
PRINTED CIRCUIT DESIGN & FAB and CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY magazines are media partners for the event.
PEACHTREE CITY, GA – May 16, 2025 – Attendance for the PCB East 2025 exhibits rose nearly 4% year-over-year, the Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA) announced today. Attendance among the exhibits-only category was up 15% from a year ago.
The annual trade show was held April 29 through May 2 at the Boxboro Regency Hotel and Conference Center in Boxborough, MA. In all, more than 65 leading suppliers of electronics design tools, manufacturers of bare boards and assemblies, suppliers of fabrication and assembly equipment and materials, and related industry companies exhibited at the show.
“We were very pleased at the turnout for PCB East this year, especially given the economic uncertainty in the industry,” said Mike Buetow, conference director and president, PCEA. “Exhibitors were roundly supportive of the show floor activity, and conference registrants were particularly pleased with the additional networking events.”
“What a great conference!” exclaimed veteran engineering manager Mike Boutin. “The speakers were of the highest caliber and the topics varied greatly. They were not all focused on PCB design but on the efforts related to hardware design more broadly.”
“We had a fantastic few days connecting with engineers, OEMs, and industry partners from across the country,” said Jeff De Serrano, president of PCB Technologies, US Operations.
“Another ‘old home week’ for me at PCB East,” said Manny Marcano, president of EMA Design Automation, Inc. “It is very rewarding to be a part of this event and see customers, prospects, new technologies and especially old friends in our industry. It was a great day!”
PEACHTREE CITY, GA – APRIL 24, 2025 – PCEA Training announced additional classes have been added for its industry-leading Certified Professional Circuit Designer (CPCD) training and certification program.
The five-day instructor-led course for printed circuit engineers, layout professionals, and other individuals currently serving in the design engineering industry or seeking to get into it will take place on the following dates:
The classes cover the gamut of printed circuit design engineering, from layout, place and route to specifications and materials to manufacturing methods. Schematic capture, signal integrity and EMI/EMC are also part of the comprehensive program.
Each class is 40 hours long and includes a copy of Printed Circuit Engineering Professional, a 400-page handbook on circuit board design, and the optional certification exam recognized by Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA).
The last day to register for the June class is June 6.
There are no prerequisite requirements to enroll. Upcoming classes will be held online. All courses are led by experienced instructors.
The course handbook, Printed Circuit Engineering Professional, was authored by Michael Creeden, Stephen Chavez, Rick Hartley, Susy Webb and Gary Ferrari, industry veterans who combined have more than 200 years’ experience designing and building PCBs for all types of applications.
For information about the course overview, class format, and materials to prepare in advance for the class, visit pceatraining.net/course-overview.
For information about the instructors of the course and authors of the course material, visit pceatraining.net/instructors-authors.
To enroll, visit pceatraining.net/registration for the next available class or email pceatraining@pcea.net for additional information.
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The Printed Circuit Engineering Association® (PCEA) is an international network of engineers, designers, fabricators, assemblers, and anyone related to printed circuit development. Our mission is to promote printed circuit engineering as a profession by encouraging and facilitating the exchange of information and the integration of new design concepts through education, certification, communications, seminars, and workshops. This is facilitated by a network of local, regional, virtual PCEA-affiliated chapters and the support of our sponsors.
