The EEcosystem Podcast

As AI, data centers, aerospace, and advanced computing continue pushing bandwidth and power requirements to new extremes, DDR memory compliance has become one of the biggest bottlenecks in high-speed digital design. I

n this episode, Judy Warner is joined by Ben Dannan, Founder of Signal Edge Solutions, and Tyler Huddleston, SI/PI Engineer of SES, to explore why traditional DDR compliance workflows can consume days or weeks of engineering time, produce false positives, and slow product development.

They also demonstrate how their new software, Mem Check Pro, automates JEDEC compliance analysis, including setup/hold, crossing points, slew rate, and commonly skipped checks like clock monotonicity and VIX, in just a few minutes. This helps engineering teams verify designs faster and with greater accuracy and confidence.

Learn more at https://Signaledgesolutions.com

Join The Engineering EEcosystem for free resources for professional engineers, including our FREE online SI Masterclasses by Dr Eric Bogatin. https://theeecosystem.com

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 tools stack up against 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.

🔗 Learn more about KiCad: https://www.kicad.org

Connect with Seth Hillbrand

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethhillbrand/

KiCad Services: https://www.kipro-pcb.com/

About The EEcosystem
The EEcosystem helps professional electronics engineers stay ahead through expert interviews, masterclasses, technical articles, and practical engineering education covering PCB design, signal integrity, RF, embedded systems, advanced packaging, AI, and emerging technologies.

Subscribe for new episodes every week. https://theeecosystem.com

Take our free online Masterclasses with Dr. Eric Bogatin: https://theeecosystem/masterclass

 

#KiCad #PCBDesign #EDA #ElectronicsEngineering #HardwareEngineering #OpenSource #Engineering #AI #PrintedCircuitBoard #TheEEcosystem

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.
 
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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 — 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 will 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.  If you care about the future of electronics, national security, and sustainable engineering careers, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.

👉 Watch The New Frontier documentary 

👉 Learn more about PCBAA and how to get involved 

👉 Connect with David Schild and follow the movement