PCD&F Opens Annual PCB Designer Salary Survey

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – PCD&F is conducting its annual salary survey of printed circuit board designers, design engineers and other layout specialists. PCD&F surveys designers and design engineers each year, asking questions related to annual salaries, job functions, experience, education, job satisfaction, and ECAD tools used, among other data.

The survey will be open until Jul. 15 and can be taken here.

PCD&F publishes the aggregate data in a free downloadable report on its website and in the magazine. Individual responses are not shared.

“Designers and design engineers on our member Discord server offered input on what they want to know regarding compensation and job responsibilities,” said Mike Buetow, president, PCEA. “We added those inquiries to this year’s survey, and hope to gain better insights into the industry trends.”

The audience surveyed is not selected or controlled, and the more responses received, the more valid the results.

For a list of past results, click here.

PCEA Announces New Location for PCB East 2026

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – PCEA in June announced that PCB East 2026 will take place at a new location. The one-day exhibition takes place Apr. 29, at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA. The four-day technical conference takes place Apr. 28 to May 1.

“The new location for PCB East marks an exciting development for the largest electronics conference and exhibition in New England,” said Mike Buetow, president, PCEA. “The DCU Center is a first-class facility, and Worcester is the second-largest city in New England, with all the amenities of Boston but at a much lower cost for attendees. We see this move as a natural evolution of a growing market and event.”

Any company that exhibited at PCB East 2025 may register to do so for the 2026 event exclusively through an email alert from PCEA. Effective Jul. 21, any current corporate PCEA member will then have an opportunity to book for PCB East 2026. Starting Aug. 5, any company may register to exhibit at pcbeast.com.

Attendance for PCB East 2025 exhibits rose nearly 4% year-over-year. Attendance among the exhibits-only category was up 15% from a year ago. In all, more than 65 leading suppliers of electronics design tools, manufacturers of bare boards and assemblies, and suppliers of fabrication and assembly equipment and materials exhibited at the show.

Companies interested in exhibiting should contact Frances Stewart for details.

PCB Management Forum to Provide Supply-Chain Strategies

SANTA CLARA, CA – PCEA will debut of the PCB Management Forum: Navigating through Turbulent Times 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 Sept. 30 as part of PCB West, which will be held Sept. 30 to Oct. 3 at the Santa Clara (CA) Convention Center.

This will be the first time PCB West, 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 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:

• Executive-level discussions: Industry leaders will share insights on market trends, AI applications and business strategies for turbulent times.
• Panel sessions: Guest speakers and panel members will explore supply chain resilience, cooperative industry efforts, and facility engineering.
• Geopolitical impact analysis: Experts will discuss how shifting trade policies and international relations affect printed circuit manufacturing and electronics supply chains.
• Networking opportunities: Attendees will connect with PCB engineers, fabricators, assemblers and executives from around the world.
• Exhibition access: Participants will have the chance to explore the latest innovations from leading suppliers at the PCB West exhibition.

 Speakers include:

• Bob Ferguson, president and CEO of Schmid Systems;
• Chris Hunrath, vice president of technology at Insulectro;
• Dana Korf, senior technology director and FAE director at Victory Giant Technology in Huizhou, China;
• Sean Patterson, founder of CrossGen AI Community, and former CTO and head of AI at Summit Interconnect;
• Gene Weiner, founder and president of Weiner International and founding partner of Quantum Performance Group.

Registration for PCB West 2025 and the PCB Management Forum is now open at pcbwest.com.

Abstracts Sought for PCB East 2026

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – Abstracts for next year’s PCB East technical conference are due Sept. 5. The conference, the largest of its kind in New England, takes place next spring in the Boston suburbs, and focuses on training and best practices for printed circuit board design engineers, electronics design engineers, fabricators and assemblers.

The four-day technical conference will take place Apr. 27 – May 1, 2026. The event includes a one-day exhibition on Apr. 28.

Papers and presentations of the following durations are sought for the technical conference: one-hour lectures and presentations; two-hour workshops; and half-day (3.5-hour) and full-day seminars. 

Preference is given to presentations of two hours in length or more, and no presentations of less than one hour will be considered.

Abstracts of 100-500 words and speaker biographies should be submitted to PCEA. Papers and presentations must be noncommercial in nature and should focus on technology, techniques or methodologies related to printed circuit board design, fabrication, assembly, test, components or packaging, and additive manufacturing. 

Submit abstracts at https://pcbeast.com/abstract-submission-guidelines by Sept. 5. No emailed abstracts will be accepted. Submitters will be notified in mid-November if their abstract has been accepted. Presentations are due Apr. 10, 2026.

Presenters of accepted abstract(s) for the 2026 program receive complimentary access to the online proceedings and a complimentary pass to the technical conference.

For more information about PCB East, visit pcbeast.com or contact conference director Mike Buetow at pcea@pcea.net.