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May 10, 2024, Episode #430
In this episode, Parker Dillmann and Stephen Kraig delve into the hefty topic of U.S. funding for 'digital twin' chips research under the CHIPS Act, comparing its budget to other big expenditures like Boeing's Starliner and military budgets. They also discuss EDA tool pricing, breaking down costs from freeware to industry heavyweights, and the implications for small vs. large businesses. Additionally, Parker shares his personal project update on his first KiCad PCB.
Key Discussion Points
- Introduction to the topic of U.S. funding for 'digital twin' chips research and its comparison to other large expenditures.
- Overview of the CHIPS Act, its budget, and its place in the broader U.S. budget context.
- Discussion on the price and subscription models of various EDA tools, from entry-level to high-end industry standards.
- Analysis of the impact of EDA tool pricing on small businesses versus large corporations.
- Parker's personal project update: success with his first KiCad PCB.
- The hosts reflect on the social dynamics of Twitter and its impact on public discourse and political polarization.
- Discussion about the complexities of U.S. political funding and its transparency.
- Comparison of software subscription models and their financial implications for users.
- Reflections on the interaction between engineering, politics, and social media.
Relevant Links
- Prevent Prototype Delays: Your Essential PCBA Pre-Order Checklist
- US plans $285 million in funding for ‘digital twin’ chips research
Community Questions
- What are your thoughts on the use of 'digital twin' technology in chip manufacturing?
- How do you think the costs associated with EDA tools affect startups and small businesses?
- Do you have any personal experiences with the challenges of using subscription-based vs. perpetual license software?
About the Hosts
Parker Dillmann
Parker is an Electrical Engineer with backgrounds in Embedded System Design and Digital Signal Processing. He got his start in 2005 by hacking Nintendo consoles into portable gaming units. The following year he designed and produced an Atari 2600 video mod to allow the Atari to display a crisp, RF fuzz free picture on newer TVs. Over a thousand Atari video mods where produced by Parker from 2006 to 2011 and the mod is still made by other enthusiasts in the Atari community.
In 2006, Parker enrolled at The University of Texas at Austin as a Petroleum Engineer. After realizing electronics was his passion he switched majors in 2007 to Electrical and Computer Engineering. Following his previous background in making the Atari 2600 video mod, Parker decided to take more board layout classes and circuit design classes. Other areas of study include robotics, microcontroller theory and design, FPGA development with VHDL and Verilog, and image and signal processing with DSPs. In 2010, Parker won a Ti sponsored Launchpad programming and design contest that was held by the IEEE CS chapter at the University. Parker graduated with a BS in Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Spring of 2012.
In the Summer of 2012, Parker was hired on as an Electrical Engineer at Dynamic Perception to design and prototype new electronic products. Here, Parker learned about full product development cycles and honed his board layout skills. Seeing the difficulties in managing operations and FCC/CE compliance testing, Parker thought there had to be a better way for small electronic companies to get their product out in customer's hands.
Parker also runs the blog, longhornengineer.com, where he posts his personal projects, technical guides, and appnotes about board layout design and components.
Stephen Kraig
Stephen Kraig is a component engineer working in the aerospace industry. He has applied his electrical engineering knowledge in a variety of contexts previously, including oil and gas, contract manufacturing, audio electronic repair, and synthesizer design. A graduate of Texas A&M, Stephen has lived his adult life in the Houston, TX, and Denver, CO, areas.
Stephen has never said no to a project. From building guitar amps (starting when he was 17) to designing and building his own CNC table to fine-tuning the mineral composition of the water he uses to brew beer, he thrives on testing, experimentation, and problem-solving. Tune into the podcast to learn more about the wacky stuff Stephen gets up to.
MacroFab
This show is brought to you by MacroFab, which provides a platform for electronics manufacturing services (EMS), hardware development, designing, and prototyping for individuals, startups, and businesses. Key MacroFab services include PCB (Printed Circuit Board) fabrication, assembly, and testing. Customers can use MacroFab's platform to upload their PCB designs, select components, and specify manufacturing requirements.
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Subscribe to Circuit Break wherever you get your podcasts! And join our online discussion hub at forum.macrofab.com to keep the conversation going with electrical engineering experts and experimenters! You can also email us at podcast@macrofab.com.
Related Podcasts
Building LibrePCB - Urban Bruhin's Journey in Open Source EDA
Urban Bruhin shares his journey from being an electrical engineer to developing LibrePCB, driven by his dissatisfaction with existing EDA tools like Eagle.
The Danger Pool
The CHIPS act is driving chip manufacturers like Texas Instruments, TSMC, and Intel to expand in the US, but there's a shortage of engineering manpower.
Screaming into the Social Media Void
AutoDesk is dropping support and development for the dedicated Eagle EDA tool and moving efforts to the AutoDesk Fusion 360 Electronics.
Guard the CHIPS, New Math for Double E’s
Community feedback that led Parker to order a Bambu X1 Carbon 3D Printer, arriving any day now, S to the L to the A, “guardrails” that the U.S.
Wizard Trust Falls for PCB Footprints
Parker’s transition from Eagle to KiCad, facing challenges with library management and device layer integration. Also, the new MacroFab Quote Wizard.
CHIPS Can’t Dip
This week we’re joined by David Schild, the Executive Director of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America (PCBAA).
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