# PCB East 2025: Exhibitors, AI Trends & Networking Opportunities

- Show: [OnTrack](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack)
- Published: 2025-05-09
- Length: 44m
- Episode: 298
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-05-09-pcb-east-2025-exhibitors-ai-trends-networking-opportunities
- Listen: https://podcast.altium.com/e/pcb-east-2025-exhibitors-ai-trends-networking-opportunities/

## Summary

Ethan Pierce, a Field Applications Engineer at Altium, joins host Zach Peterson to review PCB East 2025, highlighting the conference's value for networking with fabricators, EDA vendors, and operations staff. They discuss the surge of AI tools on the expo floor, including Arena AI, DPCB, and AutoPCB, noting that these tools are currently finding their niche in prototyping and junior engineering workflows rather than replacing senior expertise. The conversation also addresses the immediate impact of new tariffs on domestic and overseas PCB fabrication, with vendors like Silicon Expert and Cofactor providing real-time compliance data to help engineers navigate supply chain disruptions.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-05-09-pcb-east-2025-exhibitors-ai-trends-networking-opportunities#t=0) Introduction: The Value of PCB East for Operations and Procurement
- [2:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-05-09-pcb-east-2025-exhibitors-ai-trends-networking-opportunities#t=140) Technical Sessions: Rick Hartley, Susie Webb, and Deep Dives
- [7:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-05-09-pcb-east-2025-exhibitors-ai-trends-networking-opportunities#t=462) Networking: Accessing Fabricators and Executive Leadership
- [12:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-05-09-pcb-east-2025-exhibitors-ai-trends-networking-opportunities#t=723) Tariff Challenges: Domestic Backlogs and Price Scrambles
- [15:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-05-09-pcb-east-2025-exhibitors-ai-trends-networking-opportunities#t=940) AI Tools on the Floor: Arena AI, DPCB, and AutoPCB
- [19:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-05-09-pcb-east-2025-exhibitors-ai-trends-networking-opportunities#t=1182) AI Expectations vs. Reality: Junior Engineers and Library Data
- [27:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-05-09-pcb-east-2025-exhibitors-ai-trends-networking-opportunities#t=1625) LLM Limitations: Intangible Design Decisions and Tribal Knowledge
- [34:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-05-09-pcb-east-2025-exhibitors-ai-trends-networking-opportunities#t=2052) Data Policy: On-Prem Solutions and ITAR Constraints
- [37:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-05-09-pcb-east-2025-exhibitors-ai-trends-networking-opportunities#t=2260) Other Vendors: Materials, IPC, and Manufacturing Tools

## Topics

- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Altium (company)
- PCB East (other)
- Arena AI (product)
- DPCB (product)
- AutoPCB (product)
- Siemens (company)
- Cadence (company)
- Silicon Expert (company)
- Cofactor (company)
- DigiKey (company)
- Mauser (company)
- Celus (product)
- Circuit Mind (product)
- Snap Magic (product)
- JetEx (company)
- Caspian (company)
- Quantek Ticer (company)
- Panasonic (company)
- IPC (other)
- JBC Tools (product)
- Hacko Tools (product)

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- [Man Behind The Curtain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2020-03-16-man-behind-the-curtain) (The Amp Hour)
- [20: Soldered Together By Monkeys](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-09-26-20-soldered-together-by-monkeys) (Embedded.fm)
- [Aggravating Agersia Agiotage](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-02-20-aggravating-agersia-agiotage) (The Amp Hour)
- [Dotty Ernest Annty Frost](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-09-09-dotty-ernest-annty-frost) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

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