An Interview with Kieran O'Leary

The Amp Hour · 29 Jul 2019 · 1h 27m · Episode 452

What this episode covers

Chris Gammell, founder of Mixed Signal Systems, discusses his career transition from application engineering at semiconductor giants like Xilinx and Wolfson Microelectronics to running his own consultancy. He details the high-pressure environment of supporting tier-one customers with new silicon, the technical challenges of designing evaluation boards under compressed timelines, and the critical importance of understanding return current paths to avoid signal integrity and EMC failures in mixed-signal designs.

Mentioned

Companies
Mixed Signal Systems, Xilinx, Wolfson Microelectronics, Analog Devices, Nordic Semiconductor
Products
RFSoC, Vertex 2 Pro, MicroBlaze, PowerPC
Tools
KiCad, Altium, Eagle, Cadence, Mentor Graphics
Also
EMC CompO

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 01m

    480: Surprises Early In The Game

    Jerry Twomey, principal engineer at Effective Electrons and author of the new O'Reilly book 'Applied Embedded Electronics,' discusses the critical gap between ideal textbook electronics and real-world non-ideal behaviors. He explains how the industry's shift toward System-on-Chip (SoC) designs has led many engineers to treat hardware as a black box, often resulting in failures related to EMI, ESD, and signal integrity that are not caught in simulation. Twomey shares specific lessons from his 40-year career, including the unique challenges of designing for satellite environments like vacuum and radiation, and advocates for getting hardware prototypes early to uncover these surprises.

  • OnTrack · 37m

    Signal Integrity, Thermal & DFM: PCB West Preview with Keven

    Keven Coates, Senior Electrical Engineer at Novium Designs and former Texas Instruments employee, previews his upcoming PCB West presentations on signal integrity, thermal management, and design for manufacturing. He warns engineers against blindly trusting silicon company data sheets and evaluation board layouts, explaining that these are often designed by third parties or driven by customer demands rather than optimal engineering practices. Coates shares specific assembly pitfalls, such as incorrect diode polarity and component placement near V-scored board edges, which can cause catastrophic failures during depanelization.

  • Embedded.fm · 59m

    203: Save My Board

    Charlie Ladd, a principal electrical engineer with experience in medical, FAA, and consumer products, discusses bridging the gap between hardware and firmware. He details his work on an oil quality sensor for VSI Oil and emphasizes the importance of designing for failure, using redundancy, and providing clear documentation like 'PickIO' spreadsheets and 'Theory of Ops' to help firmware engineers debug boards safely. Ladd also shares insights on the evolution of the industry, the value of mentorship, and how to stay current with new components through trade magazines and development boards.

  • Moore's Lobby · 35m

    Ep. 8 | From Prototype to Market: Design for Manufacturability with Untapped Engineering Resources

    Host Dave Finch interviews Dr. Don Kai Shenguan of Untapped Engineering Resources and Mark Hughes of Royal Circuits Solutions about the critical importance of Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Test (DFT) in electronics. The guests explain how engaging with Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) partners early in the design cycle prevents costly errors, such as single-source component obsolescence or unnecessary complexity like buried vias. They emphasize that modern EMS companies act as design partners, offering value engineering to optimize yield and cost, rather than just executing prints. The discussion highlights the need for young engineers to gain practical board design experience using tools like Altium and Cadence to bridge the gap between academic theory and production reality.

  • OnTrack · 40m

    EMI Pitfalls, Tips and Careers with Joost Brilman

    Joost Brilman, an EMC consultant and creator of the EMI Buster newsletter, explains why pre-certified modules often fail in final systems due to lack of emission margin and discusses how mechanical factors like aluminum oxide layers and screw connections cause unexpected EMI issues. He details his work with specialized clients, such as electric bus manufacturers dealing with non-standardized charging interference, and outlines the transition from power electronics design to EMC consulting. Brilman emphasizes that EMC is fundamentally about containing electromagnetic fields through proper mechanical grounding and shielding, rather than just digital compliance testing.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by The Amp Hour. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.