If you are considering starting PCB design but haven’t quite pulled the trigger yet… Why not? Here are 5 great reasons why you should start and why you should learn if you don’t know how already.
Learning Is Easy
Many people may feel intimidated when PCB design is mentioned but this doesn’t have to be the case at all. Learning how to design can be a lot of fun and there are lots of online classes that you can take so you never have to sit in a classroom. There are also plenty of software packages that are good for learning, like Altium for example.
Circuit Board Design Can Be Fun
Learning how to PCB design can be a lot of fun and does not have to sit in the boring career category if you want it as a career. It can actually be quite thrilling, especially if you know your efforts are going to make someone’s life that little easier. Even the process itself can be very interesting. For instance, if you need to design a custom PCB you will have to remain focused on the job at all the times.
There’s A Lot Of Money In PCB Design
According to the job site indeed.com, PCB design is a career that pays pretty well. In the US, engineer dealing with PCB design earn an average 38% higher salaries than an average worker does. Also, according to the site, an average PCB designer in the USA will earn around $71,000.
A designer can expect that number to climb even higher as the complexity and importance of the board goes up. At the moment, North America and Asia are the global centres of PCB design but this industry will surely boom in other countries too.
It’s Multi-Billion Industry
PCB manufacture is already insanely profitable with the global market being worth around 60 billion dollars a year. A large portion of that is spent on printed circuit board design services. This is not really a surprise when you know that ALL major industries are in need of printed circuit boards.
Essentially, without PCBs, devices such as capacitors, switches, transformers etc. would simply not exist. This means that PCBs are vital for the development of modern industry. They are utilised in automotive, the military, transport, medicines etc. Starting to use design PCB software is a worthwhile endeavour.
They Are Essential For Space Travel
Another good reason to get in on the PCB design act is that the future of the technology is very bright, especially when you consider that PCBs are crucial for the aerospace industry. As the world is beginning to move into an age of proper space exploration, with estimates saying that people will be on mars in the next couple of decades, the demand for specialised PCBs is going to, well, skyrocket.
Even today, there are a number of PCB engineers employed at SpaceX. The same is true of NASA and other space agencies such as CNSA and Roscosmos.
This is truly an exciting time to step into the world of PCB design.
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