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Is electronic engineering dead?

cstanton

I saw this question on Reddit, and I figured it was a good one to ask the element14 Community as a thought provoking query that may be on new engineering students minds:

"If we consider only circuit design for PCBs, almost all the complexity is moving toward integrated circuits (chip and modules) and/or in code for FPGA or microcontrollers/microprocessors. The role of hardware engineers is still important, because of PCB layout and BOMs, but from the hardware design point of view is almost all already done, just pick a component, read the datasheet and copy the reference design. I’m simplifying, I know, finding the right component is not easy at all, but it seems the hardware engineer role is just reduced to searching and connecting modules. Only IC designers delve into the complexity of hardware design. Do you agree with me or can you explain why I’m wrong, please?

My question arises because I’m considering whether or not to move to hardware design from firmware. Currently, I’ve a master's in Electronic Engineering but I’m working as a firmware designer for microcontrollers."

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  • I don't agree - while you see  a great many published designs executed in this way this is because their is little protectable (or saleable) IP embedded in them.

    Real products made commercially still (often) use original hardware design to gain cost and performance advantage. But having invested a lot of money in a design it's not usually a good plan to publish it.

    The picture shows an example (a current project):

    There are two processors and an FPGA but there are filters ADCs, bipolar DACs, switching supplies, differential amplifiers etc. None of these are copies of reference designs (although obviously based on the huge body of analogue design knowledge available in books, on the internet etc.).

    And while I can happily show you a picture of the pcb I'm not ready to share the detailed design.

    image

    There will be work for good hardware designers for a long time - and I suggest that such work is much more resistant to attack by AI  than any kind of software work.

    MK

  • in reply to michaelkellett

    Oh my goodness I hope not! I worked in medical research as an electronics development engineer and nearly every project required novel solutions.
    I relished the challenge of working on demanding problems that often required unconventional approaches to achieve the final goal.
    Developing equipment for use in a medical environment of course has the added constraints of stricter safety standards, and whilst (as our questioner points out) standard circuit elements are employed, but it's the design engineers job to use her/his skill pull these together to provide a satisfactory outcome.
    That's what I got out of bed every morning for, the excitement of pitting my skills against what seemed an insurmountable electronic puzzle.
    It's the creativity that made me love the job.

    Daveb

  • in reply to davebullockmbe

    Out of curiosity, how do you chose the ICs, chips... to use in such medical devices?
    In most datasheet that I have read over the years, there is always a text saying "this device is not for human health, we won't be liable for any injuries/death..." even for the littlest component.

  • in reply to obones

    Well you have to use the chips that are available of course but its the careful development of the rest of the design that mitigates these safety issues. That's the challenge and skill of being a development engineer I guess. Yes I would lie in bed pondering these issues but still couldn't wait to get to work the next day. Pretty sad aren't I?

    Daveb

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  • in reply to obones

    Well you have to use the chips that are available of course but its the careful development of the rest of the design that mitigates these safety issues. That's the challenge and skill of being a development engineer I guess. Yes I would lie in bed pondering these issues but still couldn't wait to get to work the next day. Pretty sad aren't I?

    Daveb

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