IEEE Power Electronics Magazine - December 2021 - 22

FIG 11 Parametric model for next generation 1 U digital front panel.
metal were designed across multiple internal teams, along
with some external collaborators for keypads, Lexan, and
printing pads. For this design the electrical team defined
3D bodies for all components so that an accurate 3D representation
could be imported into the modeling software.
The mechanical team used the PCBs to determine board
mounting locations, add standoffs, and create openings
for the rubber keypads. The electrical team was provided
a front-facing panel drawing, which was imported into
the board layout software to lock in strike positions for
the carbon pads. This back-and-forth process illustrates
the required communication between teams and data
exchange between software. For this project, most design
flaws were discovered before entering production. Some
flaws did make it through, such as neglecting the thickness
of the powder coating on the keypad openings. However,
owning the punch press and powder coating system
allowed for quick corrections, making unanticipated flaws
more manageable. The main bottleneck for the project was
the only outsourced component: the keypad.
Conclusion
Design consistency is a key principle that has remained constant
through Magna-Power's history. As an engineer gains
experience, this consistency becomes intuition. This agility
is paramount to the company's success, allowing it to support
an extremely broad product offering with a relatively
small team. While design consistency has remained constant,
the strategies to achieve this principle have (and continue)
to evolve as the company grows. Software-based
22 IEEE POWER ELECTRONICS MAGAZINE z December 2021
tools were presented that enforced constraints on the
design process, shared component and rule libraries, validated
prototype workflows, and automated production
records checks against design files. Designs must also consider
processes, equipment limitations, and standards, as
was described through Magna-Power's experiences working
with many PCB vendors, where the company's own internal
production processes and several key PCB design strategies
were specified.
About the Authors
Grant Pitel (gpitel@magna-power.com) is the chief technology
officer at Magna-Power Electronics, Flemington, NJ,
USA. He obtained his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical
and computer engineering from the University of Illinois
Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA.
Adam Pitel (apitel@magna-power.com) is the chief
executive officer at Magna-Power Electronics, Flemington,
NJ, USA. He received the M.Eng degree from Princeton University,
NJ, USA.
References
[1] Generic Standard for Printed Board Design, IPC-2221B, Nov. 2012.
[2] Acceptability of Electronic Assemblies, IPC-A-610H, Sept. 2020.
[3] Low-Voltage Switchgear and Control Gear-Part 1: General Rules, IEC
60947-1:2020, Apr. 2020.
[4] J. Maxwell and E. Lemus, " Arc season and board design observations, "
presented at the Capacitor and Resistor Technology Symp., Orlando, FL,
USA, 2006.
IEEE Power Electronics Magazine - December 2021

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