Circuit Break - A MacroFab Podcast
Dive into the electrifying world of electrical engineering with Circuit Break, a MacroFab podcast hosted by Parker Dillmann and Stephen Kraig. This dynamic duo, armed with practical experience and a palpable passion for tech, explores the latest innovations, industry news, and practical challenges in the field. From DIY project hurdles to deep dives with industry experts, Parker and Stephen's real-world insights provide an engaging learning experience that bridges theory and practice for engineers at any stage of their career.
Whether you're a student eager to grasp what the job market seeks, or an engineer keen to stay ahead in the fast-paced tech world, Circuit Break is your go-to. The hosts, alongside a vibrant community of engineers, makers, and leaders, dissect product evolutions, demystify the journey of tech from lab to market, and reverse engineer the processes behind groundbreaking advancements. Their candid discussions not only enlighten but also inspire listeners to explore the limitless possibilities within electrical engineering.
Presented by MacroFab, a leader in electronics manufacturing services, Circuit Break connects listeners directly to the forefront of PCB design, assembly, and innovation. MacroFab's platform exemplifies the seamless integration of design and manufacturing, catering to a broad audience from hobbyists to professionals.
About the hosts: Parker, an expert in Embedded System Design and DSP, and Stephen, an aficionado of audio electronics and brewing tech, bring a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective to the show. Their backgrounds in engineering and hands-on projects make each episode a blend of expertise, enthusiasm, and practical advice.
Join the conversation and community at our online engineering forum, where we delve deeper into each episode's content, gather your feedback, and explore the topics you're curious about. Subscribe to Circuit Break on your favorite podcast platform and become part of our journey through the fascinating world of electrical engineering.
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 55 minutes
- Episodes
- 448
- Years Active
- 2016 - 2024
EP#423: Magical Semiconductors of Pixies
We’re joined by Alexander Vartanov, an electrical engineering student with a knack for hands-on projects. He discusses his journey from early soldering mishaps to his behind-the-scenes role in creati…
EP#422: Wizard Trust Falls for PCB Footprints
Our hosts discuss Parker’s recent transition from Eagle to KiCad, facing challenges with library management and device layer integration. They discuss the new MacroFab Quote Wizard and our first entr…
EP#421: Tracing a Path for PCB Design Automation with Sergiy Nesterenko
Sergiy Nestorenko, founder of Quilter and former SpaceX engineer, discusses revolutionizing PCB design automation. He shares his journey from aerospace to starting Quilter, aiming to transform PCB de…
EP#420: The Mega IIe: A Vintage Computing Adventure with James Lewis
We dive into the intricate world of vintage computing with James Lewis, aka the Bald Engineer, who takes us through the journey of constructing a functional computer based on the Apple II GS's Mega I…
EP#419: Kent Johnson: Religious Diversity in Electrical Engineering
Kent Johnson, Senior Corporate Advisor at the Religious Freedom and Business Foundation joins us this week to discuss the multifaceted role of religious diversity in the workplace. Topics range from…
EP#418: Entangled Steam
Parker and Stephen dive into the world of batteries, sparked by the BetaVolt BV100's claim of a 50-year lifespan. With discussions on its construction, potential applications, and recycling challenge…
EP#417: Cloud of Disks
Join Parker and Stephen as they delve into Japan's decision to phase out floppy disks and CD-ROMs for government submissions. From reminiscing about nostalgic tech quirks to analyzing the challenges …
EP#416: No David here, Chris Gammell with Golioth.io
We welcome Chris Gammell, Developer Relations Lead at Golioth, to explore the exciting world of IoT (Internet of Things) and hardware. Chris brings his extensive engineering back…
EP#415: CI/CD - We Salute You with Brenden Duncombe
This week Parker and Stephen welcome Brenden Duncombe to the show to discuss the pros and cons of continuous integration and continuous delivery/deployment (aka CI/CD) for hardware. Continuous integr…
Welcome to Circuit Break - A MacroFab Podcast
Prepare to plug into the world of electrical engineering on Circuit Break - A MacroFab Podcast. Join two adventurous engineers, Parker Dillmann and Stephen Kraig, as they dissect the latest tech inno…
EP#414: Net Running the Nut Runners with Joe Grand
This week Parker and Stephen welcome Joe Grand to the show to discuss insecure IoT devices. Inspired by a recent incident where Bosch wrenches were infected by ransomware called DRILLCRYPT, the guys …
EP#413: The Gray Zone with Kent Johnson
This week Parker and Stephen welcome Kent Johnson to the show to discuss ethics in engineering. It’s a topic that has been alluded to over the course of Circuit Break, but this is the first time Park…
EP#412: Great Classes, Odd Teachers, Chickens, Snakes
A recent Circuit Break Community thread about K-map design inspired a tangential conversation about how well certain subjects are taught in college. Parker and Stephen love a good tangent, thank you,…
EP#411: Entropy rules everything with James Lewis
This week Parker and Stephen welcome James Lewis back to the show after a rather long absence! The occasion stems from James chiming in on a Circuit Break Community thread that Stephen started, askin…
EP#410: Eighth Annual MacroFab Star Wars Christmas Special - Somehow this Podcast Returned
Not unlike Han Solo emerging from cryosleep, the annual MacroFab Star Wars Christmas Special is back! Parker and Stephen welcome Josh Rozier, Chris Kraft, and Hyr0n to Circuit Break for a wide-rangin…
EP#409: You Down with SDV
Parker and Stephen discuss a recent news story about how car manufacturers are increasing their focus on Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) which are cars that use more software instead of physical com…
EP#408: Pete Staples from Blue Clover on the PLT, Device Testing, more!
Parker and Stephen welcome Pete Staples, the CEO and Co-Founder of Blue Clover Devices, to the show! Staples founded Blue Clover in 2003 to explore ways to make the electronics industry more efficien…
EP#407: Holy Static Hazard Batman!
Parker and Stephen discuss a recent article exploring how electrostatic discharge damage isn’t the only kind of static hazard your digital designs can face and possible solutions to such problems, a …
EP#406: Dr. Duncan Haldane from JITX on Automating Circuit Design
Parker and Stephen welcome JITX CEO and Co-founder, Dr. Duncan Haldane, to the show to discuss his company, which is a code-powered PCB design platform that aims to revolutionize circuit board design…
EP#405: Does ChatGPT want a cold beer?
Parker and Stephen discuss the fact that physical limitations of shrinking process nodes are leading to new advancements in silicon interposers and enabling 2.5D packaging architectures, which is mak…