*This Editor’s Note will appear in the November/December Edition of ECN.
Engineering is a field that is ever-changing with new technology developments and new methodologies for conducting research. In fact, in order for engineers to keep up, they often will seek out continuing education courses. The ability to change and grow with the times is essential for the engineer and the industry as a whole, which is why, ECN will be instituting a complete redesign of the magazine in 2019.
The entire look and feel of the magazine will be completely updated starting with a new logo and tag line: Where the Design and Engineering Communities Connect. Perhaps the largest change is that ECN, WDD, and PDD will be uniting to form one magazine, where PDD and WDD will be included as special sections four times per year. ECN will continue to bring engineers the latest updates on electronic components as well as information on industry trends. The addition of PDD as a special section will allow us to cover the design engineering process from components to a full product prototype. With wireless technology growing across a wide variety of industries, the inclusion of a WDD supplement will further provide the engineer with the tools and information they need.
ECN also will add some fresh voices to our editorial team with the introduction of six new columns that follow the engineering process from start to finish, focusing on brainstorming, the components and semiconductors needed for a device, the power to keep it going, embedded systems, and testing and compliance. We also will pay extra attention to the work environment of an engineer, addressing many of the issues and concerns in the workforce today. Additionally, our popular online video series “Why I Became an Engineer,” that offers the inspiration for industry leaders to enter the engineering career, will have a new home in our print issues.
But before we usher in a new era of ECN, we are closing out this year on a high note with our Mil/Aerospace issue. This month’s issue focus on p. 6, “Leveraging COTS-Based Test Platforms for Next-Generation ATE Systems,” by Stephen T. Sargeant discusses the role of commercial off-the-shelf solutions for automated test equipment. Our tech features begin on p. 10 and includes “Hardware-in-the-Loop Testing Meets Wireless System Challenges,” by Jani Tolonen, which looks into applying channel emulators into performance verification for tactical radios and satellite links. Also in the lineup is “Commercial and Military Avionics Connectors Advance to Meet High Power, Data Needs,” by Russ Graves on p. 24, which examines how to engineer embedded electronics and interconnect systems that support increased data speeds and bandwidth without adding extra weight.
We are very excited about the evolution of ECN and we can’t wait for you to experience the changes with us. See you next year!