Fremont: Mentor Graphics Corporation, an electronic hardware and software solutions, announced winners of its 23^rd annual PCB technology leadership awards, on November 21, 2011. The programme, initiated in 1988, recognizes engineers and designers of computer aided designs who use innovative methods and design tools to address today's complex PCB system design challenges and produce industry leading products!

According to Pete Waddel, President of UP media and Publisher of printed circuit design and Fab/circuits assembly magazine, ‘’Mentor Graphics technology leadership awards showcases the best electronic design teams in the industry. The complexity of the designs and the commitment of the teams, who worked on the designs, is a testament to the talents and innovative abilities of engineers and designers involved. They certainly earned the respect of those of us who are fortunate to be involved with the programme.’’

The PCB industry expert judges included  Happy Holden, retired and former CTO, Foxconn advanced technology, Gary Ferrari, technical support director, FTG circuits Pete Waddell, president of UP media, publisher of printed circuit design and Fab/circuits assembly magazine, Andy Kowalewski, senior interconnect designer,  and Rick Hartley, senior Principal engineer, Avionics division of L-3 communications.

The award winners of 2011 Technology leadership along with their category are given below -

Wipro technologies, India got The Best overall design award. GE Intelligent Platform, UK and PFU, Japan Computers occupied first and second places respectively in the award category ‘Blade and Servers, Memory Systems’.  The first place for ‘Consumer Electronics and Handhelds’ was awarded to LG, Electronics, South Korea and the second place to Avolites, UK.

In the category ‘Industrial Control, Instrumentation, Security and Medical’ Verigy, Germany occupied the first place and Agilent, China, the second place. GE Intelligent Platform, UK and SELEX Galileo SPA, Italy were the award winners of the category- Military and Aerospace (first and second places respectively).

Alcatel- Lucent, USA and F5 Networks, USA occupied the first and second places respectively for the award category- Telecom, Network Controllers, and Line Cards. Under the category ‘Transportation and Automotive’ Johnson Controls, USA got the first place and Huizhou Desay, China got the second place.