Shanthini Rajasekaran

How do you actually hire design engineers? That was the question I asked during a deep and insightful discussion with Mr. Sivamani, Dy. Manager and a veteran in automotive lighting design with 11+ years of experience across Motherson, Indian Japan Lighting, PSA Group, Daimler, and now Marelli. Me: “From your experience, how do OEMs and Tier-1s hire freshers into lighting or design roles? Is domain knowledge mandatory?” Mr. Sivamani: “There’s a misconception. We don’t expect freshers to know everything, but they must be fundamentally sound in CAD tools like CATIA or NX, engineering graphics, and basic design workflows. Most importantly, they need to have the attitude to learn fast.” Me: “So, attitude comes first. But then what makes a fresher truly job-ready for companies like yours?” Him: “We give them a window of two to three months as GETs. In that time, they must understand the lamp system, know the design flow from RFQ to SOP, work with minimal supervision, and avoid rework — which is costly under tight schedules.” Me: “That’s similar to what we’re doing. Our goal is to train freshers before they get hired. So when someone from our program joins as a GET, they already know lamp basics, regulations, DFM, design to cost, and even mounting concepts.” Him: “Exactly. CATIA can be taught, but it takes time to explain why a rib is placed, how wall thickness affects mold flow, or what causes warpage. If they know that, it’s a huge plus.” Me: “And when you say GETs should handle ownership, what do you mean?” Him: "Ownership means they’re not just modeling. They know what the part is, how it’s used, how it’s assembled, and what can fail in testing. When I assign a task, I shouldn’t need to micromanage. The GET should check the data, foresee issues like clashes or tooling limits, and deliver designs with minimal corrections.” Me: “How do you build that mindset internally?” Him: "First three months are for tool mastery, design basics, and best practices. The next three months cover simulation, DVP, mold issues, testing, and electronics integration. By year-end, they should support global teams and own subsystems independently.” Me: “We’re structuring our lighting training the same way. First the theory, then CATIA execution, then project-based case studies, just like OEMs do in-house.” Him: “That’s perfect. Most training stops at software, but software is just a tool. What really matters is whether they understand production, testing, and validation. That’s what helps them grow inside companies like ours.” This is exactly the gap we aim to bridge. Through our domain-focused training at Disenosys, we’re not just training engineers to crack interviews — but preparing them to perform and grow within global R&D teams. If you're in the automotive industry — as a hiring manager, placement officer, or engineering student — let’s connect. Together, we can raise the bar for fresher hiring and training. #disenosys #hiring #automotive #design #trims

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🎯 Crack the PCB Design Engineer Interview — Questions & Answers from Top Companies 🧠💻 Are you preparing for interviews at companies like Intel, Nvidia, Qualcomm, Apple, or Broadcom? Here's a curated list of frequently asked interview questions along with how to answer them — based on real-world expectations from elite hardware teams: 🔹 1. What is impedance and why is it important in PCB design? 🧠 Answer: Impedance is the total opposition a trace offers to current, especially high-speed signals. Controlling impedance ensures signal integrity and reduces reflections, which is critical in DDR, USB, PCIe designs. 🔹 2. How do you design a PCB with DDR3/DDR4 memory? 🧠 Answer: • Length matching of address, data, and clock lines • Fly-by topology for address/control • Impedance-controlled traces (~50Ω) • Termination resistors and simulation using tools like HyperLynx/Sigrity 🔹 3. What is the difference between via stitching and via shielding? 🧠 Answer: • Via stitching connects copper pours for improved grounding and EMI shielding. • Via shielding surrounds high-speed signals with ground vias to reduce crosstalk. 🔹 4. How do you handle EMI/EMC in PCB layout? 🧠 Answer: • Proper stack-up with continuous ground • Avoid right-angle traces • Use ground planes and return paths • Decoupling capacitors close to IC pins 🔹 5. What are the common DFM (Design for Manufacturing) issues you check? 🧠 Answer: • Minimum trace/space • Drill-to-copper clearance • Annular ring checks • Solder mask slivers, component placement guidelines 🔹 6. How do you ensure signal integrity in high-speed layouts? 🧠 Answer: • Controlled impedance • Termination schemes • Crosstalk analysis • Differential pair routing (tight coupling, length matching) 🔹 7. Explain the schematic to Gerber process. 🧠 Answer: Schematic capture → Netlist generation → PCB layout → DRC/ERC → Gerber + drill file export for fabrication. 🔹 8. What simulation tools have you used and for what purpose? 🧠 Answer: • HyperLynx / Sigrity for SI/PI simulation • Thermal analysis tools for heat dissipation • EMC analysis for radiated/conducted emissions 💡 Pro Tips for Success: ✅ Know your resume inside out ✅ Showcase your design portfolio ✅ Communicate clearly — simplify your explanations ✅ Be honest about limitations and show learning attitude 📘 Bonus: Practice using open-source designs or community projects to simulate interview scenarios. 🙌 Good luck, fellow engineers! Let’s empower and uplift each other — the hardware world is built by passionate minds like yours. #PCBDesign #InterviewTips #PCBEngineer #Cadence #Altium #SignalIntegrity #HardwareDesign #DFM #CareerInTech #DesignEngineer #VinayakKulkarni #PCBInterview #EngineeringSuccess #JobSearchTips

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🎯 Crack the PCB Design Engineer Interview — Questions & Answers from Top Companies 🧠💻 Are you preparing for interviews at companies like Intel, Nvidia, Qualcomm, Apple, or Broadcom? Here's a curated list of frequently asked interview questions along with how to answer them — based on real-world expectations from elite hardware teams: 🔹 1. What is impedance and why is it important in PCB design? 🧠 Answer: Impedance is the total opposition a trace offers to current, especially high-speed signals. Controlling impedance ensures signal integrity and reduces reflections, which is critical in DDR, USB, PCIe designs. 🔹 2. How do you design a PCB with DDR3/DDR4 memory? 🧠 Answer: • Length matching of address, data, and clock lines • Fly-by topology for address/control • Impedance-controlled traces (~50Ω) • Termination resistors and simulation using tools like HyperLynx/Sigrity 🔹 3. What is the difference between via stitching and via shielding? 🧠 Answer: • Via stitching connects copper pours for improved grounding and EMI shielding. • Via shielding surrounds high-speed signals with ground vias to reduce crosstalk. 🔹 4. How do you handle EMI/EMC in PCB layout? 🧠 Answer: • Proper stack-up with continuous ground • Avoid right-angle traces • Use ground planes and return paths • Decoupling capacitors close to IC pins 🔹 5. What are the common DFM (Design for Manufacturing) issues you check? 🧠 Answer: • Minimum trace/space • Drill-to-copper clearance • Annular ring checks • Solder mask slivers, component placement guidelines 🔹 6. How do you ensure signal integrity in high-speed layouts? 🧠 Answer: • Controlled impedance • Termination schemes • Crosstalk analysis • Differential pair routing (tight coupling, length matching) 🔹 7. Explain the schematic to Gerber process. 🧠 Answer: Schematic capture → Netlist generation → PCB layout → DRC/ERC → Gerber + drill file export for fabrication. 🔹 8. What simulation tools have you used and for what purpose? 🧠 Answer: • HyperLynx / Sigrity for SI/PI simulation • Thermal analysis tools for heat dissipation • EMC analysis for radiated/conducted emissions 💡 Pro Tips for Success: ✅ Know your resume inside out ✅ Showcase your design portfolio ✅ Communicate clearly — simplify your explanations ✅ Be honest about limitations and show learning attitude 📘 Bonus: Practice using open-source designs or community projects to simulate interview scenarios. 🙌 Good luck, fellow engineers! Let’s empower and uplift each other — the hardware world is built by passionate minds like yours. #PCBDesign #InterviewTips #PCBEngineer #Cadence #Altium #SignalIntegrity #HardwareDesign #DFM #CareerInTech #DesignEngineer #VinayakKulkarni #PCBInterview #EngineeringSuccess #JobSearchTips

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𝗛𝘂𝗺 𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗸𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻! Just watched a short clip of Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw to a room full of manufacturing leaders. Within the first minute of his opening speech at 0.50 he says we need to build design teams. Around 2 minutes after the nudge and prodding by the minister, the group comes up with the need for more round tables and asks the government to invest more. Why do Indian manufacturing companies need a minister to remind them about design? Many of them have received huge government incentives. Still, most manufacturing-led companies don’t naturally build great products. They are great at making “boxes”, but building the “brain” inside the box is a different skill. And that’s okay .We shouldn’t expect every big manufacturer to become the next @Ather or Atomberg Technologies. Instead, we should back the people who already build products: startups. Most startups don’t need massive capital. They need support and speed. Here’s what would really help: 1. The “Shenzhen shortcut” Give startups fast access to components from China. If a critical part takes 3 weeks in customs and almost a month to reach out to Chinese or Taiwanese suppliers, the prototype is already outdated. 2. The “Silicon connection” Create a real fast-track for Indian startups to get chipsets + technical support from global companies like Qualcomm, NXP, etc. Today, these companies mostly engage only with very large customers. 3. Reward “efforts”, not just “boxes” We reward production volume with schemes like PLI. We should reward product engineering. Tax benefits for R&D spend Support for prototyping and engineering salaries Incentives for teams building real products (not just chasing subsidies) 4. Make the system easy Founders and engineers should be in labs, not running around offices. Shared design hubs: 3D printing, testing, certification help in one place Faster, friendlier BIS and approvals regulators as partners, not gatekeepers If India wants to be a real product nation, we need to connect startup speed + design talent + manufacturing scale. Really appreciate the intent, but I worry we’re expecting too much from “manufacturing-only” players. If the focus is just on assembling for incentives, we won’t build the kind of product companies we want. What we need is stronger support for teams doing real design, engineering, and IP — and then pair that with manufacturing scale.MeitY Startup Hub Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology https://lnkd.in/gSE_fx-u

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🚗🔧 𝗔𝗢𝗖 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁! We’re excited to introduce Kowshik M S from ETAS and Rajat Arora from MathWorks as speakers for Track 1 at the AUTOSAR 𝟭𝟲𝘁𝗵 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟲-𝟮𝟴, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗲𝘀, 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗴𝗶𝘂𝗺! 🎙 Kowshik M S – ETAS Currently serving as a 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 AUTOSAR-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺, Kowshik leads integration efforts for both Classic and Adaptive AUTOSAR platforms. His professional interests are centered around exploring middleware protocols and designing efficient integration strategies for next-gen automotive systems. 🎙 Rajat Arora – MathWorks With over 𝟭𝟮 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, Rajat works as an Application Engineer at MathWorks, specializing in verification, validation, and code generation for automotive applications. Before MathWorks, Rajat contributed to the development of software for engine control, safety, and transmission systems at Marelli and Bosch. He also holds an M.B.A. from the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad. 💡 𝙎𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙏𝙞𝙩𝙡𝙚: "𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝘼𝙐𝙏𝙊𝙎𝘼𝙍-𝘽𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙎𝘿𝙑 𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘿𝙚𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙮𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩" 🔑 What to Expect from the Session? 1️⃣ How to leverage Model-Based Design (MBD) for Adaptive and Classic AUTOSAR application development. 2️⃣ Strategies for seamless integration and deployment of applications with the ETAS Middleware Stack and communication over SOME/IP. 3️⃣ Real-world insights and key lessons learned during development and integration. 📅 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗢𝗖: https://lnkd.in/dZv5yPGq #AUTOSAR #AutomotiveTech #SoftwareDevelopment #AOC #AOC2025 #AUTOSAREvents #Innovation

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The ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) adoption rate in the Indian automotive industry is set to grow faster, powered by new regulations. By 2030, it's expected to get "commoditised". The opportunities in India are making Mobileye , the $1.9 bn global leader in ADAS and AD technologies, draw new plans. Details in the story below. #Automotive #ADAS #AutonomousDriving #Technology #India #Israel

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American technology company Visteon Corporation has launched in-house manufacturing of its next-generation high-resolution Analog and Digital Camera System and Display Backlight Unit (BLU) at its Chennai facility in India. The company said it has initially invested USD 10 million towards developing the manufacturing capabilities. Sachin Lawande https://lnkd.in/dnM265Ti #Visteon #ADAS

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Qualcomm and Tata Electronics partner to manufacture automotive modules in India. The collaboration aims to enable local production of automotive technologies for digital cockpits, infotainment, connectivity, and intelligent vehicle systems, addressing growing demand from Indian and global automakers while enhancing supply chain flexibility and geographic diversification. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gtCeMJ9T

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Scaling Hardware Needs More Than Just PCBA. In India, manufacturing can get off the ground, but scaling reveals the gaps. Most EMS players stop at board assembly, leaving OEMs to manage mechanicals, testing, and final integration on their own. What OEMs need isn’t just a board. It’s a finished product, built through the tight integration of electronics and mechanical systems into a complete box build. #ElectromechanicalAssembly #ESDM #PCBA #BoxBuild #HardwareManufacturing

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NATRAX - National Automotive Test Tracks, a division of NAB, an autonomous body under MHI, has signed an MoU with Bosch India to establish a dedicated, state-of-the-art workshop and office for BOSCH at the NATRAX facility. #MHI #NATRAX

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𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚, 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐕 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Qualcomm, Inc. has partnered with Tata Electronics to manufacture 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚, marking a major step in localising advanced automotive electronics. Production will take place at Tata Electronics’ upcoming 𝐎𝐒𝐀𝐓 (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) facility in Jagiroad, Assam. The automotive modules integrate 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦’𝐬 𝐒𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦-on-chips with key components into ready-to-deploy units for digital cockpits, infotainment, connectivity, and intelligent vehicle systems. The collaboration adds India to Qualcomm’s global manufacturing footprint and aligns with the country’s push to strengthen semiconductor capabilities while enhancing supply chain resilience for automakers. 𝐇𝐄𝐕’𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬: As vehicles rapidly transition to software-defined platforms, local module manufacturing becomes strategically critical. This partnership strengthens India’s semiconductor ecosystem and supports faster EV and connected vehicle deployment across domestic and export markets. Nakul Duggal | Dr. Randhir Thakur #Qualcomm #TataElectronics #AutomotiveModules #EVTech #Semiconductors #MakeInIndia #ConnectedVehicles #SoftwareDefinedVehicles

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