PCB Library Data – How is it being created or acquired? Component symbols, component pad patterns, and 3D models remain the building blocks for every printed circuit board design. With today’s design tools, engineers and designers no longer have to rely on design tools to create these essential parts from scratch, nor do they have to manually […]
Have you considered ESD issues generated by your electronic assembly labels? It might be good to remember that separation of any two materials in contact is likely to generate an electrostatic charge. Removing labels from their release liner or even removing a label from a finger creates voltage differences, which charge a label, operator and […]
Keep Your Board Size to a Minimum Always try to keep your completed board size to a minimum. The bigger a board, the higher your material cost. However, this also works the other way around. If you make your board excessively small, a manufacturer will need very precise equipment to produce it. So it’s a […]
Potting vs Conformal Coating of PCB Assemblies Conformal coatings are a protective, non-conductive dielectric layer that are added to a circuit board or electronic device. A coating “conforms” to the object being coated (often referred to as the “substrate”), allowing protection without significant additions to the weight or thickness of the device. Potting is also […]
Following the double whammy of the US-China trade war and the COVID-19 pandemic, an increasing number of global manufacturing companies are looking to shift parts of their supply chains, including PCB and electronic PCBAs, from China to India, according to multiple recent reports. Many companies have suffered significant disruptions to their supply chains as authorities across the […]
The first article inspection process is a critically important step in the manufacturing process of your PCBA. When your PCBA assembler sets up your design and the assembly process required to produce units to your defined specifications, the first boards are generally considered as “first article” production. “First articles” are not prototypes or PCBA pre-production […]
Printed Circuit Board Designers deal with an array of challenges, from electrical, functional, mechanical, production, quality and price. To avoid some common problems, Design for Manufacturability (DFM) considerations should also be factored into the design process. Some of the most common DFM problems are discussed below, along with some alternative considerations. Footprint Geometry Try to refer […]
One way is to use a standard convention such as the Association Connecting Electronics Industries, or IPC Standards. The IPC is a global trade association for the electronic interconnect industry (www.ipc.org) covering design, Printed Circuit Board manufacturing and electronics assembly. Specific topics covered include: Acceptance, Fabrication, Flexible Circuits, General, High Density / Fine Pitch, High Speed / […]
Prior to the start of Printed Circuit Board (PCB) manufacturing, engineers review all drawings, specifications and files to ensure manufacturability. Any identified concerns or issues or communicated back to the customer for clarification or correction. Once complete and all issues or concerns are resolved, the first step of the manufacturing process is to release material to […]
The most common measurement unit for copper thickness on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) is ounces (oz). How thick is that? It’s the thickness when 1 oz of copper is spread evenly over a one foot square area. It equals 1.37 mils (or 1.37 thousands of an inch). For other common units of measure, consider: 1 oz […]
