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PCB Impedance Control: Ensuring Signal Integrity in High-Frequency Circuits

Impedance measures the opposition of an electric circuit when alternating current is applied to it. It is the combination of the capacitance and the induction of an electric circuit at high frequency. Impedance is measured in Ohms, similar to resistance. If the impedances are different, reflections and attenuation occur that deteriorate the signal. For high-frequency analog or digital circuits, it is essential to protect the signals that propagate on the PCB from being damaged. In fact, signals above ......

Sept 20, 2024

PCB Design All posts >

The Ultimate Guide to PCB Layout Design

Printed Circuit Board (PCB) layout design is the foundation of any electronic device, from simple gadgets to highly complex systems. PCB layout design is the process of arranging electronic components and routing connections on a board to create a functional and efficient circuit. The goal is to achieve the smallest possible footprint while maintaining signal integrity and ensuring thermal and electrical performance. There is a lot that goes into any engineered circuit board design, from a basic print......

Understanding the Frequency Response of Decoupling Capacitors

Decoupling capacitors act like mini “shock absorbers” or local reservoirs on an IC’s power pins. Decaps are used to isolate high‐frequency AC noise from the DC supply. These decaps supply instant current during transients. When it comes to transient switching, the sudden change of voltage drops the current, and to fulfill the demand of that loss, the current is supplied from the source, which is situated away from the IC. But due to the resistive path between the IC and the supply, the frequency respo......

High-Density Interconnect (HDI): Revolutionizing PCB Design for Modern Electronics

In the world of advanced electronics, High-Density Interconnect (HDI) technology has become a game-changer. As devices get smaller, faster, and more complex, traditional printed circuit boards (PCBs) often face limitations in handling these demands. That’s where HDI PCBs come into play. This article covers what HDI is, why it’s critical, and how it’s shaping the future of modern electronics. 1. What is High-Density Interconnect (HDI)? A "HDI" printed circuit board (PCB) is one type whose wire count pe......

Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA): Optimizing Efficiency in Product Development

Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) is an essential engineering tool that helps products be simpler to manufacture and assemble. DFMA enables businesses to reduce costs, prevent errors, and hasten product introduction, by combining the design and manufacturing processes. In areas such as electronics, automotive, aircraft, and consumer goods where exact and complex products are highly valued, this approach performs particularly effectively. highlighting fundamental ideas, advantages, and the b......

PCB Manufacturing All posts >

Understanding PCB Copper Thickness: Standards and Conversions

When talking about copper thickness, there are some limited options available with manufacturing houses. When designers have to increase the current carrying capacity of a trace without making it wider, then copper weight or thickness is increased in the lateral dimension. There are only a few options, and most of the manufacturers have a standard thickness. Copper selection is all about power delivery, signal propagation, and thermal management. Copper width and length are always a concerning factor ......

The Significance of Industrial PCB Manufacturing for Modern Technology

Industrial PCB manufacturing is an important part of making strong printed circuit boards (PCBs) for high-performance tools in many fields. Industrial PCBs are different from regular consumer electronics because they are made to work in severe environments, be reliable over time, and meet specific operating needs. These PCBs are very important for things like computer systems, heavy machinery, medical equipment, and the infrastructure for energy production. 1. What Is Industrial PCB Manufacturing? Whe......

How to Select the Best Materials for Your Flexible PCB Designs

Flexible printed circuit boards (Flex PCBs) have revolutionized the electronics industry. Now we can pack the circuit in a small housing space with highly compact, lightweight, and flexible form factors. FPCs are everywhere from wearable devices to medical implants and aerospace systems. These circuits rely on special materials that offer the right balance of mechanical flexibility and electrical performance. When designing a Flex PCB, choosing the right combination of substrates, adhesives, and coati......

What is a Circuit Board Holder? Types, Uses & How to Choose

A circuit board holder also known as a PCB holder is a tool designed to secure printed circuit boards (PCBs) at one place. So that it would not move during operations such as soldering, desoldering or testing. These holders not only offer convenience but also enhance safety and accuracy during intricate tasks. PCB holders are essential for: ● Stability: Ensuring the PCB stays securely in location throughout the assembly. ● Alignment: Helping position components as they ought to be for precise solderin......

PCB Layout All posts >

IC Board Design: A Technical Guide to PCB Layout

Why is PCB layout so important for an IC board design? PCB layout is the crucial moment when we turn the theoretical elegance of a schematic into a piece of hardware that works reliably and can be manufactured. For any complex board with a complex integrated circuit (IC), such as a microcontroller, an accelerator like an FPGA, or a sensitive RF transceiver, we are not simply connecting one point to another. PCB layout is an engineering specialty that has a huge influence on the performance, signal int......

How to Design a Complete PCB Layout? PCB Layout Engineer Must Know!

Each new revolutionary electronic gadget starts its life not with soldering iron sparks flying, but as a plain, simple concept - something as basic as an idea drawn on a napkin or software-simulated design. Actually making that idea into a physical and working unit is highly complex, and the critical bridge between the two is the Printed Circuit Board (PCB). The design and layout of components and traces on this board is PCB layout, and it's a fundamental skill for any electronics engineer. This artic......

The Definitive Guide to Bypass Capacitor in PCB Layout

Every printed circuit board (PCB) designer, whether an experienced engineer or an enthusiastic hobbyist, has encountered it: unpredictable behavior from a circuit. The microcontroller that resets at random intervals, the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that provides wilder and wilder readings, or the high-speed communication bus that is always full of errors. In most cases, the issue is not a faulty component or logic error, but rather a nuanced and insidious issue, a noisy power distribution networ......

How to Choose the Best Printed Circuit Board Layout Services

A high-quality schematic is just one part of the challenge in electronic design. After the schematic design, you need to convert that schematic into a functioning printed circuit board (PCB). An incorrect layout of the PCB can degrade a design's performance, causing many issues like electromagnetic interference (EMI), substrate (or signal) integrity (SI) issues, overheating, or, if it gets that far, a usable PCB that cannot be manufactured. So how does an engineer, hobbyist, or project manager figure ......

PCB Knowledge All posts >

Breaking Down PCB Pricing: How is the Cost Determined

PCB quote packaging involves gathering and organizing all the necessary details to estimate the cost of manufacturing a PCB. This process includes not only design specifications but also material selection, manufacturing methods, and engineering considerations. It goes beyond a simple financial estimate and provides a thorough engineering analysis to ensure the quote is accurate, feasible, and optimized for production. Every aspect affecting production such as material type, size, complexity, and prod......

4 Layer vs 6 Layer vs 8 Layer PCB: How to Choose the Right Stackup

Random selection of layers in electronics may lead to serious signal integrity issues. That's why we always design our stackup before designing the PCB. Stackup decides the type of PCB and how it gonna perform under high-frequency conditions. There are a lot of things that directly affect the stackup of the PCB, related to impedance matching, routing density, signal and power integrity, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), and cost. Knowing the requirements before design and the most critical componen......

Introduction to FPGA Architecture: How FPGAs Work and Why They Matter

Digital circuits implementation is done using ASIC or gate array-based ICs. But there is one more programmable logic functional IC which can implement any logic just by programming; these are known as PLDs (programmable logic devices). There are a lot of them available, but our main focus today is on Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). Unlike fixed-function integrated circuits (ICs), FPGAs allow engineers to reconfigure the hardware itself after manufacturing. Now using one FPGA, I can realize man......

Mastering Thevenin’s Theorem: Practical Circuit Analysis

We have seen the schematics of different circuits in the previous articles. When it comes to circuit solving then some predefined theorems are used. Just because at a higher level circuits become too complex, and we can not solve them just by looking at them. That's why to solve these complex systems, theorems are developed. One of the most popular ones is Thevenin’s Theorem. It allows us to replace any complex linear network with a single voltage source (called Thevenin voltage, Vth) in series with a......

PCB Assembly All posts >

SMD Packages Explained: From Basics 1206 to QFN and BGA

The small, compact devices we use every day, from smartphones to wearables, are made possible by Surface Mount Technology (SMT). Central to SMT are the SMD (Surface Mount Devices), which are soldered directly onto a Printed Circuit Board (PCB). These SMD components replaced bulky through-hole components, enabling a shift from manual processes to automated, high-density SMT assembly. The SMT technology offers key advantages over through-hole: ● Improved Electrical Performance: Less parasitic inductance......

Top 4 Benefits of Turnkey PCB Assembly for Faster Production

For engineers, entrepreneurs, and committed hobbyists, bridging a brilliant schematic to a working populated circuit board is filled with logistical challenges. The traditional path is a disjointed, inefficient supply chain where you source from different suppliers, bare boards from a fabricator, hundreds of individual parts from distributors, and then a separate assembly house. This inefficiency is a source of time delays, unexpected costs, and mistakes that arise in the logistics and can end a proje......

SMT Process in PCB Assembly: A Comprehensive Technical Guide

Today's high-performance electronics, from pocket-sized smartphones and IoT sensors to sophisticated industrial control systems, are made possible by a manufacturing miracle: Surface Mount Technology (SMT). SMT is the backbone of electronics manufacturing, allowing us to have the incredible component density and miniaturization. A bare circuit board is simply a substrate. The process of transforming it into a functional electronic circuit is known as Printed Circuit Board Assembly. This article outlin......

Selecting a PCB Assembly Manufacturer: Expert Engineer Tips

In the field of electronics, the final product's dependability rests on its Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA). PCB assembly is the process of soldering electronic components onto the bare PCB itself. This complicated act of assembly is very important to the function of the product. Choosing a PCB assembly manufacturer should be viewed as a partnership decision. A competent manufacturer will serve as an extension of your engineering staff, providing important feedback on Design for Manufacturabilit......

Built with JLCPCB All posts >

JLCPCB helps simulate rockets to realize precise flight control!

Beepy is a flight computer specially designed for model rockets. The model rocket is very small in size, but the amount of computation required to achieve its flight is considerable. Beepy differs from traditional flight computers in that it adopts a design where multiple circular PCBS are stacked and connected, and uses ribbon cables to link each module together. This design significantly reduces the space occupied by the flight computer, enabling the device to maintain powerful functions while keepi......

High-Quality Small Batch Guitar Effect Pedal PCBs with JLCPCB Manufacturing

Fuzz Fields is an innovative guitar effect pedal that combines three modulated sounds to offer dynamically controlled fuzzy sound effects. Unlike traditional static pedals, Fuzz Fields can adjust the timbre in real time based on the dynamic input of the performer, achieving various effects such as "screaming", "swelling", "saturation" and "trembling". Its core feature is an inbuilt oscillator that can be modulated through external control, making it suitable for scenarios such as guitar tone explorati......

JLCPCB Empowering Innovation: The Journey of an Autonomous Exploration Vehicle

The Nomad project is a modular autonomous exploration vehicle, specifically designed to tackle complex terrains and perform scientific tasks. In this innovative project, JLCPCB provided comprehensive support, ranging from fast PCB manufacturing and efficient assembly services to precise PCBA manufacturing. This helped the project team maintain high quality while optimizing cost-effectiveness and ensuring timely delivery. With JLCPCB's 24-hour fast turnaround and global shipping services, the Nomad pro......

How JLCPCB Helped a Non-Verbal Girl Communicate Her Needs

How can a non-verbal child express her needs to caregivers? It’s a question parents hope to never face. An American developer group focused on open-source assistive technology, created a customizable communication device for a 3-year-old girl with special needs. With support from JLCPCB, the team built a low-cost, upgradable tool that allows her to communicate using simple button presses. Needs Communication System Project Overview: The project began in Thailand when the founder of developer group met......

SMT Stencil All posts >

Reducing Solder Bridging and Cleaning Costs with Nano-Coated Stencils

The ongoing trend for miniaturization of electronic devices ensures that the surface mount assembly process will continue to provide new challenges. Components and stencil apertures are getting smaller and tighter in pitch. The demands on the solder paste printing process require improvements in technology. Nano-coatings for stencils have been available for many years. The coatings are supplied in two common forms. The most common form is a multiple step liquid coating which is applied by wiping onto ......

SAM vs Ceramic: Choosing the Right Nano-Coating for Your PCB Stencil

As SMT designs evolve, tighter pitches and smaller components are introduced in electronics. Traditional stencil services can be used for bigger SMD pads but as the innovation goes on nano coated stencils comes to the market. Nano coatings are hydrophobic and oleophobic and repel water, oil and solder paste flux. Some benefits of using these coatings are improved transfer efficiency, reduced need (or frequency) of underside cleaning, and reduced bridging after print. There are two types of Nano-coatin......

Nano-Coatings in PCB Manufacturing: How They Outperform Traditional Stencils

Nano coating is a thin hydrophobic (water repellent) and oleophobic (oil repellent) treatment used on the undersides and edges of solder paste stencils. With this the surface becomes non-stick which reduces the number of cleaning cycles required for the solder paste printing process. Upon application, the less than 5 nanometer coating bonds with the stencil foil at the microscopic level, which does not change the size and shape of the stencil. Nano coating is an industry proven process which shows imm......

Unlocking the Secrets of Nano-Coated Stencil Manufacturing

Nano-Coated Stencil Manufacturing Process The manufacturing of nano-coated stencils involves a series of precision engineering steps including design and drafting, laser cutting, polishing, nano-coating deposition, and quality inspection. Below is a detailed description of each process stage: 1. Design and Drafting (1) Data Acquisition: Accurate data is obtained from customer-supplied design files (e.g., Gerber files, PCB layouts) or physical product samples. This includes stencil dimensions, pad layo......

Flexible Heater All posts >

What Are Flexible Heaters? Polymide vs. Silicone

Introduction Flexible heaters are thin, lightweight, and customizable heating elements used for precise temperature control in compact or complex spaces. These heaters are designed to convert electrical energy into heat through resistance heating. This process involves electricity flowing through a resistive element embedded within the flexible substrate, which generates heat as it meets resistance. The materials used are highly effective at conducting electricity and distributing heat evenly. Based o......

Choosing the right 3M Adhesives Backing for Flexible Heaters: 9448A vs. 468MP vs. 55236

In the world of modern electronics, whether you're working on medical devices or industrial automation, getting thermal management right is absolutely critical. Flexible heaters, typically made from polyimide or silicone, are fantastic tools that give us the versatility to heat complex surfaces. But here’s the catch: a heater's performance is only as good as its mounting. A weak or improper bond can lead to thermal hotspots, mechanical failure, and a product that dies long before its time. This is whe......

EV Battery Thermal Management with Flexible Heaters: What You Need to Know

Electric vehicles (EVs) depend on lithium-ion batteries that are highly sensitive to temperature changes. In cold environments, battery capacity and charging efficiency drop significantly, reducing range and performance. To address this, EV battery thermal management systems regulate battery temperature to maintain optimal operating conditions. Flexible heaters are a key component of these systems, providing fast and even warming directly to the battery pack to maintain safe, reliable operation and ex......

Choosing Insulating Materials for Flexible Heaters

Introduction When it comes to designing any thermal system, the heating element alone isn’t the whole picture. The performance, safety, and longevity of a flexible heater are then ultimately defined by its insulating materials. These insulating materials are not just a protective covering - they are effectively a part of the construction of a heater and define thermal performance, electrical integrity, and mechanical robustness. For engineers designing embedded systems or any product, selecting the ri......