X-Ray Inspection for PCB Fault Detection As packages have moved from visible leads to hidden solder balls, optical inspection has lost its grip on the most critical joints on the board. A ball grid array hides every connection beneath the package, and a through-hole barrel is buried inside the laminate.…

Ringing, Crosstalk and Reflections: Signal Integrity Fixes Signal integrity stops being a background concern the moment edge rates get short enough that a trace behaves like a transmission line rather than a wire. Above that point the geometry of the routing decides whether a receiver sees a clean edge or…

PCB Design Basics: Libraries, Placement, Routing and Checks PCB design is easy to start and difficult to finish well. The tool will accept any arrangement of parts and any route that does not violate the rules it has been given, and the judgement about whether the result is good belongs…

5-Layer PCB Price: Stackup, Adders and Quantity A five layer board is an unusual choice, and that is the first thing to understand about its price. Most designs use an even number of layers for a reason that has nothing to do with electrical performance: a symmetric stackup laminates flat,…

Single-Sided PCB Price: Substrate, Finish and Volume A single-sided board is the cheapest way to build a circuit, and in large volumes it is remarkably cheap indeed. Components mount on one side and copper runs on the other, so there are no plated holes to drill, no inner layers to…

SMT Production Line: How PCB Design Shapes the Process An SMT production line is a sequence of machines, and every machine imposes requirements on the board that passes through it. The stencil needs a pad geometry it can print through, the placement machine needs components it can pick and place,…

Implantable Device PCB: Materials, Sealing and Reliability An implantable device is the most demanding application a circuit board can have. It cannot be repaired, replaced or reset by the user, it operates in a warm saline environment for years, and the consequence of a failure is measured in human terms…

PCB Component Marking: Naming Every Part Modern electronics depend on boards that are assembled correctly the first time. Every product – a phone, a charger, a medical instrument or an industrial controller – relies on thousands of solder joints that must conduct current for years. This article explains PCB component…

PCB Tooling Hole Design: Holes the Fixture Uses Electronics manufacturing has become a discipline of small details. Solder paste volumes, placement accuracy, temperature profiles and inspection limits all add up to the final result. This guide looks at PCB tooling hole design from the perspective of a PCBA factory floor,…

PCB Vision Alignment Tolerance: Lining Up the Artwork Electronics manufacturing has become a discipline of small details. Solder paste volumes, placement accuracy, temperature profiles and inspection limits all add up to the final result. This guide looks at PCB vision alignment tolerance from the perspective of a PCBA factory floor,…