printed circuit board production

Terms starting with M: Major Defect: A serious defect that affects product usability. Mask: Material used for selective etching or solder application. Metal Foil: Conductive material used for forming circuits, typically copper. Microvia: Small conductive holes connecting layers in multilayer PCBs. Multilayer Printed Boards: Boards with multiple conducting layers separated by insulating materials. Terms starting with N: NC Drill: A machine for precise drilling of PCB holes. Netlist: A list of electronic components and their connections. New Product Introduction (NPI): A process to streamline bringing new products to market. Terms starting with P: Pad: A conductive area for component attachment. Photo Plotter: A device that generates photographic patterns for PCBs. Plated Through Hole: A hole plated to connect different PCB layers. Prototyping: The process of creating initial product versions for testing and validation. Read More

Design for Manufacturing (DFM) aims to enhance product quality, delivery, and cost-effectiveness by aligning design with production requirements. Effective DFM practices help reduce lead times and costs while ensuring quality. Common errors in PCB design, such as mismatched component footprints, inadequate specifications, and incorrect component orientation, can lead to costly manufacturing issues. Addressing DFM problems early in the design phase is crucial, as late-stage modifications are more challenging. Designers who are mindful of manufacturing considerations can minimize the need for rework and improve overall product success in a competitive market. Read More

This text discusses three common methods for handling vias in printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication: Not Covered Vias, Solder Mask Tenting Vias, and Plugged Vias. In Not Covered Vias, surface finish metal is applied to the via barrel, enabling testing from both sides of the board, though it risks solder paste wicking during rework. Solder Mask Tenting covers via pads without surface finish application, but it presents long-term reliability concerns due to potential entrapment of etching chemicals. Plugged Vias involve filling vias with non-conductive material to guarantee tenting, but this process requires additional fabrication steps and can lead to issues during the reflow process if not properly controlled. Manufacturers typically default to solder mask tenting unless specified otherwise. Read More

Vias are crucial for signal routing in PCBs, connecting different layers to manage high-density interconnections. There are three types of vias: through vias, blind vias, and buried vias, with blind vias being laser drilled. Vias introduce parasitic capacitance, inductance, and impedance, impacting signal integrity, especially in high-speed circuit designs. To minimize issues, avoid unnecessary vias, remove unnecessary pads, and ensure balanced via usage in differential traces. Power vias, unlike signal vias, can be a bottleneck for current capacity. For thermal management, increasing via plating thickness, pad size, and using multiple small vias can improve thermal performance. However, buried or blind vias have higher thermal resistance compared to through vias. Read More

The printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing industry plays a crucial role in the electronics sector, providing the essential backbone for a wide range of devices, from smartphones to computers. However, the environmental impact of PCB manufacturing has raised significant concerns, prompting the industry to adopt sustainable practices. Read More

An excellent hardware engineer, in addition to strong basic theoretical knowledge, proficient in hardware schematic design technology, hardware PCB diagram design, and hardware debugging, must also have the ability to learn quickly, understand communication protocols and standards, and have the abil Read More