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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

6 Critical PCB Design Mistakes That Delay or Fail Your Custom PCBA

While ordering a custom PCBA is more accessible than ever, a simple design oversight can quickly lead to costly production delays, frustrating board failures, or, in the worst cases, a complete and expensive redesign. The transition from a schematic to a physical, assembled board is filled with potential pitfalls that can trap even experienced engineers. This article will detail the six most common and impactful design mistakes that engineers encounter when preparing a project for custom PCB assembly.......

Power Distribution Network Design Guidelines

We are talking about signals, impedance, and differential pairs a lot in articles. Yes! Propagation of the signal is not easy; we need to follow a lot of guidelines. And in all this, people forget about power integrity, and you know what, without good power integrity, the signal performs worse. Without a good Power Distribution Network (PDN), your signals might as well be doodles on copper. In this article, we’ll explore PDN design guidelines from a PCB perspective. We will see what a good PDN actuall......

High Voltage PCB Layout Tips: From Material Selection to Safe Design Practices

We have seen PCBs for high speeds and high power, and MCPCBs for thermal management; now it's time to see the HV PCBs. These are not some special PCBs, but rather the simple ones tamed to handle high voltages. At these high voltages, currents are in mA, which is why power is not a concern. However, the HV lines are not easy to handle because, in HVs, electrons leap across gaps, arc over surfaces, and create catastrophic failures. That’s why high-voltage PCB layout isn’t just about making traces wider;......

Design Guide for USB-3.0 Differential Signaling

In the world of data transfer, USB 3.0 is the Usain Bolt to USB 2.0’s friendly jogger. USB 2.0 is called “High Speed” and limped along at 480 Mb/s, whereas USB 3.0 SuperSpeed rockets up to 5 Gb/s (over ten times faster). But this speed jump brings full‑duplex operation and new differential transmit (SSTX) and receive (SSRX) pairs on dedicated pins. USB 2.0 D+/D– lines handle enumeration and legacy data, while two new 5 Gb/s high‑speed differential pairs carry SuperSpeed data in each direction. While m......

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......

Component Layout & PCB Routing for Optimal Circuit Performance

The performance, reliability, and ability to be manufactured of electrical systems depend on how the tracks and components are set out on a printed circuit board (PCB). If you arrange your components and route your PCB correctly, you can send signals quickly, keep noise to a minimum, and make a design that is both cost-effective and useful. Careful planning and execution of these two parts are becoming more and more important for getting the best results in today's highly miniaturized electronic desig......

Understanding Fast Turn PCB: Accelerating Your Electronic Designs

Fast Turn PCB is a quick method to create printed circuit boards (PCBs) to satisfy strict project deadlines. As technology advances so rapidly these days, people more and more desire quicker prototype and computer part manufacturing. Fast Turn PCB services help engineers and designers move quickly from concept to production, which leads to new products in many fields. This article discusses what are Fast Turn PCBs, what they can do for you, and how to choose the best provider to get quality and speed.......

What are S-Parameters in High Frequency Design

S parameters are one of the main tools in high frequency design which are used to evaluate the circuits. In RF and microwaves the signal frequency becomes too high that a copper wire is not capable of carrying the signal and the probability of losing information much increased. We can not measure a signal by voltage or current but there are certain parameters, we can note the system behavior and then we can apply Scattering Parameter, or S-Parameter calculations. S-parameters might look like intimidat......

How to Create Your Own PCB Trace Width Calculator with Python

We all know the importance of traces in a PCB, but do we have a certain set of rules to make perfect designs? Of course, everything is listed in IPC guidelines. Let's talk about traces in more detail, like their length, width, current-carrying capacity, and type of parasitics that they consist of in a PCB design. We all know PCB traces are made of copper, a thin layer 1 or 2 OZ deep overall. Made of copper does not simply mean it does not have any resistance associated with it. The simple rule of resi......

Designing Antennas on PCB: A Beginner to Advance Guide

In today’s world of widespread wireless connectivity, the demand for small, affordable, and reliable antennas is higher than ever. Antennas act as real-world implementations of electromagnetic wave principles. They enable the sending and receiving of signals for a variety of wireless uses. While there is a lot of theoretical and experimental research in this area, only a few designs become widely used in actual products. Among the different options, Printed Circuit Board (PCB) antennas have become a p......

Design Guidelines for RF PCB Layout and Manufacturing

RF PCBs work on some fundamental rules that involve prior knowledge of digital and analog design circuits. Comparing directly to analog and digital is not directly possible because here the frequency range is in the GHz range. The frequency range makes the PCB so different and we have look for almost everything: Impedance mismatches Trace lengths Grounding Shielding If not done so, may cause the full failure of the system. Or if designed not considering all the requirements it will lead to performance......

How to Optimize Layer Stack-Up in HDI PCB Boards

With the introduction of the HDI stackup, a cutting-edge technique in multilayer PCB design, PCB designers should be able to create increasingly complex, smaller boards in the years to come. Establishing your project's needs precisely is the first step in designing a PCB stackup. Determining the number of layers required is the first stage; this depends on the circuit's complexity, signal density, power distribution requirements, and if the design calls for RF or high-speed signals. In the late 1980s,......

Signal Integrity in High-Speed Rigid PCB Designs

We use the term signal integrity a lot, what actually is it? Is it something related to signal parameters or system parameters? In easy words when a signal travels through a piece of wire or transmission line some parameter gets changed from where it is transmitted and where it received. In case of high speed signals the signal loss is even more, which rises to the problem of data losing and signal corrupting. So what type of signal is getting disturbed and how is it getting changed? We have discussed......

SMT or Through Hole Technology？Which is Better for Your Project？

When designing and manufacturing electronics, one of the most important steps is selecting the appropriate assembly method. Nowadays we have through-hole technology and surface mount technology, which become the industry standards and are the two main approaches. The surface-mount technology (SMT) uses components that are perfectly aligned with the PCB surface. On the other hand through-hole technology (THT) uses leads that are placed into pre-drilled holes in the PCB and thereafter soldered. Consider......

Design Guidelines for PCB Using FR4 Substrates

Material substrate concerns are necessary while designing electrical circuit boards. This is due to the fact that printed circuit boards cannot be manufactured without the appropriate PCB materials. When developing and producing circuit boards, the substrate material must be taken into account just as much as the copper layers, silkscreen, and surface polish. Generally speaking, non-conductive materials like porcelain, Marlon, FR4, and the like must be used for PCB substrates. Depending on its intende......

A Beginners Guide to Impedance Control in PCB Design

When a digital signal is transmitted from one point to another, it causes a change in the state of the signal line. This change can be understood as an electromagnetic wave moving through the circuit. Reflection occurs when this wave encounters a boundary between different mediums. At this boundary, some of the wave's energy continues as a signal, while the rest is reflected. This process repeats until the energy is either absorbed by the circuit or dissipated into the environment. For electrical engi......

PCB Design Guidelines 101: Placement and Routing

Welcome to the second article in our PCB design guidelines series. In this article, we will explore the essential PCB design guidelines that are crucial for achieving optimal PCB design performance and functionality. Whether you're an electronics enthusiast, hobbyist, engineer, student, or professional in the field, understanding these guidelines will empower you to create high-quality PCB designs. In this article we will explore foundational principles and best practices in designing printed circuit ......