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Circuit Symbols: Key to Understanding Electrical and Electronic Diagrams

Circuit symbols are essential in electrical and electronic diagrams for representing complex circuits and components in a standardized and simplified manner. These symbols are crucial for engineers, electricians, and technicians to understand circuit functions without documentation. Universal recognition of these symbols ensures consistent interpretation across languages and regions, aiding education and training. Circuit diagrams consist of various components like switches, capacitors, resistors, and......

Aug 27, 2024

Comparing High-Density PCB Stack-Up With Normal PCB

High-density printed circuit boards (PCBs)are not the same as simple PCBs. Do you know what the difference is? PCBs with a larger number of layers and a higher density of traces are known as HDIs. These are not as common because they are not used in small prototypes or hobby work, but for more professional application. One of the best examples of an HDI board with a complex stack-up that you can see—or might have—is the motherboard of your PC. HDI changes the story completely when it comes into the pi......

How Operational Amplifiers Work: Four Essential Op-Amp Circuits Explained

As we discussed in the first article of the series, Operational amplifiers (op-amps) aren’t just about amplifying signals; they’re called operational amplifiers for a reason. Back in the early days of analog computers, op-amps were literally used to perform mathematical operations like addition, subtraction, integration, and differentiation. Fast forward to today, we don’t solve calculus homework with op-amps anymore (thankfully), but these same principles power audio mixers, filters, and signal proce......

A guide to Common Electrical Schematic Symbols

When you first see an electrical schematic, the mixture of lines, dots, and shapes may seem odd. After you are aware of what it all means, you can begin to see the logic and flow of any circuit. Electrical schematic symbols are how engineers talk about electronic systems when designing, building, and communicating. In this article, we will help you identify some commonly used electrical symbols in the industry, like wires, switches, batteries, and motors, so that you may read and design your own schem......

How to Read an Electrical Schematic Drawing

Electrical schematics are the language of electronics. They take a complex circuit and break it down into a set of diagrams that present the connection of components as well as how they interact to perform a function. Electrical working diagrams classification can be classified as blueprints of the electronic system, showing circuit components joined to create operating circuits. To build, troubleshoot, or modify any electronic project, the first skill you need is understanding how to read these schem......

Breadboard vs Protoboard: Which One Should You Use

When I was new to electronics, I always wondered how to use the different components to make a circuit work without wasting them. In this way, we can reuse them anywhere else in another circuit. Our professor's idea was to use a breadboard, and a protoboard if you want to connect them more permanently. Every electronics enthusiast faces this classic beginner's dilemma: “Should I start with a breadboard or a protoboard?" But it is always an option, according to the requirements of the circuit itself. A......

What Is CAM: Computer-Aided Manufacturing Basics

When electronics start evolving, the circuits start becoming more complex and integrated. Before, these circuits were made using hand-drawn paper, but the evolution of digital electronics changed the perspective. Nowadays, we have CAD (Computer-Aided Design), which has become the art of creating a blueprint. Just define the functionality of a circuit, and we can nowadays easily synthesise a circuit only in software. The software has become so advanced that the whole digital flow is possible without lo......

Free Online Circuit Simulator for Electronics Engineers

If all electronic engineers had a dollar for each burnt-out resistor or fried transistor when they are prototyping, most of us would not be debugging a circuit. Instead, we would be somewhere nice, probably sipping coffee on a beach. Thankfully, we can simulate circuits before we make a mistake in the physical world. We can ensure no smoke, no fire, just smooth graphs and clean waveforms. There are many circuit simulators available; however, LTspice stands out at the top. And why? It's because it is f......

Capacitor Voltage Rating Explained with Examples

Capacitors are small powerhouses, but they are not only used as a power delivery element every time; capacitors are also used a lot in signal conditioning. But today, we will explore the voltage ratings associated with different types of capacitors. They look simple: small cans, discs, or chips soldered onto a PCB. You will find many things on the capacitor envelope, one of which is the voltage rating and capacitance. These are not random numbers but play an important role in electronics design. Choos......

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......

Why Circuit Diagrams Matter for Every Electronics Engineer

In electronics, circuit diagrams are more than just drawings of lines and symbols because they serve as the engineer's visual language. Circuit diagrams represent how ideas are transferred from concept to working system. Whether designing an amplifier, a power supply, or an embedded controller, every engineer depends on circuit diagrams for analysis and design. A circuit based on the LF351 operational amplifier is a good example of a simple yet effective design for amplifying audio signals. The circui......

Schematic Wiring Symbols: A Quick Reference Guide

Schematic wiring symbols are the language of a circuit in electronic and electrical engineering. They provide a quick visual shortcut that lets engineers best learn how a circuit is built. Not only does it reveal the flow of current and voltage drop across a certain component in the circuit. It is important to understand these symbols when reading, designing, and embedding electronic systems. Schematic diagrams are used everywhere. The graphical information ready simple explanations about system opera......

Understanding Schematics: A Design Walkthrough

Every electronic design is based on a schematic diagram. The schematic diagram is the blueprint that shows how electronic components are connected to create a circuit. The schematics serve as a route map showing how current and signals will flow from the input stage to the output stage. Before a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) is actually made, we typically design a schematic. When it comes to the revision of the circuit, the main work is done first at the schematic level, and after that PCB is again modi......

OPAMP 101: Basics of Operational Amplifiers Every Engineer Should Know

Analog mathematics? Yes, it is what we are going to learn in this series of OPAMP 101. An operational amplifier is the most common and most widely used type of component in an analog circuit. We can not imagine an integrated circuit without amplifiers. It is common, but students, on the other hand, often have a love-hate relationship: “How can something that looks so simple (just a triangle!) cause so much confusion?” An operational amplifier can perform a lot of mathematical operations; we will see t......

Digital 101: What is a State Machine in Digital Electronics

People say everything that exists in nature is analog, and digital is just a manmade approach to simplify and make faster computations. Digital systems are used in signal processing to storage devices, because of their small standardized size and low power consumption. Moreover, there are MCUs and FPGAs that can do the computations only in digital format, but there is always an option to reconstruct the signal using DACs and ADCs. Today, we will talk about state machines. These are basically the small......

How to Select the Right Surface Mount Capacitor

Capacitors are basically similar to small batteries. These units store energy in the form of an electrostatic field and deliver it to the load whenever required. Usually, they are big and used in circuit design as decoupling, energy storage, signal conditioning, and much more, depending on the use case scenario. Because it is the basic building block of an electronic circuit, we should have knowledge about the types of capacitors, where to use them, and what specific type is required. SMT (Surface Mou......

Thermal Management Techniques for High-Power LED PCBs

When it comes to high-power design and designing of LED PCBs, then MCPCBs are the only reliable option that gives the performance under that heat. Electronics components are delicate, especially those light-emitting diodes. If heat is not evacuated faster from the PCB to the ambient, then there might be issues like overheating and performance degradation. If there is too much heat focused at a point, there may be PCB burns and all. MCPCBs are only an option to dissipate heat from the PCBs, but if ther......

What is the Standard Thickness of a PCB?

A Printed Circuit Board (PCB) is the foundation of electronic devices, which serves as a substrate to support electrical components. In PCB design, thickness is a crucial parameter as it influences several key processes. It inﬂuences not only the mechanical performance of the board but also the electrical properties, processability, and cost. The prevailing PCB thickness is 1.6 mm, but there will be many further options suitable for various purposes. Knowing the rule and when it’s acceptable to break ......