-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- design007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueOpportunities and Challenges
In this issue, our expert contributors discuss the many opportunities and challenges in the PCB design community, and what can be done to grow the numbers of PCB designers—and design instructors.
Embedded Design Techniques
Our expert contributors provide the knowledge this month that designers need to be aware of to make intelligent, educated decisions about embedded design. Many design and manufacturing hurdles can trip up designers who are new to this technology.
Manufacturing Know-how
For this issue, we asked our expert contributors to share their thoughts on the absolute “must-know” aspects of fab, assembly and test that all designers should understand. In the end, we’re all in this together.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - design007 Magazine
Make the Right Decisions at the Right Time in the PCB Design Process
April 14, 2015 | Martin Cotton, Ventec International Corp.Estimated reading time: 1 minute
The right decisions are not always the easiest decisions, but making them well and as early as possible often avoids errors and addition costs. This is certainly the case in PCB design and a key decision influencing the design process and the eventual outcome is the selection of material and of the materials vendor. This is even more important when the PCB requires significant performance parameters to be met, such as high speeds.
What I am not trying to do is teach hardware or PCB design. What I am seeking to do is to consider the processes that lead to successful design and the errors that lead to risk, potential problems and compromises.
Let’s take an example of a backplane design that has been specified at 10Gbs with 100ohm impedance with a design target of 36 layers.
First, we need to ensure that we fully understand what the specification means. Are we sure we mean 10Gbs, which is a data rate in gigabits per second, and not 10Ghz, which is a frequency? Are we seeking that data rate for a single channel, or do we need that rate for a buss? The buss speed is the total of all the channels in that buss.
The next task would be to consider the design rules we’d like to apply based on the need for 100 ohms of differential impedance using two tracks that are in harmony so that losses are minimized. The geometry of those tracks and their positioning with the PCB structure are critical to realizing a good design that can be manufactured with a good yield.
The design is only good when the specifications are met and the PCB can be manufactured with a good yield.
This article originally appeared in the March 2015 issue of The PCB Design Magazine. To read the rest of this article, click here.
Suggested Items
Arrow Electronics Launches Intelligent Vision Ecosystem
03/27/2024 | BUSINESS WIREArrow Electronics, Inc. is utilizing the onsemi Imager Access System (IAS) module standard for developing intelligent vision solutions for use in robotics, machine vision, commercial cameras and other uses.
Dymax Will Exhibit Light-Cure Solutions for Today’s Electronics at IPC APEX 2024
03/26/2024 | DymaxDymax, a leading manufacturer of rapid and light-curing materials and equipment, will exhibit at the IPC APEX EXPO 2024 in Anaheim, CA, April 9-11.
Synopsys Announces New AI-Driven EDA, IP and Systems Design Solutions At SNUG Silicon Valley
03/25/2024 | PRNewswireSynopsys, Inc. kicked off its annual flagship Synopsys User Group (SNUG) conference in Silicon Valley at the Santa Clara Convention Center with a keynote presentation by Synopsys president and CEO Sassine Ghazi. Ghazi discussed the unprecedented innovation opportunities and challenges that technology R&D teams face in this era of pervasive intelligence.
New North American Product Family Release from Smart Factory Design
03/22/2024 | Smart Factory DesignSmart Factory Design is pleased to announce a new system technology and supply chain model for providing Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) Wastewater Recycling Systems to the North American market. Smart Factory Design is an international public benefit company focused on environmental sustainability and autonomous processes for the Printed Circuit Board, IC Substrate, and General Metal Finishing industries.
UHDI Fundamentals: ASC Sponsors Ultra High Density Interconnect Symposium
03/21/2024 | Anaya Vardya, American Standard CircuitsAmerican Standard Circuits (ASC) is a major sponsor of an upcoming symposium on one of the most talked about new technologies that has come along in quite a while: ultra high density interconnect (UHDI).