THE PCHANDBOOK

The Printed Circuit Board Handbook

close-up of green circuit board

PCBs are getting smarter and smaller. Time to market for new electronic products is shorter than ever before. Consequently, PCB fabrication must be fast and accurate.  Learn PCB design best practices to streamline the fabrication process and get your boards produced fast with the highest quality. 

Laminates

LAMINATES LAY THE FOUNDATION

Laminates form the foundation of printed circuit boards. Even the best designed boards can be ruined by the wrong laminate. In this article, learn the different variables to consider when selecting the right laminate for your PCB project.

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PCB Finishes

DON’T FORGET THE FINISH

The finish of a board can easily be overlooked. However, the finish is the interface between the board and the components and is what makes the board function as planned. You might assume there’s not much difference in how various finishes look or perform on a PCB, but you’d be wrong. 

Learn about the different types of finishes and how to select the most appropriate finish for your PCB. 

Read: Don’t Forget About the Finish

Panelization

To panelize or not to panelize – that’s the question. PCB panelization can have implications for both the fabrication and assembly of your PCB project.  Watch the recorded webinar below for the pros and cons of panelization. Co-sponsored by Advanced Assembly and Royal Circuits.

Want to learn more? Click the button below get our whitepaper on panelization.

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Flex Circuits

THE WHAT, WHERE & WHY

Simply put, a flex circuit is a flexible circuit board. Flex circuit boards are similar to traditional PCBs except they also offer the distinct advantages of flexibility and vibration resistance. Using flex circuits in a design, allows engineers to undertake three-dimensional configurations. 

Download this 2-page article for a brief overview of what flex circuits are, where they are used and why you should think about including them in your next design. 

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Designing with Vias

Traditionally, PCB design engineers increase circuit board density by reducing trace widths and their spacing. However, this can cause problems such as increased dielectric and increased crosstalk. For high-speed board applications, often a better solution is to use of blind and buried vias to increase routing density. 

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PCB Schematics

An electronic schematic describes the electrical connectivity of a piece of equipment or an entire system. It is made up of symbols that represent individual components and contains electrical and mechanical information and their related connectivity, along with other important data. The more accurate the information contained in the schematic is and the clearer it is presented, the more it contributes to a robust printed circuit board.

Good PCB Schematics Lead to Good PCB Layouts

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Heavy-Copper PCBs

HOW TO DESIGN HIGH-CURRENT, HEAVY-COPPER PCBS

 

Compared to traditional PCBs, a printed circuit board with heavy copper traces and / or planes offers many advantages including:

  • A simple, strong structure
  • Reduced failure rates
  • Lower production costs

Learn some of the most important design recommendation to consider when using heavy copper PCBs in your electronic project by downloading this free whitepaper from Royal Circuit Solutions. 

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