PCB Design
When It Comes to CAD, Function Beats Speed
A veteran PCB designer's question – "What sort of data is
available to benchmark the top four CAD tools out there?" – sparks a huge survey and reveals some surprising answers.
by Chelsey Drysdale
TPCA Report
The Mitchell Plan
IPC's new president is wasting no time remaking the trade group in his own (attentive) image.
by Matthew Holzmann
Reliability
Technical Diagnostics of Electronics Products: Application of Bayes Formula and Boltzmann-Arrhenius-Zhurkov
(BAZ) Model
For systems where failure-free operation is critical, technical diagnostics can recognize, in a continuous fashion and without dismantling, the ability to continue to function as expected over the long-term.
by Ephraim Suhir, Laurent BECHOU and Alain Bensoussan
Retrospective
Our dearly departed.
Mike Buetow
Caveat Lector
'Cooking' up some changes.
Mike Buetow
ROI
No day at the beach.
Peter Bigelow
Focus on Business
SMTAI was worth the trip, even if it
was Orlando.
Susan Mucha
Designer’s Notebook
BGA via-in-pad.
Duane Benson
ESD Basics
Principles for material selection and program decisions.
The ESD Association
Solar Technologies
Noncontact methods.
Tom Falcon
Tech Tips
Hand soldering or selective?
ACI Technologies
Technical Abstracts
In case you missed it.
Advanced Packages
Stepping Out With 0.4mm Pitch BGA/PoPs
OEMs are finding the move from 0.5mm pitch BGA PoP to the next generation, 0.4mm ultra-fine pitch BGA PoP tough, indeed. These rules-of-thumb will help make the jump.
by Syed W. Ali
Associations
The Mitchell Plan
IPC's new president is wasting no time remaking the trade group in his own (attentive) image.
by Mike Buetow
Caveat Lector
Brokering a new model.
Mike Buetow
ROI
Restating value.
Peter Bigelow
Voice of the Designer
Time to 'grow' up.
Wayne Mitzen
Designer’s Notebook
Pretty boards, pretty quick.
Charles Pfeil
The Flexperts
Flex circuit or membrane?
Mark Finstad
Final Finishes
The finish's arch-nemesis.
Lenora Toscana
Technical Abstracts
In case you missed it.
PCB Design
7 Manual Routing Tips
Manual routing allows the engineer to apply all their experience to the design. An autorouter is an algorithm, and as such is limited in performing analysis or making decisions. But routing by hand, while time-consuming, can offer several advantages.
by Alex Mykhaylenko and Vlad Khomenko
Training
DfE Instruction Goes Online
Some 80% of the environmental impact of a product occurs during design. A new Web-based training program teaches cost-savings using best-of-breed design and purchasing practicesp.
by Mike Buetow
Caveat Lector
Brokering a new model.
Mike Buetow
ROI
The design-manufacturing gap.
Peter Bigelow
Designer’s Notebook
Routing two-lead parts.
Duane Benson
In Flex
FPC evolution.
Dale Wesselmann
Tech Tips
TSOP bridging.
Robert Dervaes
Technical Abstracts
In case you missed it.
Procurement
Best Practices for Improving the PCB Supply Chain
PCBs should always be considered a critical commodity. Without stringent controls in place for board supplier selection, qualification and management, long-term product quality and reliability is neither achievable nor sustainable. Here are best practices and recommendations for improving your supply chain
by Cheryl Tulkoff and Craig Hillman, Ph.D.
PCB Design
Resolving EMI Effects in High-Speed Boards
The biggest effect EMI has on a design is that a product that doesn’t pass government requirements (FCC, for example) for radiated emissions cannot be shipped. But even if the product passes, and it is still radiating, it means reduced margins for signals and possible reliability issues – and usually increased susceptibility to outside noise. Most problems can be avoided simply by making sure all currents travel in a closed loop.
by Patrick Carrier
NTI-100
The 90-10 Split
Currency fluctuations had a big impact on the largest 104 printed circuit board manufacturers in 2011. Still, while making up less than 4% of the world's shops, the NTI-100 contributed more than 80% of the revenue.
by Dr. Hayao Nakahara
Talking Heads
P.D.-NCAB Deal Accelerates the Changing Channel
David Wolff discusses the decision behind board distributor P.D. Circuits' sale to NCAB.
by Mike Buetow
Caveat Lector
Bringing it back.
Mike Buetow
ROI
Migration inflation.
Peter Bigelow
Designer’s Notebook
Minimizing insertion loss.
David Wiens
The Flexperts
The cost of impedance control.
Mark Verbrugge
Tech Tips
Felling the bridge.
Robert Dervaes
Solar Technologies
How PV cells are used.
Tom Falcon
Technical Abstracts
In case you missed it.
CAM
CAM in the Cloud
A handful of PCB industry veterans are vying to be the first to offer pre-CAM analysis through the cloud. But will users prefers a pay-as-you-go model?
by Mike Buetow
Plating
Successful Formulation of ENIG Plating
As Pb-free solder can leave bumps on the traces during HASL (hot air solder leveling), many alternate surface finish processes have been investigated to overcome this challenge. Several formulations of ENIG plating have been tried. A successful formulation of ENIG in continuous use in volume production for more than two years is discussed.
by Dr. T.S. Krishna Ram
Caveat Lector
Why Apple will revive onshoring.
Mike Buetow
ROI
"Details to follow."
Peter Bigelow
Focus on Business
Long live the King.
Susan Mucha
Designer’s Notebook
Reconsidering fiducials.
Duane Benson
In Flex
Flexible engineering.
Jay Desai
Technical Abstracts
In case you missed it.