EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES A Startup for Startups MassChallenge may have a “wacky model,” but that’s not stopping the not-for-profit accelerator program from helping innovators get to market. by Mike Buetow
PCB DESIGN Super Small Via-in-Pad Via-in-pad as an issue won’t go away. But the answer to how to treat them remains the same. by Duane Benson
EMS COMPANY OF THE YEAR New Vision at Lightspeed Small tier EMS companies are perpetually undercapitalized and short of resources. But every so often, one emerges that has the vision and the capability to rival their larger competitors. by Mike Buetow
RETROSPECTIVE In Memoriam A look back at friends and colleagues who left us in 2013.
BOARD DESIGN Solving ECAD/MCAD Co-Design New generation ECAD systems address multi-board and native 3D design capabilities, along with direct translation to leading mechanical computer-aided design systems, enabling complete packaging and electronics assembly information to be transmitted between different disciplines in a fraction of the time required in the past. by Humair Mandavia
PCB WARPAGE How and Why to Use the IPC-9641 Standard IPC-9641, High Temperature Printed Board Flatness Guideline, is the first standard to address local area PCB warpage across reflow profile temperatures. The standard is both educational about the general topic of PCB warpage measurement and specific in its guidelines for how such measurement should be done. A summary of the contents of IPC-9641, plus notes about how to implement it. by Ken Chiavone
SNAPEDA Making Simulation a ‘Snap’ A new vendor-agnostic platform captures what designers know about components and how they perform electrically in real-world applications, and redistributes that knowledge on a wide scale. by Mike Buetow
PCB FABRICATION Real-Time Etching Using Ozone Etching traditionally uses hydrogen peroxide, an unstable oxidizing agent with a large process window. A new alternative closed-loop process uses ozone instead, with repeatable results. by Marcus Lang
COMPONENTS A Custom BGA for Particle Physics Experiments Deep inside the CERN collider, detectors capture faint electrical signals the particles produce during their transit. How a novel high-yield and higher functioning BGA package was designed to replace a more expensive COB part in the sensors. by Benjamin Buck
Materials Fabrication Influences on High-Frequency PCB Electrical Performance The electrical performance of a board can be greatly impacted by how it is fabricated, especially at higher frequencies. High-frequency PCBs incorporate controlled-impedance circuit traces that require tight conductor etching tolerances and tight control of thickness. Electrical losses must often be controlled at higher frequencies, and such losses can be influenced by solder mask and ENIG. by John Coonrod
Data Transfer Gerber Grows Attributes Output and read by every PCB design and engineering system in the world, the Gerber format is the de facto standard for CAD-to-CAM data transfer. A new extension to the age-old format now permits layer structures, features and functions to be described. by Karel Tavernier
NTI-100 The Changing Fab Landscape The annual list of the largest PCB fabricators reveals big changes coming to Japan and Thailand. But for Brazil, India and the West, it’s more of the same. by Dr. Hayao Nakahara
Designer Salary Survey Better with Age Our annual survey finds PCB designers are an even more experienced crowd, with concerns about workload, yet increasingly lucrative compensation. by Chelsey Drysdale
PCB Design Placement of Passive Devices Used for Enet Signal Termination Tips on how to achieve the correct placement of passive devices, including a look at the maximum stub lengths option that helps avoid improper placement issues. by Andy Buja
Alumina Substrates: Packing More Passive Components into Less Space Resistor and capacitors still consume a majority of board space in most electronic devices. Alumina substrate technology can offer a useful solution. by Mike West
FIRST PERSON
Caveat Lector Black days at the former Big Blue. Mike Buetow
Talking Heads Multek’s Franck Lize and Bill Beckenbaugh. Mike Buetow
Design Planning A Lean NPI Journey A design bureau/EMS explains its implementation of Lean NPI, which relies on concurrent DfM analysis using vendor-supplied rule sets during PCB layout and improved data transfer. by Randy Holt
Flex Circuits Connecting Flex Layers Using Conductive Paste A new flexible printed circuit method, called paste via, uses no copper plating and reduces board thickness by nearly 30%. by Mike Buetow
