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Blind vs Buried Vias: A Comprehensive Guide for PCB Design

A printed circuit board (PCB) is made up of layers of copper foil circuits stacked on top of each other, and the connections between different circuit layers rely on vias. If the holes drilled by a drilling machine or laser are left as is, they will not conduct electricity, because the surface of the original drilled hole is only resin, which is not conductive. Therefore, a layer of conductive material (usually copper) must be plated on the surface of the drilled hole. In this way, current propagates ......

Sept 29, 2024

Essential FPC Design Guidelines for Engineers – Part 2: Tips for Reliable Flexible PCB Designs

In Part 1 of our Flexible PCB (FPC) design series, we covered the basics every engineer needs to know. Now, in Part 2, we dive into more design techniques that ensure your FPCs are not only functional but also reliable, durable, and optimized for performance. Whether you're designing for wearables, medical devices, or automotive applications, these guidelines will help you tackle complex challenges and create high-quality Flexible PCBs. Panelization Design 1. If an entire panel consists of steel sheet......

Essential FPC Design Guidelines for Engineers – Part 1: Mastering the Basics of Flexible PCB Design

Master FPC design with these essential guidelines! Learn best practices for outline, drilling, circuit, and solder mask design to create reliable and high-quality Flexible PCBs. Discover the essential Flexible PCB (FPC) design guidelines in Part 1 of our series. Learn the basics every engineer needs to create reliable, space-saving, and cost-effective FPCs Outline and Drilling Design 1. The minimum distance between through-holes and the board frame should be 0.5mm. If less than 0.5mm, change to a U-sh......

Custom PCB Layout Services in Modern Electronics

Custom PCB services are an important part of making electronics today because they make sure that exact design and performance needs are met. Custom PCBs are different from generic PCBs because they are made to fit the exact technical and functional needs of a wide range of businesses. These services cover everything from making prototypes to mass production, which lets companies make electronic products that are small, efficient, and very reliable. This article covers the importance of custom PCB ser......

Understanding the Importance of Custom PCBs in Modern Electronics

Custom printed circuit boards (PCBs) designed many different types of electronics. These customized boards provide the highest economy and performance, specifically made to satisfy project requirements. Custom PCBs are necessary to make electronic systems that work well and are reliable, whether they are for household electronics or industrial machinery. This article covers custom printed circuit boards (PCBs), their applications, important details, and the best ways to choose one. What is a Custom PC......

Role of Impedance in PCB Design

Impedance is a complex parameter which plays a critical role in Printed Circuit Board (PCB) design, particularly in high-speed and high-frequency circuits. Impedance represents the total opposition offered by a printed circuit board (PCB) trace to alternating current (AC) signals transmitted along its length. Impedance profoundly impacts signal quality in high-speed PCBs. Unlike ideal wires having zero impedance, real-world PCB traces with finite dimensions positioned over reference planes demonstrate......

How to Prevent Solder Defects During Reflow Soldering

Reflow soldering is a critical step in surface mount technology (SMT) assembly, where solder paste is melted to form strong and reliable joints between components and the PCB. However, defects during this process can lead to assembly failures, rework, and reduced reliability. Understanding the causes of solder defects and implementing preventive measures can significantly improve yield and quality. Know how PCB assembly is done in JLCPCB factory. Common Solder Defects in Reflow Soldering: Solder Bridg......

Critical Role of a PCB Designer in Product Design

A Printed Circuit Board (PCB) designer is a major actor in the electronics sector, since they design the circuit boards with a wide range of uses, from heavy machinery to cellphones. PCB designers make blueprints for efficient and usable circuit boards that guarantee seamless operation of electrical components. This article will cover a PCB designer requires the most crucial abilities, what they do, and how best to design PCBs to make them operate quicker and better. 1. What is a PCB Designer? A PCB d......

Key Notes on PCB Via Design

High-quality PCB design not only requires innovative concepts but also relies on a deep understanding of PCB manufacturing processes. Via design, as one of the critical steps in PCB design, is crucial for both PCB performance and manufacturing efficiency. Can vias be designed in any size? To answer this question, let’s first understand how holes on a PCB are created. 1. Cutting the Material: PCB manufacturers use automatic cutting machines to slice large copper-clad laminates into substrates of specif......

KiCad to JLCPCB Layout Tutorial Guide

It is very important to plan and make printed circuit boards (PCBs) efficiently if you want to make electronics that work well. KiCad is a powerful, open-source PCB design tool that both pros and amateurs use a lot. After making your PCB design in KiCad, the next step is to make it. This is where JLCPCB starts to help. The PCB manufacturing company JLCPCB is well-known for its moderately cost-effective, excellent products. This article will guide you through using KiCad to design a PCB layout and get ......

Understanding KICad: A Beginner Guide to PCB Design

KICad is a strong, free electronic design automation (EDA) tool that helps people make good printed circuit boards (PCBs). KICad has all the tools you need to easily make complex circuit designs, no matter if you are a beginner or a skilled engineer. Beginners will learn how to use KICad by following this tutorial, which goes over everything from installing the software to making your first PCB. What is KICad? KICad is a free and open-source PCB design software suite that lets people make layouts and ......

Step-by-Step Guide to Create Custom PCB Footprints

If you need a PCB footprint, but it does not exist in EasyEDA's component library, then you can create it yourself. And creating a device also requires a footprint library to complete. The usage method of the footprint library tool is the same as that of the PCB tool under PCB, but there are some unnecessary functions in the toolbar. The footprint library is the various parameters of electronic components, chips, etc. (such as the size of components, length and width, in-line, patch, pad size, length ......

What is a Pad in PCB Design and Development

Pads serve as the landing spots for the legs or leads of electronic components, allowing these components to be soldered onto the PCB securely. They are small, copper exposed conductive areas that enable both electrical and mechanical connections between components and the board. Traces can be routed from pads to all over the PCB, they also help to hold the component pins in place with the application of soldering. Pads are critical because they: Ensure strong electrical connections between components......

Thermal Vias in PCB Design for Heat Management

Thermal vias are specialized vias designed to transfer heat from one layer of a PCB to another. These vias are placed near heat-generating components to create a thermal pathway, helping to dissipate heat and reduce the risk of overheating. They are often used with heat sinks, thermal pads, or copper planes to enhance their effectiveness. They are simply plated through holes (PTHs) that are located under a surface-mounted heat source component in a printed circuit board (PCB) that allow heat transfer.......

Optimizing KICad Designs for JLCPCB Fabrication

KICad is making sure that your printed circuit boards (PCBs) can work with fabrication services, it is an important part of creating them. KICad is an open-source PCB design tool that has many features that can help plans work better with JLCPCB fabrication. This article will discuss into detail about methods to improve KICad designs. It will cover important topics such as design rules, choosing the right components, and getting the files ready so that the fabrication process with JLCPCB works efficie......

How to design JLCPCB layout using KiCad

Creating a Printed device Board (PCB) layout is an important part of making sure that an electronic device works and is reliable. Many people know that JLCPCB is a good company that makes high-quality PCBs. KiCad is an open-source PCB design tool that both pros and amateurs use a lot. You can make accurate and useful PCB layouts by mixing JLCPCB's services with KiCad's powerful tools. The steps in this article will show you how to use KiCad to design a JLCPCB layout. We will discuss about the most imp......

Common Design Issues and Recommendations for PCB Optimized Design

To help customers avoid common issues that may arise during the PCB production process due to design problems, we' ve summarized the most frequent cases below. These issues have been detailed on our website to assist customers in identifying and addressing them more effectively. The following points include important design considerations and suggested modifications: 1. Missing Slots, Cutouts, Millings and V-Cut Issue: Missing Slots, Cutouts, Millings and V-Cut due to improper design. Recommendation: ......

Understanding Multilayer PCB Design in Modern Electronics

Introduction As electronics changes quickly, people want devices that are smaller and more powerful. This has led to the development of more advanced printed circuit board (PCB) designs. Multilayer PCBs are very important for meeting these needs because they offer higher density, when better usefulness in a smaller package. The complicated PCBs are used in a lot of high-performance devices, like smartphones, telecommunications gear, medical devices, and industrial machines. This article covers with a ......

Guide to PCB Via Design: Best Practices, Tips, and Key Considerations

High-quality PCB design not only requires innovative concepts but also relies on a deep understanding of PCB manufacturing processes. Via design, as one of the critical steps in PCB design, is crucial for both PCB performance and manufacturing efficiency. Can vias be designed in any size? To answer this question, let’s first understand how holes on a PCB are created. 1. Cutting the Material: PCB manufacturers use automatic cutting machines to slice large copper-clad laminates into substrates of specif......

PCB Routers: Essential Tools for Modern Circuit Design

Introduction In printed circuit board (PCB) design and manufacturing, a PCB router is an important instrument. It is absolutely vital in building the complex channels that let electrical components interact successfully. PCB routers have become crucial for guaranteeing accuracy and efficiency in circuit board manufacture as the market for smaller, more complicated circuits rises. The importance of PCB routers, their varieties, uses, and recommended practices for maximum performance are explored in thi......

Solving Routing and Stack-Up Problems in High-Frequency PCB Design

Designing high-frequency PCBs presents unique challenges, particularly in routing and stack-up configuration. Proper planning and execution are essential to ensure signal integrity and optimal performance. Below, we explore common problems and strategies to address them. Signal integrity primarily relates to impedance matching. Factors affecting impedance matching include signal source architecture, output impedance, trace characteristic impedance, load characteristics, and topology. Solutions involve......