Blog

When designing for PCB prototyping, the cost of individual parts does not always play a big role. If you’re designing one-offs or hobby projects, you’ll probably only look at parts prices when your assembly house sends you an invoice. But if you’re eventually going to produce at scale, the cost of the prototype is small compared...

PCB tolerances for manufacturing refer to the allowable variations from specified dimensions, encompassing: material thickness, copper thickness, drilling, plating, and solder masks. These PCB tolerances ensure that PCB circuit boards are produced precisely and can function as intended. Manufacturers adhere to specific in-house tolerance guidelines, based on international standards like IPC-A-600 Class 2, to maintain quality throughout the...

Combining the flexibility of flex circuits with the robustness of rigid boards, while leveraging High-Density Interconnect (HDI) technology, represents a significant breakthrough in modern electronics. Traditional methods like board-to-board stacking connectors or standard flex circuits often present challenges, such as cumbersome assembly and potential damage during connection. Rigid-flex PCBs offer a seamless solution, eliminating these bottlenecks and...

PCB routing involves laying out traces to minimize interference, ensure signal integrity, and meet design requirements such as impedance control and thermal management. Traces carry electrical signals between components such as integrated circuits, resistors, and capacitors. PCB traces are usually made of copper. They are created by applying a layer of photosensitive material onto a copper-clad board, exposing...

It wasn’t long ago that rigid circuit boards were the only possible electronic system method available. Whether it was entertainment or industrious, the shape of most devices was an extension of an intractable rigid board. More recently, the tide has turned: as technology has developed and matured, the enclosure is shaping the electronics inside them. Despite additional...

When designing a PCB, one of the critical decisions you’ll face is whether to use plated or unplated mounting holes. These holes are essential for securing the PCB to an enclosure or package, but the choice between plated and unplated holes depends on your design requirements, grounding needs, and mechanical considerations. Let’s explore the differences, advantages, and best...

1. Customer Background The customer is a globally leading manufacturer of communication equipment, specializing in the development and production of large-scale routers, switches, servers, and high-speed networking devices. As modern network communications demand increasingly high signal integrity, reliability, and thermal stability, the customer required an 36-layer PCB with low-loss material (S1000-2M) and advanced immersion gold plating to ensure stable signal transmission...

1. Background Overview A European customer in the industrial automation sector required a high-performance and reliable industrial network router for device-to-device communication in their automated systems. The router needed to support high-speed data transfer, strong anti-interference capabilities, remote control functionality, and stable operation in harsh environments. The customer was looking for a supplier with expertise...