The classic wooden breadboard is obsolete, but its name continues to refer to a vital engineering tool that has changed to meet today’s component and design realities. As leaded components such as discrete transistors and low-pin-count ICs in DIP packages came into use in the late 1960s and 1970s, breadboarding technology evolved as well. Among […]
PCB design
Breadboards evolve to meet 21st-century design needs, Part 1: The “Ancient” Past
The classic wooden breadboard is obsolete, but its name continues to refer to a vital engineering tool that has changed to meet today’s component and design realities. Breadboards have a special place and multiple meanings in the engineering lexicon. So, what is a breadboard? It can be a crude try-out version of a subcircuit to […]
Five considerations for mixed-signal PCB layouts
Printed circuit board (PCB) layout is an important activity when developing mixed-signal applications. A lot can go wrong, and everything needs to be correct for a successful design. Impedance control is an obvious consideration, but it needs to include trace resistance as well as parasitic inductances and capacitances. Maintaining signal integrity can be challenging. This […]
Medical PCB assembly: Know these regulations and standards
by Ken Ghadia, Sales Engineer, TechnoTronix The reliability and safety of Medical PCB assembly are of utmost importance as they directly impact human healthcare. It is one of the most critical applications that demand the best PCB performance. Setting stringent regulatory standards is compulsory in medical device manufacturing. The standards also apply to the printed circuit […]
CAD models now available for all TSC electronic components
Taiwan Semiconductor is announcing the availability of a comprehensive library of CAD models for all TSC components. The library includes 3D mechanical models, schematic symbols, and PCB footprints. By creating a one-stop, comprehensive library of CAD models for the entire catalog of Taiwan Semiconductor components, printed circuit board designers will be able to complete projects […]
Software helps predict PCB performance
Altair has launched a special edition of Altair PollEx, an electronic system design (ESD) software tool, for Altium users to empower printed circuit board (PCB) designers to predict and maximize overall PCB performance and verify manufacturability. ltair PollEx for Altium is a free version of PollEx designed to support various electrical computer-aided design (ECAD) software products, […]
10 straightforward ways to reduce PCB assembly costs without compromising PCB quality
by Ken Ghadia, Sales Engineer, TechnoTronix It is difficult to build a quality product at the lowest cost. The quality of a PCB depends on the competence of its design for assembly, testing, repair, reliability, manufacturing, and yield. Several factors impact the cost of a PCB assembly. However, the designers can consider certain factors that […]
From designing to operating an RF PCB: The complete guide
by Ken Ghadia, Sales Engineer, TechnoTronix Radio Frequency (RF) PCBs are very high-speed circuits operating at frequencies in the range of 100MHz and above, typically from 500MHz to 2 GHz. RF PCBs are the backbone of wireless networks, high-tech gadgets like smartphones, smart TVs, etc. Also, RF PCBs are used in automotive, medical equipment, military, […]
PCB design tool suite users get access to extensive PCB parts library
Zuken and SnapEDA are announcing a new capability that provides users of Zuken’s eCADSTAR PCB Design Tool Suite with direct access to SnapEDA’s comprehensive online library. Using eCADSTAR’s embedded internet access, PCB designers can search and download from SnapEDA’s library of electronic component models. The models include symbols, footprints, and 3D models that can be […]
Top ten tips for nailing your PCB silkscreen design
By Suresh Patel, Sales Engineer,Mer-Mar Electronics Silkscreen represents the outer layers of a PCB that include text-based readable information such as component reference designator, test points, company logos, PCB part number and version number, etc. This is necessary for circuit board assembly, rework and debug support. The silkscreen ink is different from the regular printing […]
