Printed circuit boards

Printed circuit boards are packed with different features and elements that make their design and functionality unique for their particular application. In this post we list key printed circuit board design terms that are commonly used in the electronic design industry.

AdvancedPCB, North America’s 3rd largest printed circuit board fabricator, announced today the acquisition of Coastal Circuits in Redwood City, CA. AdvancedPCB, an industry innovator for many years in the commercial PCB area, continues to strengthen its position in support of complex medical designs as well as the high-reliability, military/aerospace/defense marketplace.

Over the years, technology has given the world significant advances in communication. From the first mobile cellular phone in the 1970s to the latest smartphones available on the market today, researchers and engineers are constantly developing new ways to make our phones smaller, faster and more efficient.

One of the most satisfying projects for hobbyists and aspiring engineers is to build your own personal computer from scratch. Rather than being restricted to the components and features that are available in computers on the market you can start from square one and get the parts that are truly vital to you, often for less money.

Around the turn of the century, the first fine-pitch ball grid array devices became popular. This was due to the fact that designers wanted to pack as much power and efficiency into as small a space as possible.

When you are in the process of creating Gerber files for your printed circuit board designs, it can sometimes be difficult to accurately reflect what you want manufactured. However, AdvancedPCB has helpful tips to keep in mind that will help you reduce the chance your PCB orders are placed on hold so that you can cut down your turnaround time and get the boards that you need.

Learning about the different materials that make up your printed circuit boards will allow you to determine which you find absolutely necessary in order to get the PCBs that you need for your application. This is why AdvancedPCB helps clients make the best decisions for their project by giving all of the information necessary to analyze the choices at hand.

As devices get thinner and engineers use more surface mount components for their products, it is important to design and produce circuit boards with as close to absolute surface planarity as possible. Via tenting from AdvancedPCB is one of a few ways to easily prevent excess solder in via holes by covering them over with soldermask.

When you are in the process of designing your PCBs, you have a lot of decisions to make in order to get the end result that will best work for your application. One of these decisions is choosing which printed circuit board plating finish to use.