Once a circuit board designer prepares the design, the next step is to find a manufacturer to transform it into a finished product. To get the board manufactured, an estimate or a PCB quote needs to be placed. The main intention is to fabricate and assemble a board...
Depending on component technology, many options exist for automated mass soldering today. But wave soldering was the first – and, for several decades, only – practical method for quickly soldering large numbers of components to printed circuit boards (“PCBs,” also...
Decoupling is a way of isolating signal components from composite signals based on frequency. Therefore, understanding which range of frequencies should be isolated is important for accurate decoupling capacitor placement in a system. The separation of AC and DC...
PCB outgassing or offgassing is a defect that occurs when air is trapped inside a circuit board during production. The trapped air creates voids or blowholes, which might damage the board's performance. Choosing a low outgassing rate material and vacuum pre-baking are...
Before we start any project, it is a good habit to make a list of all the components and materials required. This list will include the name of each item and its quantity so that we will not miss out on anything during the purchase. This list is known as the bill of...
The surface-mount IC packages that are assembled on a PCB are available in different types. The most popular ones among these are the QFN packages. These miniature packages are suitable for consumer, industrial, automotive, and power applications. When it comes to...
After PCB fabrication, the copper traces on the board typically face the risk of oxidation and corrosion due to environmental exposure. The most reliable way to prevent this and increase the life of the PCB is to provide a protective coating known as a solder mask...
A critical part of PCB manufacturing is to protect the board from adverse environmental conditions by using various treatments and coatings. A conformal coating is one such process that involves applying a thin, polymeric and non-conductive film “conforming” to the...
In circuit board manufacturing, the process of implementing the PCB surface finish is critical in enhancing the reliability and shelf life of the PCBA. We will cover the various types of surface finishes the printed circuit boards are given to enhance good...