Designing for Manufacturing from PCB Stack-Up to Assembly Success
Oren Manor
Valor DFM and PCB Manufacturing Business Director
Siemens EDA
Stephen Chavez
Principal PCB Engineer
Siemens EDA
Amit Bahl
CRO
Sierra Circuits
When designing high-speed PCBs, you would have nailed the schematic and layout, but your product might still fail if your stack-up isn’t built right. For a reliable stack-up, stick to PCB design for manufacturing guidelines. It helps you avoid expensive board respins and unexpected production delays.
In this webinar, you’ll learn how to build high-speed PCB stack-ups that prevent crosstalk and impedance discontinuities. You’ll also get familiarized with PCB design for manufacturing strategies to ensure your board performs as intended.
Managing signal integrity and heat dissipation challenges in your stack-up
Material selection plays a critical role in high-speed PCB stack-up design. The wrong material might lead to signal loss, thermal instability, or even board failure. For designs above 5 Gbps, opt for materials with low loss tangents (Df < 0.005). Ensure consistent Dk for uniform impedance across layers. You also need to consider the Tg of your material; a Tg above 170°C is ideal to avoid delamination during multiple reflow cycles.
When designing for high-speed build-up, use ground planes adjacent to signal layers to provide an uninterrupted return path. For example, an 8-layer configuration like Signal – GND – Signal – Power– GND – Signal – GND – Signal helps mitigate EMI and signal coupling. Additionally, keep your stack-up symmetrical to prevent warpage during lamination.
Next, focus on designing circuits with uniform impedance. Place signal layers 1-dielectric away from the reference planes to enhance noise suppression. Maintain consistent spacing between signal traces and avoid parallel routing to minimize crosstalk. Use stitching vias to provide a continuous return path.
Thermal performance should also be baked into your stack-up design, especially when dealing with high-current circuits. Use thick copper for power planes (2 oz). Place arrays of thermal vias with 0.3 mm diameter and 0.8 mm pitch under heat-generating components like power amplifiers.
Remember, a great stack-up design isn’t just about electrical performance; it must also be manufacturable. That’s why it’s essential to consult your CM early and follow their PCB design for manufacturing guidelines. The choices you make in your stack-up, material, and layout must align with your manufacturer’s capabilities.
What you’ll learn:
- Effective strategies to create stack-ups that ensure signal integrity, uniform impedance, and manufacturability
- Aligning PCB design with the manufacturer’s fabrication capabilities
- How DFM improves reliability
- DFM analysis with Siemens tools
Presenters
Oren Manor, Valor DFM and PCB Manufacturing Business Director at Siemens EDA
Oren Manor is the Valor DFM and PCB Manufacturing Business Director at Siemens EDA. Oren joined the Valor Division of Mentor Graphics in 2012 and has served in a number of key business positions including Partner Management and Manufacturing Engineering Business Development. After the Siemens acquisition of Mentor Graphics Oren joined the Digital Manufacturing segment and was the Electronics Business lead managing product development, strategy and go-to-market for all Electronics DFM and Manufacturing applications. Manor previously served as VP of Sales and Marketing at Signature-IT, a software company providing data management solutions for industrial companies, and held senior sales and marketing positions at Jungo, a NDS company. He holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science and Economics from Tel-Aviv University. Passionate about technology and an evangelist for automating electronics manufacturing Oren is a frequent speaker at Siemens PLM and industry events.
Stephen Chavez, Principal PCB Engineer at Siemens EDA
Steph Chavez is a principal printed circuit engineer with over three decades of experience. He is acknowledged globally as an industry Subject Matter Expert (SME) in PCB design. His continued career evolution has elevated him to Industry Though Leadership and as an Industry Influencer regarding printed circuit engineering. He is an author, podcast host and is currently a Principal Technical Product Marketing Manager with Siemens. He is one of the co-authors and instructors of the industry PCEA Training curriculum and certification (Certified Printed Circuit Designer (CPCD)) governed by PCEA. He continues to pave the way for the evolution of the printed circuit engineering professional within the industry. His focus is on continuous improvement for the PCB design profession by serving as Chairman of the Board for the PCEA. Steph is a proud military veteran of United States Marine Corps, where he served five years as an avionic technician.
Amit Bahl, CRO at Sierra Circuits
Amit Bahl, widely recognized as the PCB Guy, currently serves as the Chief Revenue Officer at Sierra Circuits. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Engineering from UCLA in 1997, launching his career in Silicon Valley’s tech industry. In 2009, he assumed the role of Director of Sales and Marketing at Sierra Circuits, with a dedicated focus on democratizing design for manufacturing best practices and guidelines for PCB designers and engineers.
Within a short span, Amit successfully propelled Sierra Circuits to become a leading educational platform for all aspects of PCBs. Under his leadership, Sierra expanded to offer blogs, design guides, webinars, calculators and design tools, and a vibrant forum, SierraConnect. Amit remains committed to ensuring the community has access to the essential resources, whether they are developing standard products or boards with specifications for medtech or military applications.
Assuming the position of Chief Revenue Officer since 2022, Amit’s mission persists: to simplify the PCB design journey for all stakeholders. His unwavering dedication continues to drive Sierra Circuits as a trusted resource for the PCB design community.
Watch the Trailer
