This document is the June 2016 issue of Circuit Mechanix magazine, which focuses on multilayer printed circuit boards (PCBs). The contents include articles about designing multilayer PCBs, processes and pitfalls of multilayer fabrication, assembly and rework of multilayer PCBs, and reviews of electronics apps for impedance calculation and circuit design. The editor's letter discusses changing the focus to multilayer boards and seeking feedback from readers on problems they face.
The Remote IO Port Expansion System Based on I2C BusKyle Zheng
This document summarizes a student's graduation project to design a remote I/O port expansion system using an I2C bus. The project used a P89LPC922 microcontroller and CAT9555 I/O expansion chip connected via an I2C bus up to 1 km in distance. The student outlined their design process, including considering different microcontroller options, using an I2C expander chip to increase communication distance, designing hardware circuits in Protel, programming the system in assembly language, and producing the circuit board, completing the project individually over 3 months.
The document is the first issue of Circuit Mechanix magazine focusing on the printed circuit board industry in the UK. It includes articles on the assembly process, what designers should provide to fabricators after design, and what fabricators do with design data. It also reviews the ZofzPCB gerber verification tool and provides industry news briefs.
Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are key components in electronic products that allow electronic elements to work together. Designing PCBs requires professional engineers to create schematics and ensure standards and the client's specifications are followed. Guidelines for PCB design include choosing reference points to aid the fabrication process, ensuring the board size can accommodate all necessary components, and determining whether a single-layer, double-layer, or multi-layer board is needed for the circuit complexity. Following design guidelines helps create functional PCBs.
This document provides an acknowledgement and thanks to various individuals and organizations who supported the completion of a project on developing a smart energy meter. It thanks the Electronics Instrumentation and Control Engineering Department at Thapar University for providing the opportunity and guidance. It also thanks the Texas Instruments Centre for Embedded Product Design for their financial support, technical guidance, expertise, and knowledge which were essential to the successful implementation and quality outcomes of the project. Finally, it expresses gratitude to families and colleagues for their encouragement and support in completing the project.
The document provides information about designing a printed circuit board (PCB) using the KiCAD software. It begins with an overview of KiCAD, an open source electronic design automation software suite for schematic capture and PCB layout. It then describes the four main steps to designing a PCB in KiCAD: 1) creating schematic diagrams using the Eeschema editor, 2) associating components using Cvpcb, 3) laying out the PCB using Pcbnew, and 4) generating output files using Gerbview. The document concludes with an example of using KiCAD to design an astable multivibrator circuit using a 555 timer integrated circuit.
Advanced Security System using PIC through Bluetoothijtsrd
The objective of our project is to develop an Exploiting Bluetooth on Android mobile devices for home appliances control appliances control application. Mobile deviceshave been integrated into our everyday life consequently, home automation is becoming increasingly prominent features on mobile devices .We have developed a security system that interfaces with an android mobile devices.The mobile device will be communicate through Bluetooth by the shortest way. The mobile application can be loaded onto any compatible device, and once loaded, interface with the appliances easily .commands to ON,OFF,or check the status of the appliance to which is installed can be sent quickly from the mobile device via a simple, easy to use GUI. The security system then acts on these commands, taking the appropriate action and sending a confirmation back to mobile device. This system can also tell the user if any of appliances is ON or OFF G. Naveen Balaji | K. Saravanan | R. Poorani | T. Vishnu Priya | R. Reka Raj"Advanced Security System using PIC through Bluetooth" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-1 | Issue-5 , August 2017, URL: http://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd2350.pdf http://www.ijtsrd.com/computer-science/computer-security/2350/advanced-security-system-using-pic-through-bluetooth/g-naveen-balaji
The Remote IO Port Expansion System Based on I2C BusKyle Zheng
This document summarizes a student's graduation project to design a remote I/O port expansion system using an I2C bus. The project used a P89LPC922 microcontroller and CAT9555 I/O expansion chip connected via an I2C bus up to 1 km in distance. The student outlined their design process, including considering different microcontroller options, using an I2C expander chip to increase communication distance, designing hardware circuits in Protel, programming the system in assembly language, and producing the circuit board, completing the project individually over 3 months.
The document is the first issue of Circuit Mechanix magazine focusing on the printed circuit board industry in the UK. It includes articles on the assembly process, what designers should provide to fabricators after design, and what fabricators do with design data. It also reviews the ZofzPCB gerber verification tool and provides industry news briefs.
Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are key components in electronic products that allow electronic elements to work together. Designing PCBs requires professional engineers to create schematics and ensure standards and the client's specifications are followed. Guidelines for PCB design include choosing reference points to aid the fabrication process, ensuring the board size can accommodate all necessary components, and determining whether a single-layer, double-layer, or multi-layer board is needed for the circuit complexity. Following design guidelines helps create functional PCBs.
This document provides an acknowledgement and thanks to various individuals and organizations who supported the completion of a project on developing a smart energy meter. It thanks the Electronics Instrumentation and Control Engineering Department at Thapar University for providing the opportunity and guidance. It also thanks the Texas Instruments Centre for Embedded Product Design for their financial support, technical guidance, expertise, and knowledge which were essential to the successful implementation and quality outcomes of the project. Finally, it expresses gratitude to families and colleagues for their encouragement and support in completing the project.
The document provides information about designing a printed circuit board (PCB) using the KiCAD software. It begins with an overview of KiCAD, an open source electronic design automation software suite for schematic capture and PCB layout. It then describes the four main steps to designing a PCB in KiCAD: 1) creating schematic diagrams using the Eeschema editor, 2) associating components using Cvpcb, 3) laying out the PCB using Pcbnew, and 4) generating output files using Gerbview. The document concludes with an example of using KiCAD to design an astable multivibrator circuit using a 555 timer integrated circuit.
Advanced Security System using PIC through Bluetoothijtsrd
The objective of our project is to develop an Exploiting Bluetooth on Android mobile devices for home appliances control appliances control application. Mobile deviceshave been integrated into our everyday life consequently, home automation is becoming increasingly prominent features on mobile devices .We have developed a security system that interfaces with an android mobile devices.The mobile device will be communicate through Bluetooth by the shortest way. The mobile application can be loaded onto any compatible device, and once loaded, interface with the appliances easily .commands to ON,OFF,or check the status of the appliance to which is installed can be sent quickly from the mobile device via a simple, easy to use GUI. The security system then acts on these commands, taking the appropriate action and sending a confirmation back to mobile device. This system can also tell the user if any of appliances is ON or OFF G. Naveen Balaji | K. Saravanan | R. Poorani | T. Vishnu Priya | R. Reka Raj"Advanced Security System using PIC through Bluetooth" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-1 | Issue-5 , August 2017, URL: http://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd2350.pdf http://www.ijtsrd.com/computer-science/computer-security/2350/advanced-security-system-using-pic-through-bluetooth/g-naveen-balaji
Implementing the latest embedded component technology from concept-to-manufac...Zuken
This document discusses implementing embedded components in printed circuit boards from concept to manufacturing. It begins with an overview of embedded component technologies and their advantages like increased density and performance. Common challenges are then addressed such as meeting tolerance requirements for formed components and impact on thermal behavior. The document emphasizes the importance of considering manufacturability early in the design process and working closely with manufacturers to define dedicated design rules. It concludes that a true 3D design approach is necessary to effectively implement embedded component technologies.
This document is a semester report by Adam Carroll describing his project to design an analog to digital converter circuit board and write code for an Arduino Uno32 board. The project involved designing the circuit board in Multisim and Ultiboard software, writing code in Mpide to interface with sensors and an LCD display, and soldering surface mount components. The report provides details of the circuit design including use of data buses, the power supply design, and transferring the design to a PCB. It also outlines the code development and testing processes.
This webinar will focus on updating legacy keyboard technology due to obsolescent, technology issues, and/or requirement changes.
During the presentation we will cover High Reliability User Interfaces that use Rigid, Rigid-Flex and PCB technologies. In addition we will identify current updates to keypad backlighting technology and design services that Epec can provide.
We will review redesigning antiquated or obsolete User Interfaces into a contemporary and cost effective product in efforts to meet current delivery schedules and customer requirements.
PCB Fabrication, China PCB Circuit Board Manufacturing from ChinaLeah-Hitech PCB
As a leading China PCB manufacturer, Hitech Circuits has rich experience and extensive expertise.from PCB layout & design, and PCB manufacturing to PCB testing and after-sales, all processesare finished in our ISO-certified factory. We put quality as the first priority, each circuit board goesthrough a strict quality control process before delivery, We specialize in producing all kinds ofprinted circuit boards, including PCB prototypes, FR4 PCB, Double-sided PCB, Aluminum PCB,RF PCB, Ceramic PCB, High-Frequency PCB, HDI PCB, etc. If you are looking for a reliablePCB board manufacturer in China, please don't hesitate to contact us.
As a leading one-stop electronics manufacturing services provider in China, Hitech Circuits Co., Limited (sales12@hitechpcb.com)offers high quality, cost effective and quick turn PCB board products, Printed Circuit board, PCB assembly, electronics assembly manufacturing, Electronic parts components sourcing services for your new products development.
With mature supply chain, talented design team, advanced manufacturing techniques and quality control systems, Hitech Circuits Co., Limited is able to provide one-stop electronics manufacturing services and solution for our customers to help them stand out in the marketplace.
The document provides information about printed circuit board design, including requirements specification, computer-aided design procedures, general design principles, and guidelines. It discusses establishing requirements, schematic entry, component placement, routing connections, design rule checks, and plotting. It also covers determining design standards, component outlines, placement techniques, wiring orientation, and considerations for board size and conductor widths/spacings.
The document discusses printed circuit boards (PCBs) and their evolution and classifications. It explains that PCBs provide electrical connections between circuit components using conductive tracks on a non-conductive substrate. Early electronic designs used point-to-point wiring but PCBs allowed for more reliable connections. Basic PCB types include single-sided, double-sided, and multilayer boards. More advanced types include rigid-flex boards, which combine rigid and flexible areas to fit devices. Proper PCB design is important to address issues like signal interference at high frequencies.
The document discusses Surface Mount Technology (SMT) used in electronic circuit board production. SMT involves mounting electronic components directly onto the surface of printed circuit boards rather than inserting them into holes. The key steps of SMT include receiving printed circuit boards, applying glue, placing chips and integrated circuits using specialized machines, curing the boards in a reflow oven, conducting visual and automated inspections, and any needed repairs. The document outlines the advantages of SMT, such as higher component density, improved mechanical and electrical performance, and faster automated assembly.
1. The document discusses the key steps in physical design flow, including import design, floorplanning, placement and routing.
2. Floorplanning is described as a critical step, where the quality of the floorplan can significantly impact timing closure and design implementation. Good techniques for floorplanning include understanding the design requirements and data flow.
3. The document outlines the major steps in floorplanning such as sizing and shaping blocks, voltage area creation, pin placement, row creation, macro placement, adding blockages and special cells. Qualifying the floorplan involves checks on pin grids, design rules, power connections and more.
1) The document describes a workshop on designing circuits using PCB Wizard software. It discusses what a printed circuit board is and different types of PCBs like single layer, double layer, and multi-layer boards.
2) It provides steps on how to design a circuit in PCB Wizard including adding components from the gallery, wiring them together, setting component values, and converting the circuit to a PCB layout.
3) An example of designing a circuit to light an LED using a thermistor is described in detail with the specific steps to build the circuit in PCB Wizard.
High Speed & RF Design and Layout: RFI/EMI Considerations (Design Conference ...Analog Devices, Inc.
At very high frequencies, every trace and pin is an RF emitter and receiver. If careful design practices are not followed, the unwanted signals can easily mask those a designer is trying to handle. The design choices begin at the architecture level and extend down to submillimeter placement of traces. There are tried and proven techniques for managing this process. The practical issues of real system design is covered in this session, along with ways to minimize signal degradation in the RF environment.
This document provides an overview of a hands-on training on printed circuit boards. The training will be presented by Mr. Abdul Munaff and will cover topics such as the evolution of PCBs, different types of PCBs, components and their footprints, using EAGLE schematic and layout editors, manual and autorouting, design rule checking, and related terminology. The objective is to inspire innovation, transfer knowledge, raise technology awareness, and develop skills.
Designing process of printed circuit boardselprocus
Most key element in electronic circuits and equipment’s is the Printed Circuit Board which connects electronic components with conductive lines printed
Six Hidden Costs in a 99 Cent Wireless SoC Considerations when choosing betwe...Pallavi Das
Silicon Labs is the vendor of choice for OEMs developing ZigBee® networking into their products. The Silicon Labs ZigBee platform is the most integrated, complete and feature rich ZigBee solution available — a family of Wireless SoCs, based on ARM® Cortex® processor and 2.4 GHz transceiver, together the most reliable, scalable and advanced ZigBee software and supported by best-in-class development tools.
The document discusses the process of printed circuit board (PCB) design, fabrication, and installation. It covers:
- The key components of a PCB including pads, traces, vias, and layers
- The PCB fabrication process including film generation, drilling, electroplating, imaging, etching, solder mask application, and silkscreening
- How components are attached to the board through surface mount or through-hole methods and the importance of carefully soldering to avoid shorts
10 Tips to Squeeze your Embedded Design or ProductPallav Aggarwal
Read this article to know 10 different way of reducing the size of an embedded product.
Let me know your feedback and if you like it please share with your friends.
International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) is an open access online peer reviewed international journal that publishes research and review articles in the fields of Computer Science, Neural Networks, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Plastic Engineering, Food Technology, Textile Engineering, Nano Technology & science, Power Electronics, Electronics & Communication Engineering, Computational mathematics, Image processing, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Environmental Engineering, VLSI Testing & Low Power VLSI Design etc.
Ratan Devpura is passionate about analog and mixed-signal circuit design. He has worked on amplifier, ADC, and DAC designs for mixed-signal systems. As an intern, he worked on migrating analog circuits to newer process technologies and verifying circuit simulation tools. He holds an M.S. in electrical engineering and aims to become an outstanding circuit design engineer through continued learning and innovative analog circuit designs.
Implementing the latest embedded component technology from concept-to-manufac...Zuken
This document discusses implementing embedded components in printed circuit boards from concept to manufacturing. It begins with an overview of embedded component technologies and their advantages like increased density and performance. Common challenges are then addressed such as meeting tolerance requirements for formed components and impact on thermal behavior. The document emphasizes the importance of considering manufacturability early in the design process and working closely with manufacturers to define dedicated design rules. It concludes that a true 3D design approach is necessary to effectively implement embedded component technologies.
This document is a semester report by Adam Carroll describing his project to design an analog to digital converter circuit board and write code for an Arduino Uno32 board. The project involved designing the circuit board in Multisim and Ultiboard software, writing code in Mpide to interface with sensors and an LCD display, and soldering surface mount components. The report provides details of the circuit design including use of data buses, the power supply design, and transferring the design to a PCB. It also outlines the code development and testing processes.
This webinar will focus on updating legacy keyboard technology due to obsolescent, technology issues, and/or requirement changes.
During the presentation we will cover High Reliability User Interfaces that use Rigid, Rigid-Flex and PCB technologies. In addition we will identify current updates to keypad backlighting technology and design services that Epec can provide.
We will review redesigning antiquated or obsolete User Interfaces into a contemporary and cost effective product in efforts to meet current delivery schedules and customer requirements.
PCB Fabrication, China PCB Circuit Board Manufacturing from ChinaLeah-Hitech PCB
As a leading China PCB manufacturer, Hitech Circuits has rich experience and extensive expertise.from PCB layout & design, and PCB manufacturing to PCB testing and after-sales, all processesare finished in our ISO-certified factory. We put quality as the first priority, each circuit board goesthrough a strict quality control process before delivery, We specialize in producing all kinds ofprinted circuit boards, including PCB prototypes, FR4 PCB, Double-sided PCB, Aluminum PCB,RF PCB, Ceramic PCB, High-Frequency PCB, HDI PCB, etc. If you are looking for a reliablePCB board manufacturer in China, please don't hesitate to contact us.
As a leading one-stop electronics manufacturing services provider in China, Hitech Circuits Co., Limited (sales12@hitechpcb.com)offers high quality, cost effective and quick turn PCB board products, Printed Circuit board, PCB assembly, electronics assembly manufacturing, Electronic parts components sourcing services for your new products development.
With mature supply chain, talented design team, advanced manufacturing techniques and quality control systems, Hitech Circuits Co., Limited is able to provide one-stop electronics manufacturing services and solution for our customers to help them stand out in the marketplace.
The document provides information about printed circuit board design, including requirements specification, computer-aided design procedures, general design principles, and guidelines. It discusses establishing requirements, schematic entry, component placement, routing connections, design rule checks, and plotting. It also covers determining design standards, component outlines, placement techniques, wiring orientation, and considerations for board size and conductor widths/spacings.
The document discusses printed circuit boards (PCBs) and their evolution and classifications. It explains that PCBs provide electrical connections between circuit components using conductive tracks on a non-conductive substrate. Early electronic designs used point-to-point wiring but PCBs allowed for more reliable connections. Basic PCB types include single-sided, double-sided, and multilayer boards. More advanced types include rigid-flex boards, which combine rigid and flexible areas to fit devices. Proper PCB design is important to address issues like signal interference at high frequencies.
The document discusses Surface Mount Technology (SMT) used in electronic circuit board production. SMT involves mounting electronic components directly onto the surface of printed circuit boards rather than inserting them into holes. The key steps of SMT include receiving printed circuit boards, applying glue, placing chips and integrated circuits using specialized machines, curing the boards in a reflow oven, conducting visual and automated inspections, and any needed repairs. The document outlines the advantages of SMT, such as higher component density, improved mechanical and electrical performance, and faster automated assembly.
1. The document discusses the key steps in physical design flow, including import design, floorplanning, placement and routing.
2. Floorplanning is described as a critical step, where the quality of the floorplan can significantly impact timing closure and design implementation. Good techniques for floorplanning include understanding the design requirements and data flow.
3. The document outlines the major steps in floorplanning such as sizing and shaping blocks, voltage area creation, pin placement, row creation, macro placement, adding blockages and special cells. Qualifying the floorplan involves checks on pin grids, design rules, power connections and more.
1) The document describes a workshop on designing circuits using PCB Wizard software. It discusses what a printed circuit board is and different types of PCBs like single layer, double layer, and multi-layer boards.
2) It provides steps on how to design a circuit in PCB Wizard including adding components from the gallery, wiring them together, setting component values, and converting the circuit to a PCB layout.
3) An example of designing a circuit to light an LED using a thermistor is described in detail with the specific steps to build the circuit in PCB Wizard.
High Speed & RF Design and Layout: RFI/EMI Considerations (Design Conference ...Analog Devices, Inc.
At very high frequencies, every trace and pin is an RF emitter and receiver. If careful design practices are not followed, the unwanted signals can easily mask those a designer is trying to handle. The design choices begin at the architecture level and extend down to submillimeter placement of traces. There are tried and proven techniques for managing this process. The practical issues of real system design is covered in this session, along with ways to minimize signal degradation in the RF environment.
This document provides an overview of a hands-on training on printed circuit boards. The training will be presented by Mr. Abdul Munaff and will cover topics such as the evolution of PCBs, different types of PCBs, components and their footprints, using EAGLE schematic and layout editors, manual and autorouting, design rule checking, and related terminology. The objective is to inspire innovation, transfer knowledge, raise technology awareness, and develop skills.
Designing process of printed circuit boardselprocus
Most key element in electronic circuits and equipment’s is the Printed Circuit Board which connects electronic components with conductive lines printed
Six Hidden Costs in a 99 Cent Wireless SoC Considerations when choosing betwe...Pallavi Das
Silicon Labs is the vendor of choice for OEMs developing ZigBee® networking into their products. The Silicon Labs ZigBee platform is the most integrated, complete and feature rich ZigBee solution available — a family of Wireless SoCs, based on ARM® Cortex® processor and 2.4 GHz transceiver, together the most reliable, scalable and advanced ZigBee software and supported by best-in-class development tools.
The document discusses the process of printed circuit board (PCB) design, fabrication, and installation. It covers:
- The key components of a PCB including pads, traces, vias, and layers
- The PCB fabrication process including film generation, drilling, electroplating, imaging, etching, solder mask application, and silkscreening
- How components are attached to the board through surface mount or through-hole methods and the importance of carefully soldering to avoid shorts
10 Tips to Squeeze your Embedded Design or ProductPallav Aggarwal
Read this article to know 10 different way of reducing the size of an embedded product.
Let me know your feedback and if you like it please share with your friends.
International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) is an open access online peer reviewed international journal that publishes research and review articles in the fields of Computer Science, Neural Networks, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Plastic Engineering, Food Technology, Textile Engineering, Nano Technology & science, Power Electronics, Electronics & Communication Engineering, Computational mathematics, Image processing, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Environmental Engineering, VLSI Testing & Low Power VLSI Design etc.
Ratan Devpura is passionate about analog and mixed-signal circuit design. He has worked on amplifier, ADC, and DAC designs for mixed-signal systems. As an intern, he worked on migrating analog circuits to newer process technologies and verifying circuit simulation tools. He holds an M.S. in electrical engineering and aims to become an outstanding circuit design engineer through continued learning and innovative analog circuit designs.
1. Circuit Mechanix
What you need to know on
designing multilayer PCB’s
Fabrication of multilayer
PCB’s – Processes &
Pitfalls
PCB & Electronics Apps:
Intercept’s Impedance
Calculator &
Electrodroid reviewed
Assembly & Rework of
multilayer PCB’s.
News & more...
Issue 2 June 2016
The magazine for the PCB industry in the UK
2. Circuit Mechanix
Contents
Article:
Multilayer PCB’s - What you need to know P. 3
Review:
Electronics Apps - Electrodroid P.6
Intercepts Impedance Calculator Tool P. 10
Industry News P. 12
Article:
Processes and pitfalls of Multilayer
fabrication every designer needs to know. P.8
Article:
Assembly and re-work of multilayer PCB’s P. 13
Page 1 Circuit Mechanix – June 2016
Circuit Mechanix
June 2016 – Issue 1
The PCB magazine for
the UK printed circuit
industry. Contents:
3. Mechanix Musings
If you’re reading this then we made it to the second issue of Circuit Mechanix. What you
the reader may also notice is that this issue isn’t focussing on flex as stated in the first
issue but on multilayer boards, this is also true – I changed my mind. As the great Captain
Picard might say “That’s Captain’s prerogative”. I felt that dealing with many of the
issues facing us with multilayer boards was a place to start that applies to more engineer –
it’s also maybe a nice surprise!
Multilayer boards are a fact of life in electronics now and when designing them there are
many facts and possibilities to consider, sometimes with more than one answer. Knowing
what all these are and the consequences is key to getting it right. I hope this issue goes
some way to helping with this.
As the reader base for Circuit Mechanix increases I would like to hear from you, the
issues you have, the problems you can or can’t solve as this will give me the feedback I
need on the real problems you as engineers face so I can direct the content at these areas
and who knows – maybe we can all learn something? If you’re interested use the email to
get in contact.
Circuit Mechanix is aimed at being a useful, practical source of information for engineers
and technicians working in the PCB industry. If you want more information, feel like you
can contribute in some way or if you’re a company that wants to see your name in Circuit
Mechanix then send an email to: circuitmechanix@gmail.com.
Page 2 Circuit Mechanix – June 2016
Circuit Mechanix
4. Todays world of high speed, high pin
count high power density electronics
means designing multilayer PCB’s is
almost essential for any design.
Multilayer boards enable a designer to
be able to integrate controlled
impedances for high speed and RF
circuits with power circuits easily and
efficiently without taking up large
amounts of space and eliminating the
need to use jumper links to make
connections.
But as engineer’s knowing how our
multilayer boards are built is key to
ensuring design success. Knowing the
materials that will be used at the
fabricator, so the right cores and pre-
pregs are used is are particularly
important for impedance control.
Allowing enough time and effort to work
out the number of layers required and
their stackup will be time well spent.
While this can be changed during the
design, it may mean that other design
elements will be affected and time
wasted in re- design to account for this.
So it needs to be planned well.
So, how does a PCB Designer work all
of this out?
Layers – Deciding on grounding and
power strategies will give us the best
guide on the layers we need. Ask these
questions:
1) How many ground planes needed?
Are there different ground on
different planes or are they split?
2) How many power rails are there? Is
a layer being allowed for each
power rail or are we splitting them?
Will they be split into area above
each other to stop ground bounce?
3) What and how many signals are
there to route? Will there need to be
signals routed on inner layers and
will these need to be protected from
the power layers?
4) Just a plain through hole board or
are blind / buried vias being
employed?
Page 3 Circuit Mechanix – June 2016
Designing Multilayer PCB’s – What you need to know
5. Page 4 Circuit Mechanix – June 2016
Designing Multilayer PCB’s – What you need to know
Stackups:
The stackup shown on the left is typical of a
simple 4 layer PCB. The signal layers are
indicated with broken conductors, the ground
or power planes are shown as solid
conductors. The thicker PCB core is
sandwiched between the thinner prepregs.
4 Layer PCB Stackup:
Plane Arrangement:
The plane arrangement shown here depicts a
number of planes one on top of the other on
different layers. They will be a mix of power
and ground nets. This is an acceptable way to
arrange power and ground planes.
However in order to minimise ground bounce in
a circuit, the power and ground planes could
follow the same shaped profile on each layer,
this reduces the coupling between power and
ground. An example profile of this is shown – it
could be any shape, but would follow the same
profile on each layer for power and ground.
Note:
For ground planes it’s generally accepted that
splitting planes creates signal integrity ‘gaps’.
While sometimes it’s unavoidable to split a
plane, if possible it’s best avoided.
7. When I got my first Android phone it
was suggested I look up an app called
Electrodroid. After installing it, I was
instantly impressed. Electrodroid is only
available on Android and is the app to
have for any and every kind of
electronics engineer and technician. As
shown above there are four tabs to
choose a vast array of useful
information that’s available on the go
from your device.
Calculators - has a range of different
calculators to help with everything from
resistor codes to filters and PCB trace
width calculation. All of this in one
place.
The next tab has a whole list of
Pin-Outs – think of a connector used in
everyday electronics – it’s probably
here. On top of this are pin outs for
Raspberry Pi, Arduino’s and
Beaglebone boards also.
The next tab is a Resource table for
component selection, wiring size tables
and chip databases.
The amount information available to the
Electrodroid user is massive and it’s
accurate, quality information that can be
relied on.
Electrodroid is also expandable, with a
number of Plugins that are designed to
work with it.
.
Page 6 Circuit Mechanix – June 2016
Review: Electronics Apps - Electrodroid
9. Multilayer PCB’s are layers of copper
area’s etched to their patters to form a
single circuit that all connects together,
just like in the design. Easy eh?
We wish! When we scratch away at the
process behind the design we lean that
maybe all is not what we might think.
Defining the stackup before routing
even starts is essential. This is because
the stackup will define where the
designer can route, where ground and
power planes are located and where
any controlled impedances will be
routed too. Time spent at this stage isn’t
wasted, it’s well spent as this can save
time later in tearing up chunks of design
work and starting again.
Being realistic about the number of
layers will also be beneficial at this
stage, this means balancing (as always)
cost against technical performance.
Discussing the requirements with the
fabricator at this stage means that this
stage of the build is designed and we
don’t have to mess with it later.
Copper balance is a factor to be
considered that few outside PCB design
and fabrication know about – yet with
multilayer boards it can have a
profound effect. The effect of bad
copper balance is a warped board and
is caused if a board is designed with
some areas of highly dense copper
features where on other parts it’s less
dense.
Planes which over lap across the layers
is often enough to cure this, either that
or filling in between routed areas with
ground pour. If doing this, make sure
that no creepage distances, or other
circuit features are compromised.
Drill holes and vias seem like a simple
affair – on the whole they are. But when
a plated hole is defined in your design –
is this the size of the hole drilled or after
plating? Normally this isn’t an issue, but
if using custom assemblies with fine
wires, problems can arise where the
wire doesn’t fit in the hole as expected.
Continued4
Page 8 Circuit Mechanix – June 2016
Featured Article: Processes and pitfalls of
multilayer fabrication every designer needs to
know
11. It’s not greatly known that Intercept,
the company behind the Pantheon
PCB / Hybrid design software had
released a controlled impedance
calculator for mobile and tablet.
The app is available for either
Android or Apple platforms and the
first impression is a clean,
uncluttered look. There are seven
basic options and each one brings up
the required variables. The power of
this app is in it’s ease of use, the
user prompted for the required
values.
Where there is a calculator next to a
value is where the user can leave the
value blank. Input the other
variables, press on the one
remaining (which is shown in red)
and there you go – your required
value appears.
After diving into the other functions in
the app the operation is much the
same, the amount of variables
change depending on what’s being
calculated, but the user only needs
to have a basic understanding to
operate this and get a sensible
answer.
Review: Intercept Impedance Calculator
Page 10 Circuit Mechanix – June 2016
13. Options are now availabl
Circuit Mechanix
Page 12 Circuit Mechanix – June 2016
Industry News:
Anglia Circuits have recently invested in a
Bacher auto alignment printing machine.
Improving their registration capability
significantly.
www.angliacircuits.com
Sionics
Improved feedback options are now
available on library parts.
www.snapeda.com
Sionics are working with to achieve
ISO13485 approval over the next few
months with plans to expand their service
offering around this later.
www.sionics.co.uk
14. Multilayer PCB’s are being used in
almost every electronic device that can
be thought of. This is especially true in
higher density electronic devices where
components are crammed into the
smallest space possible. The reason for
this? It enables the engineer to track
out the circuit in a tight area while
providing functionality like impedance
control.
Multilayer PCB’s also provide excellent
thermal conductivity to be able to get
heat away from components without the
need of heat sinks.
This kind of approach is bound to have
an effect on the way PCB’s are
assembled and re-worked. Soldering
parts down to a board can be hard
enough, but getting them off again
without damaging the board can be
much harder.
Assembly and Reflow:
Applying the paste and placing
components onto a multilayer PCB
happens in the same way as a single
sided PCB. The problems come during
reflow.
Imagine the PCB that’s being worked
on now going through a big heater and
being warmed up to a thermal profile
like this one:
The area’s of copper that are larger are
going to sap the heat away faster and
will therefore take longer to heat up
than the area’s where there is little
excess copper. So all the different parts
of the circuit are warming up at different
rates. This could potentially lead to
solder re-flow taking place at different
times. This could lead to components
tombstoning, reflow not taking place
underneath IC’s with power pads and
dry joints. Basically – a PCB engineer’s
nightmare.
Continued on next page4
Page 13 Circuit Mechanix – June 2016
Article: Assembly and Rework of Multilayer PCB’s
15. Assembly and Rework of Multilayer
PCB’s continued4
Compensating for this is usually done
by increasing the dwell time (referred to
as the soaking zone in the chart) the
board is subjected to. This ensures that
every part of the PCB is at the right
temperature for the fluxes to start
working and will reach the desired peak
temperature, with all the solder joints
forming as they should.
Another reflow process used is the
vapour phase reflow process, where
heat transfer liquid gasses are used to
heat every part of the PCB and the
components uniformly. The issue with
the vapour phase process is that it’s not
a mass production process and is often
slower than using IR reflow ovens. The
vapour phase process can damage
some sensitive components, so make
sure evert component is suitable.
So now the components are down on
the board – what about re-work and
repair?
Rework & Repair:
In order to carry our PCB repairs, two
things are needed:
1) The right tools
2) A well trained / experienced operator
A good soldering iron like a Metcal
system with interchangeable tips and a
talon system are essential to carry out
good re-work. The heat is used
efficiently and the tips transfer the heat
well. A good rule of thumb is to use the
largest tip possible, particularly in the
removal process. A talon system allows
the operator to use different sized tips
to ‘pinch’ the component on each side
and remove very easily with no PCB
damage incurred.
PCB damage during component
removal is common, but with modern
small pad sizes, not as easy to repair
as ten or more years ago.
Continued on next page4
Page 14 Circuit Mechanix – June 2016
Interested in seeing your company name in here, or
doing something you want to tell everyone about?
Email circuitmechanix@gmail.com for more
information.
17. Circuit Mechanix
Next issue out in September 2016 - What’s
going to be in it?
Articles:
Miniaturisation – The swings and roundabouts
of how to shrink your circuits – and how to deal
with them.
Review:
Choosing your PCB design tool
And more4
Page 16 Circuit Mechanix – June 2016
Next Issue: