5 Attributes to Detect Counterfeit Electronic Components
Sierra Circuits Blog
by Rasika
2y ago
Counterfeit electronic components pose a significant risk to various industries across the globe. These fake parts affect almost all sectors including medical, automotive, consumer goods, networking, communication, space, and defense. During manufacturing, these parts may go unnoticed which increases failures, scrap, and rework rates. It impacts overall profitability and causes severe consequences in high-reliability applications. It is crucial to identify counterfeit electronic components by performing some industry-specific tests. Several norms and guidelines are issued for manufacturers and ..read more
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How to Determine the Impedance of a Circuit
Sierra Circuits Blog
by Milan Yogendrappa
2y ago
Impedance impacts how signals propagate through the board, how power is exchanged between components, and how signals leak into undesired sections of a PCB. There are several methods for determining a circuit’s impedance, but they don’t necessarily yield realistic results unless you include the appropriate parasitic elements in your models. In this article we will go through the following points: Impedance of a circuit Impedance is an AC characteristic of a circuit that may vary with the operating frequency. It is normally represented by Z = R – j/ωC + jωL where ω= 2πf. What is the differen ..read more
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How to Generate PCB Assembly Files
Sierra Circuits Blog
by Sagar
2y ago
PCB assembly requires certain files to provide a basic idea about the component positions, orientation, and courtyard information of each and every layer. These include Gerber/ODB++, centroid, BOM, assembly drawings, and so on. All the files for board manufacturing and assembly are generated using design and documentation tools. The procedure to generate PCB assembly files depends on the design software used. Complete assembly documentation provides a basic insight into all procedures and inspection techniques required to yield the end product. Therefore, it is necessary to know about these fi ..read more
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6 Types of Electronic Component Failures in PCBs
Sierra Circuits Blog
by Rasika
2y ago
Electronics is at its peak with the advent of digitization. The components used in electronic equipment may experience certain failures during their operational life. Common electronic component failures include mechanical, thermal, environmental, electrical stress, packaging, and aging. These defects violate the functioning of the device. It is essential to identify, resolve, and prevent such failures to deliver a reliable product. PCBs comprise of numerous components including through-hole components and surface mount devices (SMD). Defects may arise due to several reasons during manufacturi ..read more
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How to Reduce Ground Bounce in PCB Assembly
Sierra Circuits Blog
by Sagar
2y ago
Ground bounce is a source of noise in a PCB assembly. It is important to prevent this as it interrupts high-speed or high-frequency operation. The major cause for ground bounce is the difference in ground potentials at various points on the circuit. Noise is an unrequired element in any circuit. Thus in a board design, all possible noise sources are considered and required solutions are implemented. Ground bounce is one of those noise sources. During assembly, grounding is provided to all the components and traces. Due to certain discrepancies, there are chances of potential differences betwee ..read more
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Best EMI and RF Shielding Methods for Flex PCBs
Sierra Circuits Blog
by Milan Yogendrappa
2y ago
Flexible PCBs, like any other electrical interconnect, are susceptible to electromagnetic (EM) and radio frequency (RF) interference. The negative consequences of EM and RF interference range from an increase in error rate to a total loss of data. To address this interference issue in flex circuit boards, EMI shielding is carried out using copper layers, silver ink, and specialized shielding films. In this article we will go through various methods of shielding flex boards: What is EMI? Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is a disturbance generated by an electrical source that influences the ci ..read more
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Medical Device Regulations for PCB Assembly
Sierra Circuits Blog
by Rasika
2y ago
Adhering to industry-specific rules and regulations is an essential prerequisite for any product. Medical device regulations for PCBA are crucial to satisfy acceptance criteria for various medtech equipment. The devices that are heavily reliant on populated boards include: Blood pressure monitor Heart monitors Pacemakers Body temperature monitor (thermometer) Cochlear implants Imaging and diagnostic instrument EMG (electromyography) activity system Neurostimulator Handheld monitors These devices should function precisely for the right diagnosis and treatment of the patients. This requires a ..read more
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Air Gap Construction Method in Rigid-Flex PCBs
Sierra Circuits Blog
by Milan Yogendrappa
2y ago
Air gap construction method in rigid-flex PCB manufacturing was introduced by the IPC to overcome the mechanical and electrical reliability issues in higher layer count rigid-flex designs. In this article, we’ll go through various electrical and mechanical reliability issues and techniques to eliminate them in rigid-flex boards. Consequences of having a higher layer count in rigid-flex PCBs Laminating multiple layers into a single structure is a common way of addressing higher layer counts in a board design. This holds good for rigid circuit boards but it results in electrical and mechanical r ..read more
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How Vibrations in Space Vehicles Affect PCBA
Sierra Circuits Blog
by Rasika
2y ago
Effects of vibrations on PCBA causes fatigue and eventually fail some parts in space missions. These electronic devices should function precisely in harsh space environments and ensure high reliability. Vibrations in space vehicles cause significant energy loss and undesirable noise. After firing a rocket engine, an intense noise generates in the form of acoustics (reflection of sound waves) and vibrations within launch pads, spacecraft, and launch vehicles. Printed circuit boards are components that are prone to failure due to these kinds of high vibrations. During the launch of space flights ..read more
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IPC J-STD-001 Standard Soldering Requirements
Sierra Circuits Blog
by Rasika
2y ago
J-STD-001 is a standard issued by IPC for soldered electrical and electronic assemblies. The standard specifies material specifications, process requirements, and acceptability criteria. What is J-STD-001 certification? Joint industry-standard (J-STD-001) is the industrial specification for electronics and electrical assemblies that are grouped according to the product classes. Electronic products are classified into three groups according to manufacturability, performance requirements, process control regulations, and verification testing. Class 1: General electronic products Class 2: Service ..read more
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