Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can wreck the electronic components on a PCB (printed circuit board) or even the board itself. When insulators or unconnected conductors accumulate positive or negative charges, with the charge amount depending on the insulator or conductor’s stored capacitance as it relates to objects in its proximity that are oppositely charged, the static formulated cannot be transferred by electromotive force, rendering it unable to equalize itself. This will happen if the value of the capacitance between the board’s components is not decreased. Effectively, this static h ..read more

MCPCBs (metal core printed circuit boards) are special types of PCBs that are formulated from various metals, with that type of metal used varying depending on the application of its utility. Many modern-day applications utilize aluminum printed circuit boards, making them the most popular type of MCPCB. They are equipped with copper-clad and metal-based laminate. These circuit boards’ construction makes them optimal both in terms of thermal conductivity, as well as electrical insulation. Beyond that, it yields a PCB that delivers high performance. In this post, we are going to detail all ..read more

New Product Introduction (NPI) and getting your design ready for full production is a process that is as exciting as it is risky and is wrought with complexities. Most new products start with a working prototype, allowing manufacturers to test it and refine it repeatedly in order to achieve a maximally optimal final product. But a finely tuned prototype is a far cry from a product that can be mass-produced in most situations. When it comes to electronics, this is nearly always the case. Of course, introducing new products and setting them up for mass production is not impossible, but it d ..read more

The tombstone is a universal indicator marking the end of a person’s life, keeping their memory permanently on display. As long as their name lives, so, in essence, does their memory. But the idea of tombstones transcends human and pet graveyards, as the terminology has spanned the spectrum of indication of standing entities to commemorate those laid to rest. One essence in which the idea of a raised “tombstone” is applicable is in the assembling of printed circus boards (PCB). This term is applied to a common SMT component defect in which it lifts off from the board on one end while stay ..read more

To succeed in the electronics and hardware space, a company and it’s engineers must satisfy a consumer or business need with fresh, exciting products. Engineering expertise and strategic timing are exceptionally important factors as well. There is a lot that goes into that process, with one of the key elements being the ability to put together quality prototypes for the developing products with a quick turn around time frame. In the electronics realm, the key is to formulate an optimally functional circuit board product, an integral part of most electronic devices. Failure to develop qual ..read more

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, consumers have increasingly run into problems when trying to purchase particular electronics or products that require semiconductors to functionally operate. This is due to an unprecedented shortage in the supply chain on various levels stemming from the semiconductor industry. Though this particular industry rarely finds itself in such a prominent spotlight, a confluence of factors, of which the pandemic was only one (though a major contributor), has led global focus to turn to the shortage of the small chips that are used to power everything ..read more

Benefits of Outsourcing PCB Assembly The increasing popularity and prominence electronics in the consumer sector has resulted in an increase in the demand for PCB assembly services. Although manufacturers originally manufactured PCBs solely in their own operations, OEMs have increasingly outsourced PCB production over the years. Outsourcing PCB assembly is always a fantastic option for both established firms and up-and-coming startups. The advantages of outsourcing are various, ranging from navigating the complexity of circuit board production to keeping up with the costs of a manufacturing l ..read more

EOL Components: How to Plan for Component Obsolescence Most engineers despise the term “obsolescence.” A successful, dependable product may be made unmanufacturable by a single component that has reached End Of Life (EOL), or a new design hasn’t even gone into production and one of the chips has been removed by the manufacturer. Sometimes EOL Components are integrated circuits, other times it’s connectors or something else related to the PCB Assembly. Most components have a limited lifespan, and even the tiniest, cheapest, seemingly inconsequential component might jeopardize the manufacturab ..read more

Quality solder joints is essential to having a successful product. Understanding factors that affect solder joint quality will allow you and your team to troubleshoot problems and produce reliable electronics. The creation of solder joints is determined by the wetting and spreading of molten solder metal on substrate surfaces. Wetting is the process by which a metallurgical link is formed between the solder and the substrate. Spreading is the natural movement of molten solder over the surface of a substrate (with the help of a flux). Together, the wetting and spreading actions define the sol ..read more

Benefits of PCB Reshoring There have been several benefits to using offshore printed circuit board manufacturing partners throughout the years, but times are changing. Numerous electronics OEMs have seen significant benefits from reshoring their PCB manufacturing to domestic facilities. Historically, offshore PCB manufacturing has given OEMs cheap labor costs, making it an appealing choice despite the distance. This paradigm, however, has shifted in favor of local production as of late. Manufacturing technological advancements have reduced the amount of physical labor necessary for PCB manuf ..read more