News & Updates
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Overview of PCB/PCBA Reliability and Failure Analysis
Reliability testing and failure analysis of a PCB/PCBA go hand-in-hand; when designs are stressed to the limit, their failure modes need to be determined through thorough inspection and analysis. To get started on this topic, it’s important to understand the qualification aspects that will govern your bare board design and the PCBA. We’ll look at the various dimensions of PCB/PCBA reliability, as well as some of the standard failure analysis techniques used to identify potential design change requirements.
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When Do PCB Power Plane Resonances Occur?
By now, designers should be aware of some important behavior involved in power delivery to components in a PCB, particularly for digital components. All digital components produce and manipulate wideband signals, where the frequency content theoretically extends up to infinite frequency. As such, some radiation may propagate through your PCB, leading to resonant behavior that is not observed on the power rail.
On-Demand Webinar
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How to Overcome PCB Component Availability Problems
Supply shortages have become and continue to be a common problem, especially when it comes to the world of electronics. It's hard to get all the different components for our boards. Heck! It's even tough to get the board themselves too! When electronic components become obsolete or out of stock, design and production can suffer lengthy delays. With current supply chain delays and with an average of 15 end-of-life notices issued every day, obtaining the parts you need is a challenge.
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How to Choose PCB Plating for Your Finished Board
Once your board passes through the standard PCB fabrication process, the bare copper in your PCB will be ready for the application of a surface finish. PCB plating is applied to protect any copper in your PCB that would be exposed through the solder mask, whether it’s a pad, via, or other conductive element. In this article, I’ll run over the different PCB plating material options and their advantages in your PCB.
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What is the PCB Supply Chain?
The PCB supply chain encompasses multiple components, raw materials, and the PCB itself. PCBs and PCB assemblies are often the most technically complex components that are purchased for electronic assemblies and products. The complexity of modern PCBs leads to several challenges for a supply chain management team that may be significantly different when compared with other commodities the team manages. In this brief guide, we'll look in-depth at the PCB supply chain, and specifically what falls within the purview of a procurement and supply chain management team.
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A Guide to Mode Conversion, Its Causes, and Solutions
On interconnects, such as board-to-board connections or cascaded transmission line arrangements, you have an important EMC compliance metric that is sometimes overlooked. This is mode conversion, which can be visualized in an S-parameter measurement for differential and common-mode signal transmission. In this article, we’ll look at a short overview of mode conversion in high-speed design with some examples from common differential standards.
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PCB Via Size and Pad Size Guidelines
There are some aspects of PCB design and layout that seem deceptively simple, and yet they have a complex answer that is related to many important aspects of manufacturing. One of these design aspects is the match between PCB via size and pad size. Obviously, these two points are related; all vias have a landing pad that supports the via and provides a place to route traces into a via pad. However, there are some important sizing guidelines to follow when the matching pad and via sizes, and this match is an important element of DFM and reliability.
On-Demand Webinar
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Preparing your files for Fabrication Release
When you’re done creating a new board, it’s time to send your design data to the manufacturer. Before releasing your designs, you’ll want to make sure that everything is ready and works as intended. In this informative video, we’ll review some of the must-have checks before sending your output data for fabrication.
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Differential Microstrip Impedance Calculator
Are you looking for a free tool that you can use to calculate the impedance of differential microstrips? We created a simple tool you can use to calculate differential microstrip impedance for a given geometry and dielectric constant. If you’ve been looking for an accurate differential microstrip impedance calculator, then the calculator below is certainly one of the best free tools you’ll find on the internet before you start using field solvers to determine differential pair impedance.
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Getting Through a PCB DFM Check
In this article, we’ll discuss the key design features to implement, and steps to take prior to fabrication that will help prevent some common DFM problems. I’ll also provide examples of where I commonly see these PCB DFM problems in signal integrity circuits.
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Altium Designer: Leading the Charge in PCB Design Innovation
In the dynamic field of electronics design, Altium Designer stands out as a pioneer, continuously advancing the boundaries of PCB (Printed Circuit Board) design. Discover the latest innovations in 3D-MID design, high-speed design, and interactive routing in this new article by David Marrakchi.
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What Is Solder Mask Expansion and Which Value Should You Use?
Check out our new article explaining how to ensure sufficient pad area for soldering, manage misregistration tolerance, and maintain proper solder dams between components. It also highlights the role of collaboration with fabrication houses and the use of CAD tools in defining land patterns for advanced electronics designs.
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Pi.MX8 Project - Board Layout Part 3
We continue our exploration of the Pi.MX8 open-source computer module project. In this new installment, we focus on routing planning and then cover all the layers' routing with all the details you need to know if you want to prepare a similar project.
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Mastering Blind and Buried Vias
Check our compilation of essential resources you'll need to use blind and buried vias successfully in an HDI PCB. In our brand new article, we present the main and most valuable information about this technology, which may not be new but is still highly useful in High-Density Interconnect projects.
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Penn Electric Racing Pushes the Envelope with Altium 365
Discover how Penn Electric Racing builds award-winning, fully electric racecars with Altium 365, pushing the boundaries of technology and design.
Blog
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Make Sure to Clean Your No-Clean Flux
No-clean flux has become popular due to its convenience. Learn more about why this solution is used, why cleaning might still be necessary, and how to remove no-clean flux residues. We will try to dispel all these doubts in this brand new article.
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SPICE Simulation Module: How To Use Automated Measurements in Simulations To Save Time and Money in Design Challenges
Simulation of electronic circuits is a key factor in the success of your design. A SPICE circuit simulator may be used to speed up the design analysis. Learn more about how Altium Designer can help you with automated measurements, saving you time and money during the design process.
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Achieve Seamless Rigid-Flex Design with Altium Designer's Unified Solution
Check out our refreshed feature page about Rigid-Flex PCB Design and see how Altium Designer’s unified environment can help you manage this kind of project with no limitations or additional licensing required.
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How to Design a Thermal Prototype PCB
Thermal problems in PCBs often go unnoticed until prototyping, which can be costly. Design teams can't afford endless iterations, but they can conduct lower-cost thermal prototypes. Learn more about this approach in our new article.
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6 Challenges of Managing Disconnected PLM Workflows
Discover six challenges of managing disconnected PLM workflows in electronics product development. Identify your main challenge and find the solution here.
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DC-Aware Return Current in Mixed Signal PCBs
In this article, we will examine specific cases involving these types of components, where a very low-frequency signal or a DC signal needs to be measured, and the return path must be tracked to ensure the current loop is tight.
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PCB Layout Replication: The Perfect Tool for Test Jigs
Replicate your circuits across multiple blocks with just a few clicks using a flawless preview pane, ensuring consistent, perfect results without the need for trial and error. Check out our new article on the PCB Layout Replication feature.
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Durability of Pin Plating Materials for PCB Connectors
Pin headers are common components in PCBs, yet one specification often overlooked is the plating material. Discover more about plating materials for electrical connectors in our latest article.
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4 Reasons Why We Chose AWS GovCloud (US) for Altium 365 GovCloud
In this blog, we explain the reasons behind our decision to operate Altium 365 GovCloud within AWS GovCloud (US). This partnership is guided by a clear vision: to provide our users with a secure, compliant, and reliable platform for sensitive electronics design data.
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How to Reduce Noise From Magnetostriction in Magnetic Components
Magnetic components driven by an AC signal can exhibit an irritating property due to magnetostriction - an effect causing vibrations in magnetic materials, resulting in audible sound. Explore this phenomenon further and discover methods to minimize its impact.
Blog
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3D MID Design Whitepaper
Dive into a dynamic design experience where you can visualize and edit your circuits in true 3D, offering unparalleled precision. Altium Designer's 3D-MID (Mechatronic Integrated Device) Design tool revolutionizes the design process, providing a fresh perspective. Explore the capabilities and benefits of this feature in our comprehensive guide.
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