News & Updates
Blog
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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.
Blog
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What is Spreading Inductance?
If you’re working with a high-speed digital component, there are some simple power integrity rules that should be followed. However, there is one quantity that is sometimes ignored when building a PDN impedance simulation: the spreading inductance of your plane pair. Here are some points designers should know about the spreading inductance of a plane pair.
Blog
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PCB Design Basics for New Designers
In this article, I’ll present some design basics that every new designer should follow to help ensure their design process is successful. Some of these points may challenge the conventional view of how circuit boards are constructed, but they are intended to help balance low noise signaling, manufacturability, and ease of solving a layout.
On-Demand Webinar
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Efficient PCB Routing Using Gloss and Retrace Tools
The primary goal of your traces is to carry signals throughout your board without losses. To do this properly, you must familiarize yourself with the requirements for signals on the printed circuit board and how to optimize the topology of the board in terms of signal integrity. We will analyze the most popular routing cases applicable for using the Gloss and Retrace tools in Altium Designer to optimize your signal integrity.
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Selecting Materials for High Voltage PCB Design and Layout
High voltage PCBs are subject to certain safety and reliability concerns that you won’t find in most other boards. If your fabrication house specializes in high voltage PCBs and keeps materials in stock, they can likely recommend a material set, as well as a standard stackup you might use for certain voltage ranges and frequencies. If you need to choose your own materials, follow the tips below to help you narrow down to the right material set.
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When to Use Tented Vias in Your PCB Layout
There are some guidelines I see many designers implement as a standard practice, often without thinking about it. Some of these practices are misunderstood or implemented without best practices. Others are implemented without thinking about the potential problems. One of these is the use of tented vias, which is sometimes implemented in a PCB layout by default. Is this always the right practice?
Blog
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How to Impedance Match and Terminate Capacitive Loads
The idea of a purely capacitive load is something of a fallacy. Yes, capacitors exist, but all capacitors are non-ideal, and it is this deviation from a theoretical capacitance that determines how to impedance match a load that exhibits capacitive behavior. Let’s take a look at this important aspect of interconnect design and see what it really means to terminate a capacitive load.
Blog
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Using Altium 365 Over Your Vanilla Version Control System
There are all sorts of version control systems out there that people have been using with their PCB design software. As discussed in Why Use a Version Control System, we looked at different options ranging for local hard drive storage to sophisticated online revisioning systems. In this article we will be reviewing the differences between a standard VCS and Altium 365.
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Why Use a Version Control System in PCB Design
Version Control Systems (VCS) have been around for many decades within the software world but can be surprisingly new to some folks in the electronics design industry. This article will cover what a VCS is, what it does, and why you should be using one for your PCB design projects.
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Meeting Standards: IPC 6012 Class 3 Annular Ring
Designers often conflate leftover annular ring and pad sizes - they need to place a sufficiently large pad size on the surface layer to ensure that the annular ring that is leftover during fabrication will be large enough. As long as the annular ring is sufficiently large, the drill hit will not be considered defective and the board will have passed inspection. In this article, I'll discuss the limits on IPC-6012 Class 3 annular rings as these are a standard fabrication requirement for high-reliability rigid PCBs.
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Decoding PCB Fabrication Notes
Sending a board out for fabrication is an exciting and nerve-wracking moment. Why not just give your fabricator your design files and let them figure it out? There are a few reasons for this, but it means the responsibility comes back to you as the designer to produce manufacturing files and documentation for your PCB. It’s actually quite simple if you have the right design tools. We’ll look at how you can do this inside your PCB layout and how this will help you quickly generate data for your manufacturer.
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How to Speed Up Your Manual Assembly Process with Assembly Assistant? The Story of XVP Photonics
Are you struggling with your manual assembly process? Would you like to speed it up and improve component placement accuracy? Read the story of XVP Photonics; with Assembly Assistant, they improved the component placement time by 25%. Discover how!
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45V-5A Adjustable Half-Bridge DC to DC Converter
DC-to-DC buck converters are extensively employed in electronic devices. In this article, we will introduce you to one of our new projects—a DC-to-DC converter designed to serve as a power supply as well.
Blog
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The Challenges of Modern Design: Why Requirements Management Is Essential
You need a robust requirements management process to ensure your design intent communication stays clear and organized. Read on to explore the crucial connection between well-managed requirements and today’s design.
Blog
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Efficiency And Noise Top 10 Switching Regulator Modules
Switching regulator modules have become indispensable in a wide array of electronic devices, providing a more efficient means of voltage conversion between different levels by storing and releasing energy. Explore further insights into these devices in today's dynamic world of electronics.
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Add USB Type-C Power Delivery to Your Designs!
We want to invite you to explore the fundamentals of USB Type-C Power Delivery which is now the most popular energy transmission in current times. We will show you how to easily incorporate a dedicated PD IC into your own designs.
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Design Phase – Lid Assembly Mechanics Part 1
It is time to delve deep into the mechanical design of our Open Source Laptop project. In this article we give you an update about the first part of fitting elements into the system. You will learn more about laptop lid, webcam integration, light sensor and microphones which will be used in this project.
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How to Design for Test in Embedded Systems
Whether you're designing a high-speed PCB, or a complex embedded system, it will need some level of testing. In this article, we will show you some simple tricks that can make testing and debugging a prototype much easier.
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Crosstalk Basics in PCB Design
Crosstalk is one of the most common issues related to electronics. Learn the basics of this phenomenon in PCB design, and gain knowledge on how to avoid it in your projects.
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Top 3 Multi-Board PCB Connectivity Errors
Preparing complex PCB designs can often keep you awake at night. Learn more about some of the most common issues encountered in multi-board electrical connections.
Blog
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Access to your Training Certificates on My Altium
Introduce an update on the My Altium user page that highlights your certificates and tracks your training progress, with one-click access to the Training Dashboard and Training Catalog pages. Easily view and share your certificates, keep an eye on your learning journey, and explore a variety of training resources.
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Rigid-Flex PCBs: Advantages and Challenges
In this article, we will begin with a basic explanation of how rigid-flex technology differs from rigid board technology. We will then provide an overview of the advantages and conclude with a discussion of the challenges to be aware of.
Blog
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When Should You Use Intrusive Soldering?
Through-hole components are frequently employed in power electronics, particularly when dealing with AC power from a wall outlet. In this article, you can delve into the intrusive soldering process and discover when it can be applied in PCB design.
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Unveiling the Crucial Role of PCB Harness Design Capabilities in Multi-Board Designs
Multi-board designs are the key to meeting evolving demands, requiring robust PCB Harness Design for seamless interconnection and success. Join us as we explore the importance of PCB Harness Design capabilities and how they are crucial for the success of multi-board designs.
Blog
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What Makes a PCB Enclosure Rugged?
Whether you purchase products off-the-shelf or online, they all come housed within an enclosure. In some cases, these enclosures are intentionally ruggedized to withstand harsh environments or mechanical shocks. You can learn more about enclosures in this new and interesting article.
Blog
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Concept Phase – Lid Assembly Design Part 2
We are continuing our journey through the lid assembly design phase of our Open Source Laptop project. In this section, we will discuss the layout of the test adapter and provide a demonstration of the first test for the display panel, along with the initial steps involved in assembling the boards.
Blog
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Concept Phase – Lid Assembly Design Part 1
In the exciting next phase of the open-source laptop project we're (finally) diving into design, and getting hands-on with the display panel. Discover how we're selecting the right panel, integrating it seamlessly, and creating a custom DisplayPort adapter to illuminate the screen. Plus, learn how our choices impact features like microphones, webcams, and touch sensors, and how Altium can help bring it all to life. It’s not too late to join as we continue on this innovative journey!
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