Elementary Mr. Watson: Running the Signal Gauntlet
The Shaughnessy Report: Winning the Signal Integrity Battle
Connect the Dots: How to Avoid Five Common Causes of Board Failure
Fault-Finding: It’s All About Prevention, not Blame
September 18, 2017 | Kelly Dack, CID+, EPTACEstimated reading time: 1 minute
There are thousands of things that can go wrong during the design and manufacture of a PCB assembly. One might say that it is an absolute miracle when a PCB goes through all of its phases—design, fabrication and assembly—and operates successfully!
But what happens when something goes wrong? The flow of an entire project can be disrupted when a problem is discovered on the PCB. What happens when a short or an open circuit is discovered; a part lead won’t fit into a hole or an entire connector pattern is designed backward? Murphy’s Law ensures us that PCB issues are discovered at the most critical periods of a PCB’s design and manufacturing cycles.
So, it is not a question of if a problem might be found, but when. A designer must be aware that their management and their customers may be less in tune with the technical aspects of the why their design is running late or doesn’t work. But like the Queen of Hearts in “Alice in Wonderland,” there are some management and customer cultures out there who naively attempt to resolve problems by seeking out the culprits and shouting “Off with their heads!”
Seasoned PCB designers have learned that jumping to a conclusion without carefully examining all of the possibilities is not only a waste of time, but can be devastating to the carefully cultivated relationships. A quick read of almost any psychology article on “fault” or “blame” will coax the reader away from adding to a problem by placing fault or blame on others. It is far more productive to examine yourself first before shining forth as part of a solution. Focus on process rather than personalities.
Companies in the PCB industry have adapted a widely accepted methodology for sleuthing out the source of problems which might occur during a product development cycle: root cause analysis. Root cause analysis (RCA) began in the 1950s as a study by NASA and had its origins in rocket design. RCA methods are used to methodically identify root causes of events, rather than to simply address the symptomatic result.
To read this entire article, which appeared in the August 2017 issue of The PCB Design Magazine, click here.
Share on:
Testimonial
"We’re proud to call I-Connect007 a trusted partner. Their innovative approach and industry insight made our podcast collaboration a success by connecting us with the right audience and delivering real results."
Julia McCaffrey - NCAB GroupSuggested Items
ASM Technologies Limited signs MoU with the Guidance, Government of Tamilnadu to Expand Design-Led Manufacturing capabilities for ESDM
09/15/2025 | ASM TechnologiesASM Technologies Limited, a pioneer in Design- Led Manufacturing in the semiconductor and automotive industries, announced signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Guidance, Government of Tamilnadu whereby it will invest Rs. 250 crores in the state to expand its ESDM related Design-Led Manufacturing and precision engineering capacity. ASM Technologies will acquire 5 acres of land from the Government of Tamilnadu to set up a state-of-the-art design facility in Tamil Nadu's growing technology manufacturing ecosystem, providing a strong strategic advantage and long-term benefits for ASM.
Variosystems Strengthens North American Presence with Southlake Relaunch 2025
09/15/2025 | VariosystemsVariosystems celebrated the relaunch of its U.S. facility in Southlake, Texas. After months of redesign and reorganization, the opening marked more than just the return to a modernized production site—it was a moment to reconnect with our teams, partners, and the local community.
Deca, Silicon Storage Technology Announce Strategic Collaboration to Enable NVM Chiplet Solutions
09/11/2025 | Microchip Technology Inc.As traditional monolithic chip designs grow in complexity and increase in cost, the interest and adoption of chiplet technology in the semiconductor industry also increases.
I-Connect007 Launches New Podcast Series on Ultra High Density Interconnect (UHDI)
09/10/2025 | I-Connect007I-Connect007 is excited to announce the debut of its latest podcast series, which shines a spotlight on one of the most important emerging innovations in electronics manufacturing: Ultra-High-Density Interconnect (UHDI). The series kicks off with Episode One, “Ultra HDI: What does it mean to people? Why would they want it?” Host Nolan Johnson is joined by guest expert John Johnson, Director of Quality and Advanced Technology at American Standard Circuits (ASC).
Global Citizenship: Together for a Perfect PCB Solution
09/10/2025 | Tom Yang -- Column: Global CitizenshipIf there’s one thing we’ve learned in the past few decades of electronics evolution, it’s that no region has a monopoly on excellence. Whether it’s materials science breakthroughs in Europe, manufacturing efficiencies in China, or design innovations in Silicon Valley, the PCB industry thrives on collaboration.