-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- design007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueSignal Integrity
If you don’t have signal integrity problems now, you will eventually. This month, our expert contributors share a variety of SI techniques that can help designers avoid ground bounce, crosstalk, parasitic issues, and much more.
Proper Floor Planning
Floor planning decisions can make or break performance, manufacturability, and timelines. This month’s contributors weigh in with their best practices for proper floor planning and specific strategies to get it right.
Showing Some Constraint
A strong design constraint strategy carefully balances a wide range of electrical and manufacturing trade-offs. This month, we explore the key requirements, common challenges, and best practices behind building an effective constraint strategy.
- Articles
- Columns
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - design007 Magazine
Underconstraining Your Materials? Leave It to the Experts
May 30, 2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamEstimated reading time: 1 minute

With traditional laminates now sporting improved resin systems, some OEMs are choosing various flavors of FR-4 instead of high-speed laminates for their high-speed designs—even RF applications. Avoiding overconstraining your materials in high-speed products can lead to considerable cost savings, not to mention a more streamlined trip through fabrication.
But what do designers and design engineers need to know before they start using traditional PCB laminates for RF applications? Raytheon’s Filbert Arzola is a principal electrical engineer, IPC instructor, and a big advocate of setting constraints correctly early in the design cycle. We caught up with him at IPC APEX EXPO when his Professional Development Course on constraints was taking a lunch break.
Andy Shaughnessy: It seemed fitting to talk with you here in Anaheim during your class on constraining your high-speed board correctly. Tell us a little about the class.
Filbert Arzola: Sure. One of the things we've learned is that some high-speed designers have, in the past, put too much focus on materials that had a certain glass weave. We went through so much waste trying to use glass weave at a certain angle. We had so much trouble getting a board done that we've gone to other material types, adding dielectric to them just to make things work better. I learned there are certain kinds of material and FR-4 materials, including one that, even though it's not the best, still gives a good end-product. The end product is what matters.
Kelly Dack: There's no question that consistency in materials, manufacturing, and performance is key. What are the elements of consistency in your opinion?
Arzola: You need to even be able to get the materials, and not just on time. Let's say you call a vendor and say, “I'm going to build these boards six months from now; can you make sure the material is there?” They'll say, “Sure, material availability is okay.” Then they go out and buy the material. But now, six months later, the material may be outdated with respect to the requirements we want to meet, and we can't use that material. So, that's a big deal.
To read this entire conversation, which appeared in the May 2024 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.
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
Panasonic Industry will Double the Production Capacity of MEGTRON Multi-layer Circuit Board Materials Over the Next Five Years
09/15/2025 | Panasonic Industry Co., Ltd.Panasonic Industry Co., Ltd., a Panasonic Group company, announced plans for a major expansion of its global production capacity for MEGTRON multi-layer circuit board materials today. The company plans to double its production over the next five years to meet growing demand in the AI server and ICT infrastructure markets.
Trouble in Your Tank: Implementing Direct Metallization in Advanced Substrate Packaging
09/15/2025 | Michael Carano -- Column: Trouble in Your TankDirect metallization systems based on conductive graphite are gaining popularity throughout the world. The environmental and productivity gains achievable with this process are outstanding. Direct metallization reduces the costs of compliance, waste treatment, and legal issues related to chemical exposure. A graphite-based direct plate system has been devised to address these needs.
Integrated Solutions for Board-level Reliability: A Smarter Path Forward
08/27/2025 | Alan Gardner, MacDermid Alpha Electronics SolutionsIn today’s electronics manufacturing landscape, reliability is no longer just a benchmark but a business imperative. As industries such as automotive, aerospace, and high-performance computing (HPC) push the boundaries of innovation, the demand for dependable board-level performance under extreme conditions has never been greater.
Fresh PCB Concepts: Designing for Success at the Rigid-flex Transition Area
08/28/2025 | Team NCAB -- Column: Fresh PCB ConceptsRigid-flex PCBs come in all shapes and sizes. Manufacturers typically use fire-retardant, grade 4 (FR-4) materials in the rigid section and flexible polyimide materials in the flex region. Because of the small size, some rigid-flex PCBs, like those for hearing aid devices, are among the most challenging to manufacture. However, regardless of its size, we should not neglect the transition area between the rigid and flexible material.
Global Sourcing Spotlight: How to Evaluate Supplier Capabilities Worldwide
08/20/2025 | Bob Duke -- Column: Global Sourcing SpotlightIn global sourcing, the difference between a competitive edge and a catastrophic disruption often comes down to how well you vet your suppliers. Sourcing advanced PCBs, precision components, or materials for complex assemblies demands diligence, skepticism, and more than a little time on airplanes. Here’s how to do your due diligence when evaluating international suppliers and why cutting corners can cost you more than money.