The New Chapter: The Benefits of Continuing Education
It’s Only Common Sense: You’ve Got to Hustle
Are Our Stackup Rules No Longer Valid?
December 19, 2024 | Cherie Litson, EPTAC MIT CID/CID+Estimated reading time: 1 minute
Are the stackup rules we used to follow no longer valid? It depends on what you’re designing. Electrical rules change depending on your circuit. Fabrication rules change depending on which fabricator you’re working with. Today, we just have more options, and sometimes, cost is a bigger rule than anything else.
If you search online for information about layer stackups, trace widths, and hole sizes in PCBs, you’ll find a variety of resources. The trick is to first define your electrical and mechanical requirements, then work with your fabricator to find the savings (i.e., profits) for both the customer and fabricator.
So, how do you navigate all the rules? First, keep learning. Get certified through the CID and CID+ exams. Go to conferences such as IPC APEX EXPO, SMTAI, and PCB West. Stay up to date through trade publications, such as Design007 and PCB007 magazines.
If cost is not an issue, and you have an in-house fabrication and assembly shop, you can experiment with all kinds of options. Just be sure to research the physics so you don’t hurt yourself or others.
If cost is a factor (as it is for most of us) and you are sending the design out to find the lowest cost for fab and assembly, you may need to follow the guidelines a bit more diligently. You can still be creative but understand the tradeoffs for what you want to do. Work with the fabricator(s) you select and find out what’s possible within your budget. Use the IPC-1730 and IPC-1720 specifications to be sure you’ve asked the fabricator and assembler all the right questions. The things that are called out are somewhat customizable per fabricator, and using these specs will help you get consistent answers and fabrication price quotes.
Hole sizes and aspect ratios, component pin spacing, and product sizes are getting smaller all the time. How can we navigate the demands of these conditions with the existing manufacturing processes that exist out there?
To read this entire article, which appeared in the December 2024 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Northrop Grumman Launches Black Dagger Target to Test New Patriot Missile System Sensor
12/20/2024 | Northrop GrummanNorthrop Grumman Corporation launched a Zombie target vehicle variation, known as “Black Dagger,” from Fort Wingate to White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, for the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command’s (USASMDC) LTZ-3 test mission. Zombie targets get their name because they bring “new life” to demilitarized solid rocket motors by repurposing them to create threat-representative tactical ballistic missiles.
High-Generation Panel Production Expected to Drive OLED Notebook Penetration Rate Past 5% by 2027
12/20/2024 | TrendForceTrendForce's latest OLED Technology and Market Development Report reveals that the penetration rate of OLED displays in notebooks is set to increase to 3% in 2024, driven by large-scale procurement from Chinese laptop brands. While growth in 2025 is expected to be moderate, the anticipated introduction of OLED displays in Apple’s MacBook lineup will mark a significant turning point.
Battery Prices Stabilize in November, Slight Increase Expected in 2025
12/12/2024 | TrendForceTrendForce’s latest research reveals that China's EV sales continued to grow throughout November 2024, driving demand for EV batteries. LFP battery prices remained stable, while prices for ternary batteries saw a slight decline.
Fresh PCB Concepts: PCB Plating Process Overview
12/12/2024 | Team NCAB -- Column: Fresh PCB ConceptsIn this installment of Fresh PCB Concepts, Mike Marshall takes the helm stating: PCBs have been the platform for the interconnection of electronic components for decades. Because of process costs and other constraints, such as mechanical properties or size limitations of the alternatives, PCBs will remain the standard low-cost interconnection technology. Rapidly increasing performance and functionality requirements of wireless and high-speed devices have challenged the development and implementation of new manufacturing solutions.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
12/06/2024 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007This week’s must-reads include a discussion on innovation and embedded components within the layers of a PCB with Accurate Circuit Engineering. We revisit the real cost to manufacture in a case study on how a seemingly small design error can have a dramatic effect on your end customer’s costs. Dan Beaulieu provides this month’s book review highlighting the criticality of fostering creativity in the workplace. Bert Horner of The Test Connection discusses his decision to launch a new, complimentary business venture, The Training Connection; and Ramon Roche of NCAB talks about electric vehicle charging.