Fresh PCB Concepts: Key Considerations for Reliability, Performance, and Compliance in PCBs
Elementary Mr. Watson: Navigating RF—A Glide Path Approach to Design Success
Designers Notebook: Layer Stackup Planning for RF Circuit Boards
May 2023 Issue of Design007 Magazine Available Now
May 8, 2023 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamEstimated reading time: Less than a minute
A New Materials Paradigm
As you’ll see in this month’s issue of Design007 Magazine, slash sheets such as IPC-4101/126 were never meant to be used by designers when comparing PCB laminates. These documents were created to facilitate communication between purchasing and customer service departments. You could say that slash sheets are made for administrative purposes, not engineering.
As the captain said in 'Cool Hand Luke,' “What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate.” IPC does offer several design guidelines, created specifically for PCB designers, including one just for flexible circuits. But there isn’t such a guideline for high-speed designs.
Our expert contributors examined the development of IPC slash sheets and suggest that there is a need for new, robust material guidelines created specifically for PCB designers.
We also discuss the dangers of over-specifying materials, particularly for offshore manufacturing, as well as the many risks and trade-offs associated with laminate selection.
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