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Designing Proper Planes
Without planes, designers would have to create thousands of traces to accomplish the same objectives. Power planes provide low impedance and stable power, and ground planes stabilize reference voltage, improve thermal performance, and help preclude EMI issues.
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Current power demands are increasing, especially with AI, 5G, and EV chips. This month, our experts share “watt’s up” with power integrity, from planning and layout through measurement and manufacturing.
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Amundson Launches Arkeo Stack and Arkeo Panel
July 8, 2015 | Amundson TechnologiesEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
James Amundson, electronics industry veteran of over 15 years is pleased to announce the launch of Arkeo Stack, an advanced PCB stack-up modeling software, focused on rigid, flex, rigid-flex and IMS PCBs stack-up solutions, targeting design engineers to PCB manufacturers. “Today’s electronics OEM, EMS and PCB companies are challenged in sourcing a cost effective, accurate, intuitive PCB stack-up software that will accommodate, simple to complex interconnect structures and all PCB design types. We believe we have a solution." Amundson Technologies partnered with PCB Companies and industry experts to design a solution to meet and exceed their stack up needs. "We solicited feedback from multiple Front End Engineers, Application Engineers and facility managers, from both rigid and flex PCB manufacturers, in developing Arkeo Stack." Mr. Amundson said.
To list a few of Arkeo stacks features:
- Rigid and Rigid-Flex modeling: Accurately model any number of rigid and flex zones, you can model any build no matter how complex. Accurately model impedance on any section of the build.
- Complex Interconnect Structures: Accurately model and display; mechanical vs laser vias, filled vs unfilled, stacked vs staggered, and consider copper thickness requirements for copper wrap.
- Accurate and Configurable: Materials are configured to facility thicknesses and specifications, making press thicknesses and impedance very accurate. All aspects of the system are configurable to facility or user needs.
- Impedance Calculations: Impedance calculations are generated using Apsim Rlgc for the most accurate predictions. Includes the ability to model structures with crosshatch reference planes.
- Back Calculation: System will automatically back calculate build dielectric thickness and/or line width given specific impedance requirements.
- Electrical Properties; Automatic calculations of individual layer Dk/Df for more accurate impedance predictions.
- Easy to use interface: The interface is very intuitive and easy to use, allowing users to master the software without a long learning curve.
- BOM generation: Bill of Materials with panel specific costs can be generated to view or input into most quotation packages.
- Customizable Reports: Reports are fully customizable allowing you to use your company's logo and display in the format of your choice. Multiple reports can be configured allowing users to have the output they need. Reports can be printed or saved directly to Pdf.
- Panelization: Built-in panelization layout tool. Layout panels with individual boards or arrays, add coupons, rails, etc. Arrays can be layed-out by fixed array size or by a matrix of boards. Full dimensions can be added to the array.
- "Industry feedback has been extremely positive." Amundson continued, "A Tier One OEM benchmarked our product against existing software systems in 2014. The results from their engineering staff gave Arkeo Stack the best report. We now have multiple installations in the US and Canada."
More information on Arkeo Stack can be found at www.arkeostack.com.
Testimonial
"Our marketing partnership with I-Connect007 is already delivering. Just a day after our press release went live, we received a direct inquiry about our updated products!"
Rachael Temple - AlltematedSuggested Items
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Elementary, Mr. Watson: The Four Horsemen of Copper Confusion
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Alpha Insights, Performance by Design: Understanding Heat at the Core of Every Design
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The Shaughnessy Report: Zee Plane! Zee Plane!
11/11/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy -- Column: The Shaughnessy ReportPlanes aren’t magic, but they are big time-savers. Without planes, designers would have to create thousands of traces to accomplish the same objectives. You can imagine the first time a designer thought about using a sheet of copper, asking, “Hey, why am I killing myself laying out all these traces? Can’t I just use this sheet of copper instead?”
November 2025 Design007 Magazine: Proper Plane Design
11/10/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamWithout planes, designers would have to create thousands of traces to accomplish the same objectives. Power planes provide low impedance and stable power to every component on the board, much like a large power bus. Ground planes stabilize reference voltage, improve thermal performance, and help preclude EMI issues. Power and ground plane design is often a battle of tradeoffs.