Tutorials

Summary:A printed circuit design tutorial covering basic layout rules, manufacturing basics, V-scoring, tab routing, NPTH, finishing, solder mask, vias and prep files.

Summary:This tech report analyzes PCB materials and cost drivers, and shows how design and material choices can cut board prices 10% to 50% without hurting reliability.

Summary:An introductory PCB tutorial covering what a PCB is, Gerber and NC drill files, solder mask, silkscreen, surface finishing and how to define your board.

Summary:This application note walks through producing a printed circuit board: prototyping, schematic capture, physical layout, fabrication and lessons learned.

Summary:Our flex board design tutorial covers key points from the manufacturer's view: designing the right shape, the correct pad pattern, and stiffener design.

Summary:Conductive anodic filament (CAF) explained: how copper migrates along glass fibers inside multilayer PCBs, how IPC testing detects it, and how to prevent it.

Summary:Learn what causes PCB warpage, how bow and twist are measured, and how balanced stackup design, lamination control and flatness verification keep PCBs flat.

Summary:Learn how base material, copper type, bend radius, layout, and coverlay affect high-cycle flex circuits, with material selection guidance.

Summary:Learn what solder wetting is, why it is critical for reliable PCB solder joints, common causes of poor wetting, and practical tips to prevent soldering defects.

Summary:Learn why tooling holes are used in PCB design, how they support SMT assembly and manufacturing, and where they are typically placed.

Summary:Learn what causes PCB shorts, how flying-probe and bed-of-nails fixture tests detect them, and why electrical testing safeguards yield and reliability.

Summary:Learn what PCB impedance is, what controls it (trace width, stack-up, dielectric, vias), and how TDR and VNA test coupons verify controlled-impedance boards.

Summary:Learn about adhesives in FPC and PCB manufacturing—acrylic, epoxy, and polyimide adhesives, prepreg bonding in rigid-flex circuits, and IPC guidelines.

Summary:Heavy 2 oz+ copper in flex circuits boosts current and thermal performance; learn tradeoffs in flexibility, line width, coverlay and best design practices.

Summary:Compare three ways to shield flex circuits from EMI: solid or cross-hatched copper layers, printed silver ink, and conductive shielding films, plus bend rules.

Summary:Matte mask is darker, rougher and cuts solder balls but scratches easier; gloss reflects light, can confuse vision systems, and shows scratches.

Summary:Learn how ENEPIG supports gold wire bonding, helps address black pad, enables thicker gold deposits, and uses nickel, palladium and immersion gold.

Summary:Gerber files are the PCB blueprint for fabrication; RS-274X embeds apertures in one file, while legacy RS-274D needs separate aperture and drill files.

Summary:Pin in Paste and through-hole reflow guidelines for component temperature, hole diameter, lead length, paste volume, stencil printing and inspection.

Summary:BGA soldering needs profiled reflow, 100C pre-bake, and X-ray to check misalignment, opens, bridges and cavities under 10% of ball area per IPC.

Summary:Learn how to create a PCB reflow profile for a 16-layer board with a high-density SMT connector, including TC placement, soak time, TAL and oven settings.

Summary:Clean PCBs with brushes, compressed air, IPA or demineralized water; understand ultrasonic cavitation and when aggressive cleaning damages SMDs and bond wires.

Summary:Solder mask design per IPC-SM-840: Class T vs H, dry film vs liquid LPISM, matte finish, keep mask off PTH lands and expose no adjacent conductors.

Summary:Fillet flex pads, add coverlay tie-downs, radius traces, stagger conductors across folds, and overlap stiffener with coverlay by at least 12 mil.

Summary:Select substrate for HDI fine lines, high-frequency 5G and heat: thin low-roughness copper, PTFE/PPO resins, low Dk/Df, and IMS metal core for thermal.

Summary:Learn how flexible and flex-rigid PCBs streamline assembly and improve reliability — covering design tips, bend radius, stiffeners, and shielding.

Summary:ENIG, immersion tin, silver and OSP oxidize in humidity; wear gloves, avoid skin oils, and store boards sealed to prevent dewetting after soldering.

Summary:Aluminum PCBs pair copper foil, a thin dielectric and an aluminum base for LED and power cooling; compare universal, high-conductivity and high-frequency types.

Summary:Flex circuit stiffener purpose explained: FR4 and polyimide stiffener materials, thickness ranges, attachment methods, ZIF connector and bend constraint uses.

Summary:FPC electroplating needs clean copper, even current distribution and thorough rinsing; HASL on flex needs titanium carriers and pre-bake to avoid coverlay lift.

Summary:Explore flexible and flex-rigid PCB applications in automotive, medical, industrial, consumer electronics, and other compact electronic designs.

Summary:Learn what causes PCB solder bridges and how proper lead length, hole and pad sizing, solder mask, spacing, and fiducials can reduce bridging risk.

Summary:Learn about BGA in four steps — definition, advantages over traditional packages, PBGA/CBGA/TBGA types, and X-ray inspection parameters.

Summary:How to select PCB conformal coating: acrylic, epoxy, silicone, polyurethane, parylene, and UV curing—advantages, disadvantages, selection principles.

Summary:ENIG vs ENEPIG: black pad risk, wire bonding, solderability, and applications.

Summary:Learn about strain relief epoxy for rigid-flex PCBs — transition zone imperfections, epoxy types, and IPC-2223 design guidelines.

Summary:Compare single-layer and multilayer PCBs: what a multilayer board is, benefits in density, speed and size, and common uses from medical to industrial controls.

Summary:Learn about PCB manufacturing tooling—NRE tooling, CAM/DFM engineering, master panel layout, panel usage calculations, and tooling holes for production.

Summary:Learn about copper-plugged vias, via filling, thermal and electrical conductivity, applications, and copper versus silver conductive epoxy.

Summary:SMT stencils frame stainless-steel foil; choose electroformed, etched or laser-cut apertures, and framed, frameless or prototype stencils for paste printing.

Summary:PCBA contamination comes from oxidized parts, flux residues, handprints, fixtures, tape, dust, smoke and ESD; each threatens assembly reliability.

Summary:Learn how to repair and solder BGA components — reflow soldering, X-ray inspection, desoldering with hot air, and step-by-step rework procedures.

Summary:Learn what PCB non-conformances are and how manufacturers fix them — customer actions, image documentation, communication review, and physical testing.

Summary:Learn how to create Gerber files using Eagle — a step-by-step guide covering CAM processor, predefined jobs, Excellon drill files and output verification.

Summary:Learn what causes ENIG black pad, how nickel corrosion, phosphorus levels, reflow cycles and excessive immersion gold can affect PCB solder joints.

Summary:Learn PCB design for manufacture and assembly (DFMA) — DFM/DFA concepts, 10 general rules for cost reduction, modular design, and assembly optimization.

Summary:Copper weight in oz/ft2 sets trace thickness and current capacity; 1 oz is standard, while 3+ oz is heavy copper for power and harsh-environment boards.

Summary:Learn about PCB assembly panel design — array/panelization, rails (breakaway), fiducial marks and tooling holes for automated assembly.

Summary:Compare conductive and non-conductive PCB via fills, including thermal conductivity, CTE matching, stress resistance, and electrical signal transmission.

Summary:Compare PCB surface finishes — HASL, ENIG, ENEPIG, ImAg, ImSn, and OSP. Learn their processes, pros, cons, and how to choose the right one.

Summary:Jump scoring lifts V-score blades before waste rails keep panels rigid; call it out on drawings, allow 0.25 inch rail, and avoid premature part breakaway.

Summary:Ball Grid Array (BGA) explained — advantages, disadvantages, inspection methods, and 20+ common BGA package variants.

Summary:Learn how metal core PCBs (MCPCBs) solve thermal issues — traditional dissipation methods, MCPCB structure, and advantages over conventional approaches.

Summary:Learn when to use rigid-flex PCB technology — cost comparison, break-even analysis, design time, and 3D design tool requirements.

Summary:Learn common PCB design problems—material selection, unbalanced copper, blind/buried via costs, mask color consistency, and silkscreen legibility guidelines.

Summary:Practical flex PCB design tips: stiffener finger offset, electroplated vs immersion gold, process copper clearance, drill strip sizes and hole scaling for FPC.

Summary:A summary of 30 PCB wiring methods and design rules covering trace routing, impedance control, grounding, component placement, and signal integrity.

Summary:How immersion gold improves conductivity, oxidation resistance and signal integrity, plus the manufacturing steps from design through etching and final testing.

Summary:Learn the three main characteristics of flex boards — flexibility, economy, and cost — covering single-sided to rigid-flex FPC types.

Summary:Learn about blind and buried vias in PCB design — definitions, aspect ratios, and how to configure and use them in PCB design software.