Electronics

A circuit board manufacturer will have to determine a few key specifications. You will have to let a manufacturer know your price ceiling, intended use of the components, basic size, and number of components. You can either bring in your own diagram of the circuit board or pay the manufacturer to do this for you.

Size is a crucial factor. Sometimes a PCB needs to be completely redesigned if it doesnt fit into a pre-defined space. Smaller components may need to be used or else completely reconfigured. This can mean going back to the beginning. However, even a perfectly-sized PCB should be adaptable.

What I mean by that is that there should be room to upgrade the board. Multi-layered boards can sometimes be cumbersome during upgrade. This is an argument against using multi-layered PCBs and instead using a collection of separate double-sided PCBs. This way, these circuit boards can be more easily removed and altered in the future.

Steps to Take before Manufacturing
Before even getting to the manufacturing stage, there is going to be a lot of time spent going back to the drawing board. Manufacturing is the very last step. You dont want to have to make too many changes in the manufacturing stage. Instead, all potential problems should be worked out with schematics–both print and a computer model.

Putting together a circuit board can be like finishing the hardest puzzle ever invented. Thankfully, the PCB provides a map that was determined beforehand, but still, it is a detailed process. At times, you need to have the steady hands of a surgeon as you peer into a magnifying glass and attach circuits to the board with tweezers.

Not only is circuit placement important, but so is the wiring between them. Wiring has to convey as much as possible in as small amount of space. If processing is slow, look to the wiring on circuit boards. If a circuit board needs to communicate between dozens of circuits to perform a simple operation, it is going to slow down processing and drain power.

Compact Circuit Boards
You can picture a circuit board like a city. Wires are like the roads and circuits are like the buildings. Often large buildings are clustered together, as well as smaller buildings. This is the same premise to effective circuit design. Cutting down on vias between wiring and circuits is key.

However, the more compact you get, the less open space there will be for wiring. The advantage to SMT circuits as opposed to THT circuits is that they are much smaller, allowing for an efficient use of space. This creative use of space is what makes circuit board design particularly artful.

Gerber files (.gbr) are the first step in creating a design which can be photoplotted to the board itself. Gerber software works in conjunction with photoplotting software to create an accurate depiction of your design parameters. The Gerber file will contain all the basic information about drill hole sizes and amounts.

The photoplotter will take a picture of the Gerber file information onto the PCB. The Gerber file is the basic blueprint of your PCB. It is where you, the consumer, will do most of the work. It also makes it easier to get a PCB manufactured because all you have to do is submit a Gerber file and the manufacturer takes care of photoplotting and fabrication.

Gerber File Types
There are two types of Gerber files: RS-274D and RS-274X. The X series is preferable because it includes aperture diagnostics with it, as opposed to the D series, which needs separate aperture configurations. Without the aperture information, the photoplotter would substitute its own, creating a plot which may be off of your original design specs.

For this reason, the RS-274X is the most common platform for Gerber files as it has aperture information included in the file itself. There is no need for extra files or extra configuration. It speeds up the process of both designing a PCB and having it manufactured.

Low cost PCBs are important for rapidly expanding technology. Because technology can become obsolete or needs to be upgraded to keep pace, it doesnt make sense to pour a lot of money into individual PCBs if they are quickly outdated. However, cheap should never mean cheaply made.

With rapidly expanding technology comes the ability to make high-quality PCBs at a fraction of the cost of the recent past. Not only are the circuit boards efficient, but the manufacturing process is efficient as well. As a result, the new generation of PCB manufacturing creates boards that run efficiently, do not overheat, and run at high frequencies.

File Formats for PCB Designs
Different file formats help facilitate the process for manufacturing PCBs. A good PCB manufacturer will be Gerber compatible as well as compatible with other formats such as CAM, Inviso, Protel, and Viewmate. These design programs can quicken the process so you can have a manufactured PCB right away.

If you work in a different platform, a PCB manufacturer should be able to obtain a viewer for reading the files. However, it is recommended that you work in a popular platform such as Gerber. Using a less popular platform can slow down the process.

If you need a multilayer PCB that is more than 50 layers, you may have to shop around. Not all PCB manufacturers will be able to put together large-scale projects. Of the manufacturers that do, they are all of differing quality and reputation. If you do need to manufacture a board on such a large scale, you really need to choose a top-flight fabricator.

With more layers comes more problems. There is also a more rigorous inspection process. If the PCB has 30 layers, each layer needs to be inspected individually because there may be a small defect on layer 17. X-ray inspection is a way to detect problems early on.

X-Ray Specs to Help Catch Layer Defects
A multi-layer PCB isnt much different than the human body. Early detection means that you can catch the problem before the PCB goes too deep in the manufacturing process. This can cut down costs by cutting down the time it would take to dismantle and repair an entire unit.

X-ray inspection will mainly determine if there have been inner layer shifts. You will be able to see if the holes are lined up, much like you would look at an x-ray of a human skeleton. Because x-raying is a complicated process, not all PCB manufacturers offer the option of making large multi-layer PCBs, or offer x-ray inspection technology.