Microcontroller Failure Modes: Why They Happen and How to Prevent Them I owe much of my design success to my college. Not because of the lab experiments where we learned what might accidentally blow up a capacitor, but because we learned that Murphy’s Law can strike when you least expect it to. Since I spent a lot of time playing Warcraft and struggling to finish up endless assignments, I relied on my computer to function at all times. Back then, computers were pretty limited and it wasn’t uncommon to see the Read Article Considerations for PCB Circuit Design: Why PCB Labels are Important Checklists are an important part of life. Airline pilots use them to make sure that they’ve put the wheels down before landing. Shoppers use them to make sure that they don’t forget to buy the eggs. We all use checklists in different ways, and many of us would be lost without them. Here’s another good use for a checklist; making sure that we don’t forget to include important elements on our PCB design. It’s not likely that we will forget to place Read Article PCB Designer Responsibilities: How to Manage Engineering and Manufacturing Expectations My wife works at an elementary school, and the thing she dislikes the most is when she has to put herself between two kids in an argument. Being caught in the middle like that is frustrating for her because it is often difficult to turn it into a “win” for both sides of the argument. We as PCB designers are often in the same position when we have to mediate the needs of electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. Trying to negotiate a “win Read Article Global PCB Designers and Innovators: OnTrack Newsletter October 2017 On Track Newsletter October 2017 VOL. 1 No 7 Welcome to the October 2017 issue of Altium’s On Track Newsletter. This month we celebrate a few unique engineers and designers from our global user community. The first is Omer Mahgoub from South Africa who is designing boards for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). The SKA will be the world’s largest radio telescope ever built, spanning two continents and providing unprecedented views of space. Next Read Article PCB Design Software Features To Consider Before making a decision on buying a home, you would probably ask a lot of questions. Is it close to the facilities and services that are important to you? Is it in a good and safe neighborhood? Will the layout of the house satisfy your needs? These are all important questions that need to be answered before you commit to living there. In the same way, buying new PCB design software deserves the same level of scrutiny. You will want to find out Read Article 7:34 Thermal Management Part 1: Thermal Resistance Concept In this episode, Chris Carlson gives an overview of thermal management as it relates to PCB design. An expert in PCB design, Chris is a wealth of information for the novice and experts in PCB design. Get the most effective information on PCB design and Electronic Design Automation. If you find this video interesting, please like and share with your fellow PCB designers or let us know if you have any questions in the comments. Let us know if you Watch Video From Pads to Altium: Evaluation Resources to Help You Switch As you dive into your evaluation of Altium Designer, I wanted to share with you some information specifically for someone like you that is coming from a PADS background. When we look at what engineers and designers really do every day, we often see that as much as 61% of your day can be consumed with non-design related tasks. These tasks are a byproduct of using a collection of tools (toolchains), vs. the Altium Designer paradigm of using a Read Article How to use Circuit Design Software for PCB DFM Guidelines I once had the privilege of touring the USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) courtesy of a family member who served aboard her. Although secure areas were off-limits to me, I still was able to see a good portion of the ship. I saw everything from hangars and workshops to crew quarters and the galley. I even stood on the foremost part of the flight deck, right where Optimus Prime stood at the end of the second Transformers movie. Through it all, I was Read Article PCB Grounding Techniques for Plated PCB Mounting Holes Whenever you place your board into an enclosure, it will need to mount to that enclosure somehow. In order to provide a secure mount without damaging the surface of the PCB with a screw, it's typical to simply place plated through holes in the corners. These PCB mounting holes generally have the pad exposed beneath solder mask so that, if needed, the mounting point can be connected electrically back to one of your nets. One question that often Read Article How to Choose the Correct Solder Mask Thickness and Type for Your PCB When looking at a circuit board, especially as a beginner in the electronics industry, I always wondered why the top layer of PCBs was green. The answer varies depending on who you ask, but one thing everyone agrees on is this: your solder mask aids inspection, provides protection for conductors, and prevents visual fatigue during hand assembly. The various PCB solder mask types differ in how they are applied, their composition, and of course Read Article The MOM/MES Edge: The MES Performance Kick Manufacturers are increasingly being pushed to implement manufacturing execution systems (MES) in order to optimize their operations. Statistics illustrate both how Best-in-Class organizations successfully deploy such systems as well as how they reap the benefits of doing so. Key observations include: The pressure to implement MES is predominantly driven by cost, quality, and the need to comply with regulations, respectively. Best-In-Class Read Article Circuit Design Tips: PCB Moisture Protection for Humid Environments Learn more about implementing PCB moisture protection and storage in your design to prevent corrosion and board failure. Read Article Solar Cars of the Future Pioneered by Midnight Sun Solar Engineering and Design Team Since the 1988-1989 academic year the University of Waterloo’s Midnight Sun solar team, under the guidance of faculty advisor Professor Gordon Savage, has been building and competing in the American Solar Challenge ( ASC) and the World Solar Challenge ( WSC). Each of these competitions are held alternately every other year. Running the helm of the electrical systems team are Minghou Ji (Engineering Manager), Yifei Li (Hardware Engineer) and Read Article How PCB BOM Management Tools fit into a Paperless Manufacturing BOM Software My wife is an avid reader, and we have a large selection of her favorite books filling the bookshelves in our family room. Lately though, she has been purchasing more and more E-books to read on her tablet. E-books are easier for her to store and transport, and she now prefers that format over the traditional printed book. This transition from paper to electronic format has been going on for a while now, and E-books are just a small portion of Read Article Omer Mahgoub from Square Kilometer Array (SKA) Africa and PCB Design for Astronomy Judy Warner: Omer, will you please share what the SKA is, what countries are involved, and what purpose it serves? Omer Mahgoub: The SKA (Square Kilometre Array) is an international effort to build the world's largest radio telescope, with a total collecting area of 1 square kilometer and located on two continents (Africa and Australia). Organizations from 10 countries are members of the SKA: Australia, Canada, China, India, Italy, New Zealand Read Article Obsolescence Information Management for PCB BOM Maintenance In my home laboratory, the garage, I have many bins. One contains small springs, another gear-motors, yet another small bolts… and so on. Despite my girlfriend’s skepticism, these bits are actually very useful for fixing assorted gadgets and household appliances, and they also provide fodder for my weekend tinkering habits. Keeping track of what I have and where it is uses up quite a lot of mental capacity in itself. At work, the sheer volume of Read Article From OrCAD to Altium: Evaluation and Review Resources to Help You Switch As you dive into your evaluation of Altium Designer, you will find this information helpful specifically for someone like you that is coming from an OrCAD background. When we look at what engineers and designers do every day, we often see that as much as 61% of your day can be consumed with non-design related tasks. These tasks are a byproduct of using a collection of tools (toolchains), vs. the Altium Designer paradigm of using a Unified Design Read Article Pagination First page « First Previous page ‹‹ Page169 Current page170 Page171 Page172 Page173 Page174 Next page ›› Last page Last » Load More
