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Question: Should I use polyimide coverlay, or flexible solder mask? The fundamental purpose of either flexible solder stop mask or polyimide coverlay is no different than rigid solder mask. It is needed to encapsulate and protect the external circuit layers. But, when moving to a flexible circuit design the bending, folding and flexing requirements of the circuit in assembly and end use most often dictate which materials are recommended to...

  Every day, technology has new ways to make our lives easier. It doesn’t seem like there’s anything smart devices can’t do, or won’t be able to do in the near future. However, as smart and connected devices become more helpful to the everyday user, they become increasingly complicated to make. Boards, wires, and all kinds of components are jam-packed into ambiguous spaces. Look under the hood of a new car, and you’ll find a whole lot more...

If you work in the electronics industry, there’s a good chance that you’ve heard about the SMTA. Although SMTA stands for “Surface Mount Technology Association,” they prefer to go just by their abbreviation of SMTA as their scope and focus reaches far beyond SMT and manufacturing. “As the electronics industry evolves, we find ourselves addressing topics on emerging technologies and technological advancements. As technologies and manufacturing...

Easily generate the most realistic, accurate, and data-rich 3D models in Altium   Making footprints and schematic symbols has to be one of the most tedious stages of PCBA development. The hassle is not lost on anyone, and there are many different solutions that have been released over the past several years. This article will go through many of the options available today and some pros and cons of each. Component generation is a rich problem...