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Bill of Materials Management Guide Bill of Materials Management Guide In the past, many PCB designers were confined to tools that dictated when the Bill of Materials could be produced. But we know from years of experience that the Bill of Materials, or BOM, can change throughout the design process. We believe the decision should be up to you, which is why we strive to offer tools that embrace flexible and agile options for PCB designers and other professionals involved in the decision process. Click the PDF above Read Article
Student-Designed Solar Cars from Down Under Sunswift: Student-Designed Solar Cars from Down Under Judy Warner: Please share how your team was started, how many cars you have built to date, and give us an overview of Violet. Kristian Bojidarov: Sunswift is a team of undergraduate students from the University of New South Wales who design, build and race the world’s most advanced solar-electric vehicles. With the knowledge gained since Sunswift’s founding in 1995, the team has recently completed the manufacture of our sixth vehicle, Violet Read Article
Getting a Handle on Flex Cost Drivers Getting a Handle on Flex Cost Drivers Judy Warner: You've been in the board fabrication business for over 20 years. What factors do you see as contributing to the rise in flex and rigid-flex designs? Tara Dunn: I believe that space, weight and packaging are the primary factors driving designs to flex and rigid-flex technology. For customers that are already using flex and rigid-flex, I am seeing an increase in their percentage of new designs using flex and I am also noticing an Read Article
Bill of Materials Management Bill of Materials Management In the past, many PCB designers were confined to tools that dictated when the Bill of Materials could be produced. But we know from years of experience that the Bill of Materials, or BOM, can change throughout the design process. We believe the decision should be up to you, which is why we strive to offer tools that embrace flexible and agile options for PCB designers and other professionals involved in the decision process. Click the PDF above Read Article
Manufacturing Checklists and Tools Manufacturing Checklists and Tools When it comes to manufacturing, organization is critical. With so many different players involved in the design process (engineers, sourcing agents, manufacturers, etc.), maintaining documentation and utilizing checklists and other tools will keep everyone on the same page and avoid confusion. Additionally, checklists can help ensure that the PCB design is fully complete and ready to send for manufacturing, protecting you from any unexpected Read Article
Multiboard vs. Multilayer PCB Design Systems Multiboard vs. Multilayer PCB Design Systems In the past, PCB designers were limited with system designs spanning more than one board. However, recent developments in mechanical CAD systems have given designers the ability to now design multiple boards for a system with relative ease. Thanks to 3D PCB design tool technology, designers are able to save both time and money previously spent on prototypes by confirming that their designs are system-ready. Click the PDF above to read more about Read Article
Important Considerations for Low Energy Bluetooth Design Bluetooth Design Guidelines: Important Considerations for Low Energy Designs In my twenties, I could easily carry my laptop around the city without any sign of fatigue. These days, I tire out quickly and seek a nice massage after long periods of walking around with my laptop. That’s why I prefer to carry lighter working tablets instead of my bulky laptop. Technology has grown quite a bit since the classic Bluetooth. In electronics, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) does something similar for applications. It transmits short data Read Article
Part Placement Shortcuts in Altium Designer Part Placement Shortcuts in Altium Designer I read once that circuit board design is 90% placement and 10% routing. I’m not sure that I believe that, but it is fair to say that component placement is a critical part of the overall board design. Yet some designers will rush this part of the job so that they can get on with routing the board, only to have to come back later and re-place portions of the board. I wonder if one of the problems is that designers get frustrated during the Altium Read Article
Planting Seeds in a Row SMT Component Placement Tolerance for your PCB Planting Seeds in a Row SMT Component Placement Tolerance for your PCB I had my 5-year-old nephew helping me spread flower seed this Spring. He got a kick out of throwing the seed out into the flower beds, but he didn’t pay attention to where he was throwing it. Most landed on the sidewalk. Before letting him continue, I decided to put some landscaping tape around the each bed’s perimeter. This helped the little guy get most of the seed into the right areas. With the flowers in order, we made sure to get a nice Read Article
Managing Your PCB Design Through BOM Planning: What’s Important Managing Your PCB Design Through BOM Planning: What’s Important Back in my younger days, I was infatuated with Legos. Every chance I had, I would run into the toy store with a pocket full of change from weekly chores swiping as many sets as I could afford. Looking back on these days, I’m surprised at how complex these structures were that I (at the ripe age of 8) was actually able to assemble. It never seemed like it was too difficult of a task either. I never felt incredibly overwhelmed with the procurement Read Article
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