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The Semi-Additive Process (SAP) PCB – Burning Questions The Semi-Additive Process (SAP) PCB – Burning Questions Semi-Additive Process (SAP) is an additional tool in the PCB fabricators' toolbox that supports low-volume, high-mix applications. Read this article to see the detailed process of how SAP works and how it can apply to your next SAP PCB design. Read Article
Engineering design review How to Solve Your Engineering Design Review Procedure Challenges Electrical engineering design reviews should focus on manufacturability, functionality, and reliability. Here’s how to solve your design review challenges. Read Article
Project Conception in the Project Management Lifecycle Project Conception in the Project Management Lifecycle Your electronics project conception management is essential to identifying risks, establishing the product’s viability, and setting reliable development timescales and budgets. Expert Mark Harris explains the importance of project conception in this article. Read Article
Differential Pair Spacing Should You Use Tight vs. Loose Differential Pair Spacing and Coupling? We get a lot of questions about trace impedance and how to calculate the right trace size to hit a specific impedance in a manufacturable PCB. Just as important as determining an appropriate trace width for a single-ended trace is determination of an appropriate spacing between two traces in a differential pair. So the question is, how close do the traces in a differential pair need to be to each other, and is the need for “tight coupling” really Read Article
Hands holding puzzle pieces IPC joins Altium as Newest Nexar Ecosystem Partner Recently IPC and Altium formally announced that IPC is joining the growing body of the Nexar ecosystem. In this interview, we talk to David Bergman, VP of standards and technology at IPC. He talks about how he thinks this new partnership will bring bi-directional value to both organizations. Judy Warner Dave, before we talk about the Nexar partnership, will you please give us some insight into what your role encompasses as the VP of standards and Read Article
Six Weeks with Zach Peterson Guest Host Six Weeks with Zach Peterson Guest Host Expert PCB Designer and Altium Academy instructor Zach Peterson to takeover OnTrack Podcast for the next six weeks. Watch and learn what he will have in store for us. Read Article
A Guide to PCB Power Supply Layout A Guide to PCB Power Supply Layout Follow this quick guide to using linear power supplies and switch-mode power supplies in your next PCB design. Read Article
Product Lifecycle Management in Electronics Manufacturing Product Lifecycle Management in Electronics Manufacturing This article will tackle the effective product lifecycle management (PLM) solution for electronics manufacturing. Read and learn how you can manage your electronics product development seamlessly and painlessly. Read Article
Electrical Stress Test Overview of Electrical Stress Test Methods for PCBAs Electrical stress test requirements should be considered as you begin to make a transition to high volume production. Read Article
PWM in Power Supply Design PWM in Power Supply Design PWM signals are used to control average power delivery in switching regulator circuits. Read Article
Why PCB Data Management Matters Why PCB and Consumer Electronic Data Management Matters PCB consumer electronics data management is a complex undertaking that, when done correctly, can enhance design accuracy and reduce timescales. Read Article
OnTrack Logo OnTrack Newsletter: Design WITH Manufacturing, Diff Pairs, Brain Food – October 2021 October 2021 VOL. 5 No. 4 Full Article | Watch Video | Brain Food Design to Manufacturing with a Single Mouse Click Imagine if you could design your circuit board, run simulations, source your parts, generate an accurate BOM, generate your output files and simply press a “send to manufacturing” button all within your design environment? While that may sound like a far-off dream, this interview with Misha Govshteyn from MacroFab will give you Read Article
High Current Circuit Board Design Getting Started With High Current PCB Design High current PCB design brings its own set of challenges, both in terms of PCB layout and safety. Here’s what you need to know. Read Article
Common Mode Choke Selection Common Mode Choke Selection Noise on power supply lines can be a major headache. We'll examine how to select a common-mode choke to help eliminate common-mode noise. Read Article
USB 2-layer PCB Routing Requirements for a USB Interface on a 2-Layer PCB In an earlier blog, I discussed some of the basic points in preparing routing rules for 2-layer PCBs to support routing and layout with digital signals. In particular, we looked at some of the basic stackup and routing rules needed to support a digital interface like I2C or SPI on a 2-layer PCB. When working with these interfaces, a few simple guidelines can help ensure signal integrity in your board and cut down on EMI. What about an impedance Read Article
Ferrite Core Selection and Design Decisions Ferrite Core Selection and Design Decisions When designing a transformer or using a ferrite core inductor, you must use the correct design process, and there is no substitution for real-world final testing. Let’s look at the process. Read Article
Schematic Design Review Checklist Schematic Design Review Checklist This article is a simple, no-frills checklist to help you check schematics. Read now and avoid schematic design mistakes that could make their way into prototypes or production without a second thought. Read Article