As the IoT boom continues, electronic components are getting smaller and cheaper. This growth in demand has also increased the cost and complexity of manufacturing PCBs. All of this translates to greater demand for robust PCB design that is both reliable and cost-effective. Due to a growing number of sub-standard designs being released into manufacturing and an increase in defect rates among these designs, designers today face more difficulty than ever before in identifying the root cause of PCB design defects.
To tackle this challenge, you must adopt a new mindset when designing PCBs to get the most out of your design resources and reduce your risk of producing faulty boards. In this article, we’ll cover some key ways you can build more robust PCB design practices into your daily workflow so that you can identify and eliminate problems before they occur — reducing your risk of producing defective boards while also reducing production costs.
A robust design process starts with data collection
Electronic components are expensive, which means that every gram of circuit board space that needs to be dedicated to components is also a valuable asset. In order to appropriately plan and coordinate the layout of circuit boards, designers like FS Tech need to be able to visualize their circuit boards as if they were standing in front of the PCB layout machine.
This approach to PCB design requires the designer to first collect data about the components they are using, then use that data to create a visual representation of the board layout. Unfortunately, many PCB design teams don’t realize how important good data collection is to the entire design process.
Plan your PCB manufacturing process ahead of time
Manufacturing PCBs is a complex process that involves intricate processes involved in creating materials, connecting electronic components to boards, and installing those boards on a large production line. This process is inherently risky, and it’s important to plan for the worst-case scenarios.
One of the best things you can do as a PCB design engineer is to set up cost and schedule forecasts for each stage of the PCB manufacturing process. This will allow you to identify bottlenecks, like slow feedstock or faulty equipment, that could impact the entire process.
Use simulation and testing before committing to manufacturing
There are a number of tools that can help you simulate the performance of components and equipment used in PCB manufacturing. These simulations can help you plan the layout of your PCB circuit board and visualize the wiring used in your design based on the performance data available from the simulation.
An important part of simulation is testing, which allows you to determine which parts of your design actually have the performance you’re looking for. Testing ensures that your design actually has the performance you need. If you don’t test, it’s easy to assume that your design is working as intended when in reality your design isn’t performing as you expect it to. This can cause production delays, increased costs, and lost revenue. Read more…
Bottom line
The best way to build a robust PCB design process into your company is to start with data collection. Once your components are performing as expected, it’s time to iterate and refine your design until you’re confident it’s final. Read more…
