PCB is the acronym to Printed Circuit Board. A PCB is a carrier for the circuit's components and their electrical connections.
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2answers
75 views
Do I need to terminate extremely short traces (< 0.5 inches)?
Some background: I have a little hobby project running that basically interfaces a 64 pin ARM mcu (the STM32F405RGT6) to a stereo codec (a TI PCM3010) via I2S interface. I'm deriving the master clock ...
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0answers
60 views
Prototyping a FTG256 BGA board
How important is Electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG) vs normal HASL or hot air solder leveling is?
I'm prototyping a board that has an Spartan 6 FTG256 BGA. I'm trying to get a 4-layer board ...
2
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5answers
145 views
2 Layer Through Hole PCB
I am designing my very first PCB for a robotics project I am working on. The project will be using through hole components. I was not able to get all the traces to work on 1 layer, so I added a ...
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1answer
63 views
Powering off USB - question about grounding
I have a female USB connector that I want to use to power a little piece of electronics I'm working on.
I have a USB cable plugged into a computer with the socket on the other end and I'm using my ...
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0answers
59 views
Circuit Board Design Process [closed]
How is a circuit board designed to the specifications of a silicon chip that will be handling radio frequency signals of up to 3GHz?
4
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1answer
104 views
How to identify and remove unintentional PCB antenna?
It has been pointed out to me, more than once, that I might be making a few too many antennas unintentionally on the PCB with the copper pour, an obvious example is this L shaped pour at the edge of ...
4
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1answer
119 views
Its ok use different layers for power?
For example in a double side board I'm using one layer as gnd and the other layer as power, and then I route the whole circuit inside the planes.
Is that ok? Because I saw that usually both sides are ...
3
votes
4answers
93 views
Software to translate code description to PCB design?
Is there an application available that allows you to define each component and it's connections in a circuit (kind of like Entity Relationship Diagrams in database design), and have the application ...
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2answers
85 views
Why are copper pours called copper pours?
I was adding a ground plane to a PCB layout today, and my curiosity peaked. Virtually every EDA package uses the term "Copper Pour." Why is it called a copper pour? It doesn't really make sense ...
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0answers
59 views
PCB Assembly Services [closed]
Ive been running my own PCB Assembly firm in the UK for a little while, and dealing with mainly hobbyists or inventors and so they dont tend to be to big in batch amount but also not a always a ...
3
votes
1answer
116 views
Are these pcb layouts good?
I'm working on an USB audio interface; the board has an analog section, with amplifiers and filters for the input and the output signals, a digital section, with the DAC, ADC, and the microcontroller ...
2
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3answers
120 views
Do I need to use thermals on vias for reliability?
This question is further to Why thermal reliefs on vias?
I have recently been advised (by someone I consider an expert) that I should add thermal reliefs to vias which are connected to planes, even ...
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1answer
38 views
Kicad: How to add a Filled Zone around a Net with a single pin?
I am designing a PCB in Kicad and I need to add a filled zone around a single pin (pin needs to become part of the zone, not an island).
For some reason, when the "Copper Zone" tool provides me with ...
5
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2answers
112 views
What is the minimum temperature for FR-4 PCBs?
My company is working on developing a product that will go into commercial freezers, so my boss asked me to provide operating temperature specifications for the product. I can find "operating range" ...
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votes
1answer
71 views
Circuit Diagram Controller [closed]
I want to make a circuit diagram which will:
Read the speed of a servo
Divide the speed of servo
With the result of the division will be controlled the speed of an other motor like this: Servo ...
5
votes
3answers
159 views
Is it better to have a poor top layer copper pour or no copper at all?
For a few small 2 layers boards I'm doing, I'm using the top layer for parts and signals and a ground pour on the bottom layer with no or very short traces, based on comments and answers to my ...
3
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1answer
40 views
When using gEDA some components are ignored by the ratsnest. How should this be handled?
I have noticed that when running gsch2pcb to convert a gEDA gschem schematic to a pcb layout that certain components that are properly connected in the schematic are unconnected in the PCB layout. In ...
4
votes
1answer
67 views
Surface Mount vs. PTH Components For Production
I'm a hobbyist who has developed a product which uses ~20 PTH components. The device is essentially an Arduino UNO with some extra driver ICs and LEDs. I have had quite a lot of positive feedback on ...
2
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1answer
60 views
JTAG Design for altera cyclone 3
I am designing the JTAG for a Altera Cyclone 3 (EP3C5E144C8N). I was only aiming at normal JTAG, and do not need Active Serial. I have attached the schematic and board in the *.zip file ...
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4answers
160 views
How do I solder this USB Connector?
I bought this micro usb part: http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/10118192-0001LF/609-4613-1-ND/2785378
I need to solder it to a PCB that I designed, but I'm having a ton of trouble figuring out ...
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0answers
50 views
pcb assembly already preroute [closed]
i have a problem with altium designer, i search to create a project with only one pcb and one sheet which brings together pcbs already preroute.
I already create several project and now I want to ...
1
vote
1answer
55 views
how to represent a bridge in eagle pcb schematics?
i'm trying to show that points 7,8,10,11 are connected to ground and point 9 is connected to R18 resistor. but the visuals is misleading. how to create that "jump"
(sorry i don't know the correct ...
3
votes
2answers
74 views
How to use the same switch to control LED and vary resistance?
I am struck with a simple board design problem.
The requirements are : I have a 4 position slide switch according to the position of the slide switch, I should turn on different colored LEDs and also ...
3
votes
5answers
160 views
Elliptical board edges in KiCAD or CircuitPro?
I am trying to use KiCAD to design a PCB which must fit into an existing case. One side of the PCB needs to be shaped as a specific elliptical arc segment. I can figure out the parameters of the ...
3
votes
1answer
58 views
Eagle configure autorouter to solder components (except vias) only on bottom layer of double sided PCB
In double sided PCBs it is difficult to solder through hole components like IC bases, headers, etc. in the top layer. Normally the Eagle autorouter places the solder pads on both sides. That is, in a ...
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0answers
36 views
how to add 0.8 mm FPC hotbar soldering in cadsoft Eagle ?
I am designing a connector for my 2.2 LCD which has 0.8mm pitch fpc cable for soldering. I could not find the board for 0.8mm pitch. So I want to design my own. But in eagle the default library has ...
5
votes
1answer
186 views
14 Layers Stack-up proposal
Could be this stack-up correct/appropriate for a 14 layer pcb?
The PCB includes a CPLD at 50 MHz and a Gigabit Ethernet transceiver at 125 MHz. Both mounted in Primary Component Side.
There are 4 ...
3
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1answer
130 views
Disposal of the used acid/hydrogen peroxide etchant?
This thread repeated the question how to dispose the used acid/hydgogen peroxide etchant. So how can I dispose acid/hydrogen peroxide etchant?
Perhaps interesting thread to other readers, Disposal of ...
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1answer
92 views
STANAG 3350B pcb guidelines
What are the pcb routing standards that I have to follow for routing STANAG video signals on my pcb? Specifically, what are the impedance requirements? Is it better to route as a stripline or ...
2
votes
1answer
75 views
Placing component vertically in ISIS
I am using a large capacitor in one of my circuits and due to space constraints I can't keep it in the vertical position. Does anybody know how I can place it horizontally in the circuit in ISIS?
1
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1answer
53 views
Do I have to worry about backwards crosstalk with a 1 way bus?
I'm working on a DDR memory circuit, and I'm not sure how big an issue crosstalk is on the command/address bus. I've designed for crosstalk with the DQ/DQS and CLK lines because they are high ...
0
votes
1answer
53 views
what's the best track size for PCI card and 256 pin QFP chip?
I tried to develope PCB on altium,
what's the best track size for PCI card edge and 256 pin QFP chip ?
Thanks
7
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3answers
328 views
Why is the circuit board abreviation for transistor “Q”?
On circuit boards, I see that transistors are "Q", but why Q? Shouldn't "TR" be transformer, so transistor can be "T" because transistors seem to be more common then transformers.
3
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1answer
78 views
Circuit Board Abreviations [duplicate]
C stands for capacitor, R stands for Resistor, Q stands for transistor but what are the rest? All of the time I see PCB boards with Components I don't know, and unfamiliar abbreviations on the board. ...
3
votes
3answers
133 views
Mains triac safety circuit design
I am investigating using a triac instead of a relay to control 250V 10A devices.
However all the 600V 16A triacs come in TO-220 packages.
According to AS/NZS 3100 and AS/NZS 60335.1 I need at least ...
6
votes
2answers
149 views
Mains to low voltage seperation between FR4 PCB layers
I cannot find clear information on running mains and low voltage on adjacent layers on FR4 PCBs. I understand how much creepage distance to allow, but for example, can I run - 50Vdc, 240Vac, 0Vac, ...
2
votes
6answers
126 views
Identifying pin numbers from PCB
I have a PCB with documentation. In the documentation, there is referred to specific pins of several jumpers and connectors. On the PCB however, there isn't a label or so for which pin has what ...
4
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1answer
20 views
What are these spots on the PCB that are by the mounting holes?
When you look at the board, there is a weird part of the PCB right of the top left mounting hole. There is also another one above the top right mounting hole.
...
3
votes
4answers
184 views
How do I attach a bridge rectifier to a PCB or breadboard?
Newbie question here...I need to know the proper terminology so I know what I'm looking for. I have a bridge rectifier that has four flat blades on the bottom.
I want to throw it on a breadboard to ...
6
votes
2answers
19 views
How can I mount a shield on a breadboard?
The non-standard spacing of the headers on Arduino boards makes it so the shields will not fit on a breadboard
From what I have read, there is no good reason for the non-standard pin spacing on ...
0
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0answers
42 views
IBIS model simulation with spice model
I am designing a Data acquisition system with a Texas instruments ADC, Inamps and a ST micro electronics micro controller. I am getting spice models for my inamps, differential amplifiers etc. so that ...
0
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1answer
64 views
Protecting fine pitch components from debris
I am making a Battery Management System. However the chips I am using are the LTC-6803-4 chips, and they have a pitch of just 0.5mm. The boards will be placed in a battery box with good ventilation, ...
7
votes
3answers
303 views
Circuit works on breadboard but not PCB
I have a fairly simple circuit that works perfectly on the breadboard, but I am having a lot of trouble transferring it to a PCB. I am seeing very strange behavior which lies outside of my current ...
1
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2answers
119 views
Do I copper - pour on mains voltage PCB?
I don't have much experience with designing boards for mains voltage. Now I've designed a circuit and I have lots of unused space on the board. Do I fill it with copper our leave it blank? I guess the ...
1
vote
4answers
76 views
Connectors for horizontal and vertical mount
Alright, I will try to formulate this as a non-shopping question... let's hope I can make it so.
I do have a board (which I can still change) which basically has 1 hole in each corner. This board, ...
3
votes
5answers
330 views
Why not reflow a PCB before placing parts?
A standard reflow method for low-volume assembly is:
Method A
Apply solder paste (using stencil or syringe)
Hand-place parts (using vacuum pickup pen or tweezers)
Oven reflow
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But what happens ...
2
votes
3answers
86 views
What is filmmask?
I am using the Allegro software to layout a board. When working with padstacks, I have four kinds of layers available:
Etch
Soldermask
Pastemask
Filmmask
I know what the first three are. What is ...
4
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2answers
36 views
Is it possible to remap the PWM output to other pins?
The Arduino Uno has PWM outputs on pins 11, 10, 9, 6, ...
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2answers
96 views
where to begin learning PC board designing [closed]
can someone please guide the correct path to learn board designing for computers. being specific i am just keen to design a SBC(single board computer) just for hobby purposes my current knowledge is ...
4
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6answers
210 views
Identifying piece of circuitry on a PCB
I haven't done electronics for a long time but am doing some for a hobby project this weekend. I'm looking for some help breaking down/analyzing a circuit board I want to modify/hack:
It's for 3 ...
