Start with a Schematic

A schematic uses symbols to designate the components and shows the components used and how they connect in the circuit and is needed to design the PCB.

PCB Design

The PCB designer uses the schematic and specifications of the components to design the PCB manually or with a computer-aided design (CAD) program like the one offered free through Advanced Circuits.

TIP: To make your PCB look professional:

• Place the components on a 0.10 grid, horizontally (x-axis) or vertically (y-axis), not on angles.
• Place the components with polarity (anodes) facing the same direction in both axes.

The same with resistor stripes.

Inserting the Components on the PCB

The components are inserted manually or by a machine called an automatic insertion machine. This procedure is called PCB electromechanical assembly.

The component wire leads are soldered in place by hand or a wave solder. Some companies bend the wire leads on the solder side of the PCB to hold the components in place before soldering.

Before the Production Run

The making of a prototyping board before the production run is not only a common but wise procedure. By doing so, any errors in the circuitry or printed circuit board design are more likely to be detected.

TIP: Prototype PCBs often lack a solder mask. Make sure the traces are wide enough to handle the amperage with a solder mask.

Advanced Circuits Can Solve Your PCB Needs

If you are looking for a one-stop shop for your PCB needs, Advanced Circuits is your PCB solution. From the design of your PCB to making your boards to assembly.

Some of the services provided are:

• PCB Design Layout software
• Free PCB file checks
• Barebones PCBs
• PCB full spec prototyping
• PCB full spec production
• PCB assembly
• PCB stencils
• 0-10 layers PCB (standard)
• 0-40 layers PCB (custom)
• No minimum order
• DOD contracts ready
• Space & flight approved PCB supplier

Advanced Circuits is your market industry expert, whether you are a student, hobbyist, or a manufacturer of defense, aerospace, or medical equipment.

Contact us today for more information or to have a live chat with an expert.

Use the Right Software

One of the best things you can do to improve the quality of your PCB design is to use quality software for the creation. Of course, some might worry that software will be expensive or difficult to use. While this is certainly a potential problem with some pieces of software, it doesn’t have to be.

Advanced Circuits offers PCB Artist, a robust piece of software that can provide you with the guidance and tools you need for your PCB design regardless of how simple or complex it might be. It offers more than is found with most other pieces of software on the market that provide similar features. One of the best features of the software is the price. It is entirely free, so you will not have to worry about paying anything when you are getting started. Whether you are a hobbyist or working for a company, you will appreciate this benefit.

While the software will have a learning curve, like any piece of software, it tends to be easy to use. Those who have any experience with PCB design should not have a problem getting started with the intuitive software. When you use PCB Artist, you can create up to 28 layers on your PCB. It features Gerber format files, has design rule and check support, and a host of other helpful features.

The software does not take up too much computing power either. You will only need to have a Pentium processor that’s at least 1.8Ghz. You will also need 512MB of RAM and 1.26 GB of storage space on your hard drive. These small requirements should be achievable by just about any computer today. However, it does need to be a Windows computer because MAC and Linux are not supported currently.

The software can help to make the PCB design process faster and easier, but it’s important to realize that this is just a tool. You still need to understand the concepts of good design.

Streamline Your Circuit Design

One of the most important aspects of PCB design is keeping things functional, often through the simplicity of design. You don’t need to jam as many components as possible onto a single board. Instead, you want to be sure that you are creating a circuit that can perform the functions that you need without being too crowded. Think about what you need the circuit to do and design for that. Streamline the board, use good, basic design principles, and build from there.

Beware of trying to do too much on a single board. There is a chance for more to go wrong. There is also the worry that too many components could cause overheating if you don’t consider how it will be cooled.

The software can make circuit design easier and have a good representation of what it will look like and how it will work. You can often see issues that would come into play even before you prototype. Additionally, you can send the design for an engineering review. Advanced Circuits offers a free engineering review. This will give you a better idea of whether your PCB design will work or not.

Always Use a Prototype

Of course, the next step should be to prototype the board. Even if you have checked it virtually and the engineering review looks good, get a prototype. This will help to ensure that it is working properly in the real world. You can see how it fares in the case you have designed. You can see if there are overheating issues, if it doesn’t always trigger properly, etc. The testing will give you a better look at the board and the areas where you might need to make some changes.

In a perfect world, you will find that the prototype works without a problem. If that’s the case, you can move on with manufacturing. However, if there’s an issue, it is better to know now, so you can go back and fix it and then test again before unleashing your PCB design into the world.

Use Advanced Circuits for Your Manufacturing Needs

Advanced Circuits is one of the largest PCB manufacturers in the country. We have decades of experience and can provide you with everything you need from start to finish. Not only do we have the free PCB Artist software you can use for the PCB design and free engineering reviews before you go into manufacturing, but we also have quality manufacturing facilities. We can be the “one-stop-shop” for all of your PCB needs.

As the third-largest manufacturer of PCBs in the United States, we provide a fast turnaround time, so you can get your boards quickly once you place your order. You will be happy to know that there is no minimum order either. This will make it easier for you to get those prototypes you’ll want to use for testing.

Advanced Circuits is not a broker. All of the work is done in-house at our facilities. This includes the manufacturing and assembly of your PCBs. We have a fantastic shipping record, we’ve been around for years (so you can be sure we aren’t going to disappear overnight), and we strive to make the entire process as easy as possible for you. Contact us to learn more and to get a quote. We are looking forward to helping you with all of your PCB design needs.

The PCBs today are more complex than they were in the past, so designers need to be sure that the design is just right before moving on to full manufacturing. If you are responsible for creating the circuit boards for the next electronic gadget, you want them to work perfectly. You can’t leave anything to chance. That is why you need to prototype them first.

Prototyping Your Circuit Board Offers Many Benefits

The prototype is the step that comes after the design. Even if you have spent a lot of time and effort working with the PCB Artist software to create what you believe to be the ideal circuit board, there could still be some issues. You might not see them, and they might even slip through a review. The only way you will know if there are problems is to check the board in the real world.

Doing this will allow you to see how it works in practice when it is in one of your devices. Whether this is for a small, personal project or it is a large project for a commercial device, prototyping is needed.

Let’s look at one of the reasons why you’ll need to be sure that you have a prototype of your circuit boards. Let’s say you have a board that you have tested virtually, and it works without a problem. However, there are a lot of components and you haven’t thought about how small and tight the housing is for your device. There is a chance that the board could get too hot and start to overheat. This is not something that you want to discover after you’ve shipped thousands of the product to your customers.

The prototyping will provide your circuit boards with the testing that is needed. It is not a step you will want to skip, or you could come to regret that decision.

One of the reasons some people do not prototype and test their board after it’s been reviewed and undergone virtual testing is time. They worry that getting a prototype and testing it in the real-world will end up wasting a lot of time. When you order through Advanced Circuits, you can receive your prototype circuit boards quickly. However, even if you didn’t, it would still be in your best interest to test a prototype because it can still help you save time and money down the road.

If you don’t prototype and you send out a board that doesn’t work properly, it’s going to come back to haunt you. It would mean you might have to replace the boards that are in circulation and that you need to rework the board before you can manufacture and ship more. This would take up a lot of time and effort. It would also mean that your customers may not instill as much trust in you as they did in the past.

Prototyping and testing ensure you aren’t surprised by anything that happens with your circuit boards. While there could still be problems depending on how the end consumer uses those boards, you can be sure that they are designed correctly before they are “out in the wild,” so to speak.

You will find that it becomes easier to ensure a great circuit board design when you work with us at Advanced Circuits. We provide the PCB Artist software for creating the design and we can provide an engineering review. This helps to reduce the risk of having circuit boards that do not work properly. However, it doesn’t mean that you wouldn’t still benefit from ordering a prototype first.

Don’t Become Complacent

Ideally, when you receive your prototype, you will find that it works flawlessly. It means that you’ve done a great job with the design and now that you’ve put it through its paces, you are ready to put it into full production. You might create several subsequent designs in a row that have perfect prototypes, too. This is great news, but it doesn’t mean that you can forego prototypes on your future designs.

Each design is its own challenge, and this means that you need to prototype them all, no matter how much experience you have. It is the best and only way to ensure that everything is working properly. Even a relatively “small” problem could hurt the reputation of your company.

What If There There is a Problem?

When you test the circuit boards, you might find that there is a problem. If there are issues, you will want to rethink the design. Figure out where the problem stems from and what you might be able to do to rework your design to get it to work properly. Remake it in the software and get another prototype to ensure that the problem is fixed. It can take some time to get everything right, but it is worth putting in the extra effort. It will ensure a better end product.

Do not make the mistake of skipping the prototyping phase. When you work with Advanced Circuits, we can provide you with a board quickly, so you can test it before going into production We have a lot of experience in this field and are one of the largest PCB companies in the United States. We know and understand what it takes to create excellent boards that can work in even the most trying conditions. In addition to software and a review, we utilize quality materials. You will love our prices and our quick turnaround time. You can get in touch with us today to learn more.

Use Software to Design the Circuit Boards

Modern software has helped to make it easier to design printed circuit boards. It has cut down on the amount of time it takes, not to mention the number of errors that would need to be fixed. Software, such as Advanced Circuits’ PCB Artist, will make it nice and easy to create just the board you need. The software will let you create your circuit boards virtually. You can add and remove components as needed and test them in the software to get a better sense of how they would work.

This is a nice benefit for designers. It allows for the creation of a range of interesting and new designs far faster than it would be with a breadboard. It’s possible to find problems and errors in the board even before it goes into prototyping. It becomes possible to save time and money, which is helpful for anyone whether working as a hobbyist or creating circuit boards for the latest and greatest electronic gadget.

If you want to have the best possible design for your circuit board, our PCB Artist software is an ideal solution. Even better, you will not have to pay anything for the software. It is available at no cost to those who need to use it. You can use it to create the files for your circuit boards, and then have them sent to us to be manufactured. We even provide a review of the files to ensure they are ready to be made. This cuts down on potential errors even further.

The software we offer is intuitive and easy to use. If you have any experience putting together circuits, even minimal experience, you should not have any trouble with it.

Always Use Good Design Protocols

One of the issues that some designers come to find when they are creating circuit boards is crowding. Boards today have the potential to do quite a bit. However, there is often the temptation — especially with new designers — to put too many components onto the PCB. While it might seem like a good idea to make the best use of space, too many components could be a problem. Typically, these problems will arise during the testing phase. Therefore, you will want to be sure that you do plenty of testing.

A better option is to think simpler. Consider what the circuit board needs to do and make sure it can do that with as few components as possible. It might mean needing an additional board or even redesigning the device. Still, finding the cleanest design possible tends to be the best option. It can reduce problems later.

Also, consider how the components are mounted on the board, along with your trace angles. It’s a good practice to use 45-degree trace angles. This can help to reduce the amount of overcrowding that you might have otherwise.

One of the main problems that can come from overcrowding a board is overheating. If there are too many components on the board trying to do too much, there is a good chance it will overheat. Even with the fans that might be in the device already, there is still a chance that it could overheat. It’s best to use the right design principles and protocols in the first place rather than trying to add more fans to keep things cool with your circuit boards.

Check Your Prototype

Once you believe that you have a great design, you will want to order a prototype. You should test this prototype (or several of them) in real-world situations with your device. See how they work in practice, not just in theory. This will give you a chance to see if there are any issues that weren’t discovered during design. It’s better to realize that you have a problem with overheating on your prototype before you order 5,000 units from the manufacturer.

If you notice there are issues, it’s time to head back to the drawing board and make some changes. However, don’t jump the gun and think that those changes were all you needed. It’s best to err on the side of caution and to continue with another prototype round. Test it again and put it through all of its paces to ensure it will work properly no matter what you put it through.

Choose a Quality Manufacturer

Ideally, you will have chosen a great company to make your prototypes that can also manufacture all of the circuit boards you need. This will be a better solution than trying to find two different companies. Fortunately, Advanced Circuits can provide you with what you need. You will be able to use the free software and take advantage of the engineering review. You can order some prototypes to see how it all works, and then you can place your main order.

You will be happy to know that we have some of the best and fastest service in this field. You can often get your orders within days of placing them. We strive to make it as easy as possible for you to get high-quality circuit boards quickly and easily, and at prices that you can afford. We work hard to ensure that you get the best possible service no matter the size of your order. To stress this, we don’t have an order minimum. Order as many or as few as you need. Get in touch to learn more.

Why PCB Design Matters

Why is PCB design such an important consideration? Simply put, it affects all aspects of the electronic device. If the board is designed with the wrong materials, if the traces are not correctly routed, if the vias are not properly designed – the board will either not work, or will not work as expected. That could lead to problems as basic as a lack of functionality, or as dangerous as overheating.

The key to PCB design is software. However, the market has grown immensely in the last few years. How do you choose the right PCB design software for your needs? We’d like to offer a helping hand here by outlining the things to look for in PCB design software.

Ease of Use

The first consideration has nothing to do with feature sets, automation, or component libraries. Instead, we’re going to focus on how easy the software is to use. Of course, ease of use is a deep topic and touches on everything from the intuitiveness of the user interface to the ease of accessing tools and features. It is also one of the most difficult qualities to quantify.

We’ll limit our discussion here to a simple formula: the number of clicks, keystrokes, and mousing required to achieve a goal. The more clicks, keystrokes, or mouse movement necessary to complete a step, the less easy to use the software is. The fewer clicks, keystrokes, and mouse movements necessary, the easier the software is to use.

Why does this matter? Simply put, if you have to click, hit multiple keys, and then move the mouse several times to accomplish a common action, it will require a significant investment of time and effort. Instead, look for PCB design software that helps streamline common actions to save you time and hassle.

Learning Curve

This is tied directly to ease of use but also touches on other aspects, such as design language (not coding, but the way the software is designed with users in mind), and more. Shorter learning curves mean you can get started using the software sooner. Steeper learning curves mean increased time learning how to do things within the program. Shorter learning curves are always preferable, as this ensures you’re able to hit the ground running. However, make sure that you’re not sacrificing features for a shorter learning curve.

Feature Set

The feature set offered is a critical consideration with any PCB software. While features and capabilities vary dramatically from one software option to the next, there are some commonly needed features to look for, as well as nice-to-have options that make one option stand out from the others.

• Component Library – A robust component library helps reduce design time by allowing you to drag and drop commonly used components from the library onto your board design. However, to get the most value from this feature, you must know the components your board will need and then verify that they’re included in the library.

• Layers – How many layers can the software handle? While simple PCB designs might call for just a few layers, complex boards that support multi-functionality will require many layers. Today, most PCB software can handle multiple layers, but it is important to verify that the option you are considering matches your design complexity.

• Simulation – Any PCB software worth considering should provide you with a simulation function. Essentially, once you finish designing the board, this feature allows you to test operation and model usage scenarios. It is important for identifying potential flaws in traces and vias, components set too close together, verifying heat resistance during operation, and so much more. Without an ability to accurately simulate real-world use, you’re relying on guesswork.

• 3D Modeling – Three-dimensional modeling capabilities are vital to creating an optimized PCB. This feature allows you to get a bird’s-eye view, but also to zoom in on the smallest features of your board. From component placement to lamination, layering to design changes, 3D modeling offers powerful capabilities that every board designer needs, whether you’re creating a single prototype or gearing up for a full production run.

The Cost Factor

Finally, let’s touch on cost. Robust PCB design software can be costly. Those costs can rise even more when you factor in add-ons, such as multiple user licenses, or limits set on the number of signal layers or pins. However, many engineers assume that PCB software must come with a high price tag to be worthwhile. The truth is that cost is not always an indicator of quality or capabilities. In fact, free PCB design software can be both high-quality and highly capable.

Free PBC Artist Software

At Advanced Circuits, we’ve led the PCB industry for decades and understand the complexity of finding the right PCB design software. In addition to our groundbreaking production capabilities, we also offer access to PCB Artist at no cost. It supports native Eagle import, multi-page schematics, controlled auto-router, up to 28 layers, and comes with a library of over 500,000 parts. All that, plus it’s unrestricted and requires no licensing fees.

Contact us today to learn more about our free PCB design software or our capabilities when it comes to board manufacturing and assembly.

Node Location Is Critical

Perhaps the most important tip on our list is this – make important nodes as accessible as possible. This is particularly relevant to troubleshooting why your design is not working. If your important nodes aren’t accessible, your testing is going to hit a wall. Whether you’re going with loop-style nodes or something else, make sure they’re easy to access.

Component Spacing Matters a Lot

Today’s circuit boards support far more components than ever before. That’s great from an end-user standpoint. The more components on a board, the more functionality it supports, and the more users can do with the device. However, what is an advantage for end users can be a challenge for designers.

Simply put, the more components you add to a board, the more cramped they become within the design. And, make no mistake, component spacing matters a lot. Why is that? You’ll find several reasons. One of those is that without the appropriate amount of spacing, you lack room for wire routing. Another challenge is that those components create heat, and the closer they’re packed, the more heat builds up in the board. In some cases, that might be enough to compromise the board material itself, particularly if you’re using something like FR-4 rather than a material designed to handle high levels of heat.

Speaking of Heat…

Heat will always be a problem, but it is not insurmountable. One quick tip to help you get around high-heat-related issues is to add extra copper around surface mount components. This creates additional surface area and helps dissipate more heat, faster, effectively turning a portion of the PCB design into a heatsink.

Shrink Your Components

Struggling with an unrouteable board? Use smaller components. By going with a smaller footprint, you leave more room for copper traces to pass each component. Proper spacing is easier to maintain with smaller components, too, helping you avoid overcrowding the board and the other problems that go hand in hand with stacking components too close to one another.

What should you do? While quad flat package components might be your first option, you might want to consider going with ball grid array components, instead. Of course, there is a trade-off here – smaller components make repair work more challenging.

Play Tetris

Does the following situation sound familiar? You’re staring at your PCB design, struggling to fit each component in and route traces between them. No matter where you put them, you’re left with problems, particularly if the board is smaller.

The answer? Play a game of Tetris with your components. Rotate them and find the best arrangement that allows you to route traces directly between them while maximizing the use of space across the entire board. This can take some time and effort, but it’s well worth the minimal investment you’ll make.

Pay Attention to Arrangement

Sometimes, rotating your components is simply not enough. When that happens, it’s important to come at the situation with a bit of strategy in terms of component arrangement. How, though?

• Cascaded Components: Cascaded components play a vital role in many PCB design options. However, they can be challenging to arrange correctly. Keep them near one another, and make sure that they are in sequence on the board. That will immediately remove the challenge of trying to route traces all across the board to connect cascaded components located in different areas.

• Consolidate: Why use multiple smaller resistors when a single higher resistance one will work better? Consolidating your design ensures that there’s more room for components and traces, as resistors will take up less of your available space.

• Cascade from the Edge: When laying out your PCB design, identify any component that must be attached via an edge connector. Locate those components as close to the connector as you can. The rest of the chain should cascade away from that point, grouped into functional blocks near one another and in sequence.

Go Denserdesign software

If you are struggling with PCB design, chances are good that the space required for traces, vias, and clearance is a problem. You can get around that by going denser. With HDI, you can create very dense boards with very dense traces, clearances, and vias that still deliver performance. However, you do need to consider controlled impedance routing, differential pairs, and check creepage, clearance, and width when it comes to high-current and high-voltage design.

Watch the Noise

Signal noise can be problematic when it comes to some traces. However, placing high-frequency signal carrying traces too close together can couple those signals, ratcheting up the noise and possibly creating problems with traces where no noise is desired. Make sure that you keep noisy traces away from analog traces to avoid this problem.

A Helping Hand

As you can see, there are many considerations to make when it comes to PCB design. If you’re struggling to get it right, we can help. At Advanced Circuits, we have decades of experience working with clients ranging from individuals to Fortune 500 companies and helping them bring their PCB designs to life. From our groundbreaking design software to our production capabilities, we have a solution no matter what your needs might be. Contact us today to schedule your consultation or to learn more about our capabilities and services.

When working with circuit design and creating printed circuit boards, many best practices can prevent having to continually alter and change the boards. Some of them are common knowledge while others might teach you something new that you can incorporate into your next PCBs. We want to focus on tips that will make a huge difference in your creation process and let you speed up your work.

Consider Orientation, Space, and Accessibility

One of the best tips we can offer you with circuit design is that all the components that you add to a board should be given a bit of space between each other. It might seem satisfying to place every part right next to another, but you also need room for wires to spread out. Keep in mind that components with fewer pins will need less space. Having extra space can also help with auto-routing since soldering will be simpler.

You also need to think about the orientation of parts when you place them. In general, the best tip here is that components should have the same orientation as each other. There’s a good reason for this practice. In most cases, the parts have a standard pin number system where pin one is found in the left upper corner. When orientation is the same between parts, it will prevent later mistakes in soldering and inspections.

Accessibility is also crucial, especially for nodes that are the most important in your build. Even when you have a great design and have gone through prototyping with products from a company like Advanced Circuits, you might do testing and see something isn’t working the way it should be. You’ll want to measure the signal in the PCB during the circuit design process. Be aware when designing the PCB about what points will be most important to troubleshoot and make them accessible. If this isn’t possible, make sure a test point is connected to them.

Check Component Sizes, Exchange Wiring Directions, and Select Line Widths

When you have an idea of how you want to lay out your components during circuit design, one option is to print out the layout. You can then take the parts and place them on top of the page to make sure they match. In some cases, this can save a ton of time since datasheets aren’t always 100% accurate. Another option is to use the free circuit board design software by Advanced Circuits to ensure your build is exactly the way it should be.

Assuming you are making a circuit with several layers, it’s best to swap the wiring directions as you go between the layers. For instance, one side of the layer might have horizontal traces while the other side uses vertical traces. This is an important tip since it helps facilitate the wiring or lines that need to pass over others. Alternate direction when using several layers for the best results.

PCB width will vary based on your project. A larger width is going to reduce the level of resistance, which means that it will also create less heat. It’s important to choose the width of lines you are sizing based on how much current is expected to flow through them. Several online calculators can help with this process. As you might guess, power lines should have more width than other lines since they will carry a larger amount of current.

Special Considerations for Power Circuits

When creating a power circuit, the number one tip is to ensure your power and control grounds remain separate. Large current spikes and high voltage can create interference in the control circuits, which aren’t designed to handle as much current and voltage. This is the main reason that the control ground and the power ground should be kept apart in any power supply stage. If they need to be tied together, it should be toward the end of the supply path.

For those who need circuits with several layers, it’s best to place the control ground somewhere in the middle layer during circuit design. The power traces can be placed on the top layers, while the bottom layer can handle the control traces. There’s a genuine reason to lay out your circuit in this manner. The middle layer will have a large ground path that helps prevent interference from the power circuits for better protection.

While this applies to any type of PCB, it is most important when designing and creating a power circuit. You want to ensure the width of the wire for the power supply is sized based on how much current will go through it. The reason this is essential is that a wire that is too small can generate additional heat and damage or destroy the wires.

Let Professionals Handle the Hard Work

Whether you are creating a prototype or the final PCB for a circuit design on a product you want to offer, there are many things that can go wrong. That’s precisely why working with professionals can be a great idea. Companies like Advanced Circuits have decades of experience and understand the ins and outs of PCBs. The company can manufacture PCBs of all sizes and levels of complexity to make your life a little easier.

As we mentioned earlier, Advanced Circuits provides software to design PCBs. They also have a FreeDFM file check, PCB Artist software, and more. The company has been leading the PCB industry for more than 25 years and has high-quality standards using the most innovative technology. Whether you need a small number of PCBs or tons of them for a major project, we can offer you a solution that meets your needs.

Use Quality Software for the Design

Using PCB Artist or similar software will help to make the design process much easier. It will be easier to keep track of all of the different elements and components that you need for the design. The software makes it possible to see the design in a new light and to quickly make changes, rename elements, and test to see whether it will work. While the software won’t do all of the work for you, it will help to make the process smoother and faster.

Double Check Spacing

Many designers like the idea of making their circuits as small as possible. It will help to reduce space, but it’s not always the best solution. You still need to be sure that you have enough space between the components that it will be possible to solder and assemble the board. Quality software will often make it easier for you to virtually see where the components will be. Add enough space to work on the board if needed, but still keep it relatively small. SMT helps make it possible to reduce the size without the need to cram all of the components tightly together.

No Right Angle Traces

Another tip to keep in mind for your circuit designs is to beware of how you are placing traces. If they are placed at 90-degrees or right angles, it will often be hard for designers to ensure they are uniformly wide. Instead, it tends to be a better option to use 45-degree angles. These are a better width, and you’ll find that they won’t overcrowd the circuit design.

Make the Loops Small

Loops in your circuit design should always be as small as possible. This is particularly true when it comes to high-frequency loops. When you have smaller loops, it means that you have lower resistance and inductance. When you place the groups over a ground plan, it will help to reduce the inductance even more.

Smaller loops work well to reduce voltage spikes, prevent noise from being coupled into the circuit, and reduce signals that could cause problems with the overall design.

Placing Decoupling Capacitors

Another thing to keep in mind with circuit designs is where you’re placing decoupling capacitors. Typically, they should be as close to the power and ground pins of integrated circuits as possible. Doing this will help to improve the efficiency of the decoupling capacitor. When they are placed too far away, there’s a chance that it will add stray inductance.

Identify Heat Generating Areas

With many circuit designs, certain areas will produce a lot of heat. When a circuit has to handle a large amount of heat, there is the potential for that heat to damage the PCB. One of the easiest ways to help dissipate the heat is by adding heat sinks or coolers. This can help to keep the board cooler.

Additionally, when designing the board, it’s a good idea to move any of the crucial PCB elements away from heat sources. Keep in mind that the circuit might not be the only part of the device that’s generating heat. Consider where the circuit will be placed in the device and be sure that it’s not going to be too close to other heat-generating locations.

Remember the Importance of Prototyping

You might start your design by making a prototyping board or breadboard. This can be a good way to start, but even after you’ve completed your initial design, you need to make sure it will work in the real world. By using software like PCB Artist, mentioned above, and then getting an engineering file review, you’ll have a better idea of the viability of your circuit design.

However, you can’t — or at least you shouldn’t — start production quite yet. Instead, you’ll want to place a small order of PCBs that you can use as practical prototypes. These are boards that you can use on your devices to see how well they work in the real world. Sometimes, you’ll find that all of your work has paid off and it works well. Other times, you might notice some things that you can change to make the PCB even better.

Perhaps you can find a way to make the circuit design more effective and have less latency, for example. Maybe you find that you need to add a different component to meet the actual needs the device will face when it’s in use by one of your customers.

You might have to rework your circuit design, or you might find that it’s already in good shape. Once you feel it’s as good as it can be, you can then talk with Advanced Circuits about production.

These are just some of the ways to help improve your circuit designs. The more you learn about designing circuits, the easier it will become to create better and better PCBs.

Why Choose Advanced Circuits?

What makes us a good choice for your PCBs? We have a lot of experience in the field and are the third-largest PCB manufacturer in the country. Advanced Circuits prides itself on being able to meet the needs of customers and exceed their expectations. Whether you need only a small number of PCBs or you need to have thousands of them, we can help. We have a large facility that can provide for all your manufacturing needs, large or small.

We have a fast turnaround time, so you can get the PCBs you need in a matter of days. Whether you are looking to go into production or you just want some workable prototypes that you can test, it’s easy to get what you need with Advanced Circuits.

The boards have holes in them that let you add components to create your circuit. Depending on the type of board, you can attach them with or without solder. There are many different types of boards available including perfboards and breadboards. It’s important to have a basic understanding of what each of these is and when they might suit your needs.

Perfboards

These are thin sheets that have holes in them at the same interval that you would expect from a circuit board. Square pads cover the holes. Some of the lower-cost boards will only have pads on one side. Others, although they might be somewhat more expensive, will have the pads on both sides. Choosing from the better quality options for your prototyping board is always a good idea.

Once you have a plan for your circuit, you will then make a schematic that you will then use as a blueprint to build onto the perfboards. When creating the layout, be mindful of the spacing on the board and keep notes about what you’ll be placing and where they will go.

Once you have a good design drawn out, you can place the components onto the board and solder them. It’s a good idea to avoid using too many wires; otherwise, the design can look messy and be difficult to understand. If you’ll be presenting the perfboards to someone to examine, you’ll want them to be as clear as possible.

While perfboards can be helpful, these prototyping boards require solder, and they can only be used once. This can mean that mistakes could become more expensive than with a breadboard.

Breadboards

Breadboards are more popular than perfboards, and they are usually considered the go-to prototyping board option. These boards have holes similar to those on perfboards, and you’ll be using those holds to place your components. The modern breadboards are solderless, which is nice. The spacing on the board between holes is 0.1 inches, and the components can simply be placed onto them.

Since you aren’t using any solder, it means that they are reusable. It’s a good option for temporary prototypes to see if your design has merit. These tend to be quite popular with students and those who are just learning about designing circuits. However, they can be used by those who have a lot of experience with circuit design, as well. They are a helpful tool.

Although these prototyping boards can be helpful when determining the veracity of a design, many people want to use other means of determining how effective their design will be. They want to know that the design works in the real world in the devices that will ultimately hold the circuit.

Moving Beyond the Prototyping Boards

Although prototyping boards and breadboards may be a good way to start your design, you’ll soon want to move into the digital world and use software like PCB Artist to complete the printed circuit board design. Some people begin with software and no longer use the old-school prototyping boards. Ultimately, it’s up to you.

Using software like PCB Artist from Advanced Circuits is a good way to ensure that you have a design that will be easier to read and that will be viable. The software allows you to “see” and test the circuit to see how it works. You can quickly and easily make changes and adjustments to the digital version of the circuit as needed.

Many designers like the freedom that software can provide. Since it’s virtual, it doesn’t require any solder or any actual components. PCB Artist has more than half a million components that can be added to the design. It’s easy to see how they work together, and you can even receive a file review from an engineer before going into production.

Order a Completed Prototype

However, even if the digital prototype passes muster and looks like it’s good to go, you might still want to order a prototyping board. Remember that the real-world use of a PCB may be different from what it would face in a simulation or even with a breadboard. Ordering a couple of prototyping boards that are essentially the actual PCBs that you’ll be using is important. You will want to do this before you move on with production.

When you have a design that you like and think will work, order a few prototypes from Advanced Circuits. Then, use these prototypes in the devices in the manner that you or the customers would use them. Put the PCBs through the paces to see whether they can stand up to the rigors of actual use. Take note of how they perform. You may find that you hit it out of the park with the design. However, you might also find some problems that you’ll want to address. Perhaps the board gets too hot, for example. Maybe a heatsink or rearranging the components could help.

Make the changes that you need, get another prototyping board, and test again. This may seem to take a bit longer, but it’s better to know if there are problems now rather than when your customers start to complain about failing devices.

Going into Production

When you are certain the design is as good as it can be, it’s time to move into production. Always entrust the manufacturing and assembly of the PCBs to a company with a good reputation like Advanced Circuits. We have been in business for a long time and have built a solid reputation. We have our own manufacturing facility, we have the best, quick turnaround time you’ll find, and we strive to ensure our customers are happy with the results.

Using the Right Software for the Design

One of the benefits of technology is that it has made many aspects of circuit design faster and easier. In the past, the design could take a long time simply because of the tools being used. However, quality software in recent decades has helped to streamline the process. This makes it possible for engineers and even amateur circuit designers to put together workable designs in a fraction of the time it used to take.

You always want to start with the right software, but you don’t want to spend a fortune on it. To make matters easier and more affordable for you, Advanced Circuits offers PCB Artist. This is design software that will make laying out and designing PCBs much easier.

The software contains a library with more than half a million parts. It also features native Eagle import, multi-page schematics, a controlled autorouter, and the ability to create circuits with up to 28 layers. The software is easy to use and contains a host of features to make the process of circuit design simple. Best of all, this software is entirely free. It can be downloaded and will run on most computers without issue.

When you use the software, you can create a design in less time and with less expense than you would with other pieces of software. You can also submit your design to Advanced Circuits for review. The engineers can see whether it has any issues and can fix them or point them out to you before you place an order.

Why You Need to Prototype

Too often, people and companies try to rush through the design process even though they know better. They want to get their products to market as soon as possible. However, this often backfires on them. They end up with a lackluster design that’s not as good as it could be. Yet, they’ve already moved on with manufacturing and now have thousands of those circuits they need to use.

All of this could have been avoided had they only taken more time with the design and ordered prototypes to see how they work when they are used in real scenarios. Once you have a design that you like, place an order for the prototype. When you order through Advanced Circuits, there is no minimum order. It makes it easy for you to get a couple of prototypes that you can test.

Take a moment to think about the problems that could arise if you don’t take the time and put in the effort to prototype. You could get PCBs that you believe are ready to go. You might add them to the devices you’re selling, package them, and ship them out to your customers. Everything might seem right on track for a month or so, and then the PCBs start to show design problems. While it’s always possible for a PCB to fail for one reason or another, there shouldn’t be mass problems across all of your devices. If this happens, how many more times do you think your customers will buy from you?

This could cost you a lot of money, all because you didn’t take the time to get the design right. It’s often better to slow down on the design process to ensure that the circuit design will work properly.

Get the Circuit Design Right

Make sure you have a circuit that is capable of doing exactly what you need it to do. Get your prototype and put it through the rigors of the real world, so you can see how it behaves. Make notes and see if there is anything else you might need to do to the circuit design to improve it.

If you find some elements you could fix, move back to the design stage, and then get another prototype. If you are certain the design is as perfect as it can be, however, you can move on to the manufacturing stage.

Advanced Circuits Offers Manufacturing

You’ll be happy to know that Advanced Circuits does more than just provide quality software, engineering review, and creation of your prototypes. We’re a full facility that can manufacture as many circuits as you might need. If you are a small company or an individual, just order what you need. If you have a larger company and you need to place an order for thousands or tens of thousands of PCBs, we can help with that, as well.

You won’t have to wait long to get your boards, either. We’re the third-largest PCB manufacturer in the United States, and this means that we can provide you with a fast turnaround no matter how many PCBs you order. We can take care of the manufacturing and assembly of all of your printed circuit boards and ship them right to your door.

We pride ourselves on being a reliable company and providing our customers with the best service possible. This is why we provide free quality software for circuit design. Buyers will also be happy to know that we aren’t a broker. We don’t farm the assembly and manufacturing process out to others. We do everything right in our own facility.

Advanced Circuits has the best on-time PCB shipping record, so you can be sure you’ll get your PCBs when needed. And, because we’ve been around for many years, we’re financially stable. You won’t have to worry about us disappearing in the middle of an order. Get in touch for a quote today to see what we can do for you.