You need to take your time to think about just what you need the board to do and the components that will be required. You also need to consider the benefits of having a prototyping board that you can use before you move on to manufacturing on a large scale. Even if you only plan to have a relatively small run of boards, using a prototyping board to ensure that everything is just right is essential.

Let’s look at some of the biggest benefits that a prototyping board can provide.

What Makes Using a Prototyping Board a Good Solution?

No matter how long you might have been designing PCBs, you know that there is always the risk of making a mistake during the design process. This is truer today than it was in the past because the PCBs have become so complex in recent years. Mistakes can do more than just be an embarrassing moment for a designer. They can cost a company a substantial amount of money. They can cause delays in manufacturing, damage to the electronics they are meant for, and more.

Prototyping boards is a way to reduce the risk of making these types of mistakes, whether they are large or small errors. Prototyping the board is made easier when you utilize quality software, such as PCB Artist from Advanced Circuits. This software is free and has a full range of features to make creating the board as simple as possible. There is a large component library, and it allows the designers to tweak the design until it is as perfect as it can be. They can then send it to Advanced Circuits for a free review from the engineers to see if there are any hidden issues.

Once they are satisfied that the board will work properly, they can then move on and order one or more physical boards. There is no minimum order through Advanced Circuits. This means that you can get just one or a handful of boards to test in real-life situations with the electronics. You can see if there might be hidden issues or if there are problems with overheating, speed, etc. After you are sure the board works well, you can move on from the prototyping board and order as many as you need.

While this might seem like it adds some steps to the process, consider the alternative. If you believe that you have a good board and order 4,000 PCBs for the electronic devices you plan to ship, what happens when they don’t work? What if they cause overheating issues? Your customers would be irate, naturally. Prototyping and testing help to reduce these types of expensive problems.

When you order through Advanced Circuits, you will also find that we have a very fast turnaround time. Whether you are placing a large order, or you just need one board, they can be delivered to you quickly. It’s the best solution. You will reduce issues and you could even reduce the manufacturing costs.

Why Choose Advanced Circuits?

We understand that you want to make sure that your boards are working properly and that you receive them quickly. Advanced Circuits is one of the top manufacturers in the country and we have a very fast turnaround time, regardless of how many boards you might be ordering. If you only want to order a couple of your initial boards as prototypes, so you can see how they work in practice, you can. You could even order just a single board if you would like, as there is no minimum.

Additionally, we utilize high-quality materials. You can rest easy knowing that only the best quality components will be going into the boards you design.

We Make It Easier with Great Software

Most circuit board designers today know that it is best to use software that can help to design the printed circuit board rather than trying to use a breadboard. However, that software can be hit or miss. Sometimes, it can be extremely expensive.

Fortunately, we have a solution that’s available for you, as mentioned. Best of all, you won’t have to pay anything for the fully-featured software. Our software, PCB Artist, has features that you won’t find even with some of the expensive options.

We have a large library that you can use for designing the prototype. It features more than half a million parts. With the software, you can create up to 28 layers, which should be more than enough for most designs. It utilizes Gerber format files, and it is easy for you to check your work to make sure the board is working properly.

It is an easy-to-use piece of software that can change the way you work, and it can even speed up the process. If you don’t have a powerful computer, you don’t have to worry. Even a relatively modest computer should not have any trouble running the software, and you only need half a gig of RAM. Most people who have even a passing familiarity with this type of software will be up and running in no time.

Prototyping Boards Make Your Life Easier

Ultimately, you want to prototype your boards to make the process as simple as possible. Advanced Circuits can help you with each step along the way. You have the idea, and then you can design it with our software. Our engineers can check the design and you can move forward with the manufacturing once you are certain the board is what you need. Whether you need to order a large number of the boards, or you only need a few for a special project you are doing, we make it nice and easy. Get in touch with us today to see what we can do for you.

Those who work in the field know this and they are well aware of how important circuit boards are, and they are always looking for ways that they can improve on their own designs. Below, you will find some tips that can help with printed circuit board design.

Use PCB Design Software

In the past, designing printed circuit boards was more time-consuming and difficult than it is today. Now, it is possible to find and use design software created for printed circuit board design. The software allows designers to construct the software in a virtual space. They can add and remove components as needed and then test them in the digital space to see whether they would work properly in the real world.

This gives designers the freedom they need to create new and interesting designs while allowing for testing to weed out the errors and problems from the board. The software can be a huge time saver and money saver for companies, and for individuals who might be making their own boards as an amateur or hobbyist.

Best of all in this day and age, you can find great software and you won’t have to spend a dime on it. PCB Artist from Advanced Circuits is fully-featured software that will make it easy for you to create the boards you need and to test them. Once you have created the boards and have the files you need, you can send them out to be manufactured.

Proper Spacing on the Board

Many times, new designers will try to pack as many components onto a PCB as possible. They may think that it will provide them with the best use of space, but that is rarely the case. Often, it simply means there will be more problems down the line when the board is tested. When components are too plentiful or too tightly spaced, it can cause issues with heat and with the wiring and soldering processes. Instead, it makes sense to have a printed circuit board design that is as clean as possible. By orienting similar components in the same direction, it can help with proper routing, for example.

Working with software, as mentioned above, is a good way to let you “see” the design first. You can also make sure it will work with your current spacing before committing to the design.

Consider the Trace Angles

The angle of the traces will be important, too. Many people create 90-degree traces, but this is not an ideal option. In fact, this could cause problems. Many boards designed by professionals will instead have 45-degree traces. This is something that you should strive for with your printed circuit board designs. The 45-degree traces help to relieve overcrowding as discussed above, and it can also help to improve the transfer speeds.

Be Aware of Heating Issues

Heat is often a problem for printed circuit boards. Designs need to account for proper heat dissipation, which can vary depending on the device type. You will want to examine any components that might be considered problematic from a heat perspective. You might also want to add thermal reliefs to the design as a means to help keep it somewhat cooler. Other elements in the device can help to keep the board cool, such as fans. However, you should do what you can on the board to reduce heat issues in the first place.

Choose a Quality Manufacturer Offering Great Materials

You should consider not just the initial printed circuit board design, but also what happens once you have a design that is complete. You need to have a reputable manufacturer create the boards for you. Regardless of whether you are only printing a few of the boards or you need thousands, make sure you choose a manufacturer that can deliver.

You should look for a company that uses high-quality materials and that has been in the field for years. Learn about the company’s reputation, the certifications it has, assembly services, and the overall capabilities.

Having a great design is essential, but if you do not also have a great manufacturer that can deliver on your design, it will not matter. Do not neglect the importance of a great manufacturing company for your printed circuit boards.

Once you believe you have found a good manufacturer, it is a good idea to order a prototype or a small batch. This ensures you are not spending a large amount of money on your first order, and allows you to test out the boards to ensure they are of sufficient quality. You do not want to make the mistake of ordering 10,000 PCBs from a company that you have never worked with or tested before. You need to know what you are getting before you commit.

Get in Touch with Advanced Circuits

Above are just some of the things that you will want to keep in mind when you are creating printed circuit board designs. When you work with Advanced Circuits, you will find that we can make many parts of the process much easier for you. We offer free high-quality PCB software to help with your designs and testing. We run engineering tests on the designs before manufacturing and will make you aware of any issues that might be present. Advanced Circuits offers excellent customer service and ensures that you are getting what you need, when you need it. Our quick turnaround time means you will get your boards quickly. Over the decades we have been in this field, we have strived to provide the best service possible for all of our customers, large and small.

It also opens up the door to the risk of losses due to flaws in the PCB design. Even when top-tier PCB design software is used by a skilled expert, there can always be mistakes that a production team can recognize. The “no-touch” approach used by most subcontractors, though, allows for glitches because files are often received and run without evaluation.

The good news is that some domestic PCB manufacturers have the ability to offer one-stop production, including access to free, premium PCB design software, along with expert evaluative services.

PCB Design Software to Ensure Optimal Results

Advanced Circuits provides customers with PCB design software, and rates as one of the most well-known companies in the PCB and prototype assembly industries. We handle PCB manufacturing (fabrication) and assembly, but it is often our PCB design software and expert support that sets us far apart from the crowd.

A one-stop shop with more than two decades in the industry, we provide customers with exclusive services that support, facilitate, and improve any project. The resources available for the PCB design process include the following.

Free PCB Layout Software – PCB Artist – Whether novice or expert designers, customers are often delighted by the entirely complimentary access they receive to this innovative PCB design software. Unrestricted, it is capable of up to 28 layers and includes more than 500k parts, a controlled auto-router function, multi-page schematics, and more. Easy to use, it is a noted printed circuit board design tool throughout the industry.

Free PCB File Check – Whether or not the free PCB Artist software is used, there is also the FreeDFM program that enables clients to run a free and fast design assessment. The software uses PCB design software files uploaded into the system and then evaluates them fully. The program ensures files feature all essential data, automatically corrects some issues, and provides an easy-to-read and use report. Clients using it also enjoy a discount when they run the designs in advance of submitting them to the team.

If a customer is using Gerber format files, the PCB design software and File Check program can still be put to use. There are free uploading tools, and it takes only the submission of a client email to obtain the full evaluative report. It takes only minutes, and a quote, discount code, and link to the PDF of the results will appear.

End Problems Using PCB Design Software

Worried that you are going to have to relearn the use of PCB design software to enjoy the free tools and resources…as well as enjoy all of those benefits? Don’t be! The PCB Artist software comes with printable tutorials and video options that take even the extreme beginner through the complex process of PCB design and manufacturing. And there are experts on-call 24 hours a day to help.

Additionally, on top of the free file review software, every single order receives a free engineering file review before the fabrication process is initiated. What is this? An actual engineer examines the file and guarantees that customers never experience the kind of financially harmful outcomes they might have received via the more common no-touch services from outsourced work. Rather than an easily correctable design flaw allowed to go through and ruin a batch, the trained eye will detect issues and correct them before a project begins.

And, while the free PCB design resources made available on our website is enough to demonstrate why we are a preferred provider, there are many additional reasons to use and order through the PCB design software, including:

• No tooling charges – When an order features Standard Specifications, we’re always glad to eliminate tooling charges and cancel out such fees on reorders of Standard Spec as Custom Spec items.
• We are NOT a broker – Advanced Circuits never subcontracts work. Instead, we rely on our top-of-the-line, 62,000-square-foot facility that guarantees the kind of quality and speed most want but don’t always receive.
• 24-hour support – Customer service around-the-clock is great, but we also feature a live tech support team that allows design teams to speak directly with a CAM engineer at any hour of the day or night and get answers about the free PCB design software or PCBs, in general.
• No minimum orders – There are no minimum lot requirements, meaning that clients are not forced to invest in huge orders with more PCBs than they might need or use.
• Best shipping record – Advanced Circuits has the best on-time shipping record in the industry.

Partner with Advanced Circuits for Error-Free PCB Design

Don’t spend a moment worrying about learning curves and other similar struggles for our free design tools. They are easy to use and include tutorials. Instead, get ready for a far more efficient design process, simple ordering, and discounted pricing. There are so many reasons to choose Advanced Circuits, and as you have seen, we go well beyond the free PCB design software. We ensure that any designs (whether received as Gerber files or another format) are without easily correctable mistakes. This saves time and money while keeping your firm on schedule. The free evaluation resources available include engineering reviews, and we make engineers available around-the-clock to help with any issues or questions.

It is difficult to beat this approach to PCB design and production, and with guarantees that orders arrive when scheduled (or they are free), it makes good sense to get in touch with Advanced Circuits and get your project started today.

Make Troubleshooting Easy

There will come a time when you need to troubleshoot functionality within your board. Make sure that important nodes are accessible. This will require that you plan ahead – which points will be important to your troubleshooting? How accessible are they? Is there a test point connected to those parts? Looped test points are often the simplest to use, too, and can easily accommodate a test probe with a hook. However, there are numerous other types of test points that may be used depending on the probe type you want to use.

Loop Size

Speaking of loops, it’s important that you don’t go overboard when it comes to their size. Keeping them small helps ensure that you avoid some specific issues. The smaller the loop, the lower the resistance and inductance. You should also consider placing your loops over a ground plane to reduce inductance even more. Smaller loops will reduce high-frequency voltage spikes and the number of signals in the node.

Space

It’s tempting to cram as many components on the board as possible. However, one of the most important rules of circuit board design is this: leave ample space between components. There are several problems inherent with putting your components too close together. One of those is that you may inadvertently leave too little room for wiring. Each pin must be connected, so the more pins a component has, the more wiring it will need and the more space around it to accommodate those wires. You will also find that when you leave enough space between components, it’s simpler to solder in place, and auto-routing is also easier.

Orientation Matters

Soldering mistakes can quickly turn a simple project into a massive headache. One way to help eliminate those mistakes is to place your components with the same orientation. In most cases, pin 1 is located in the upper left corner. Keep this orientation throughout the entire circuit board and you’ll find that you experience fewer errors during the soldering process, and that it also makes inspecting your completed circuit board simpler, too.

Size Traces Appropriately

Copper is going to play a significant role in your circuit board design. However, what your software doesn’t really show you is the amount of resistance within those copper wires. Make sure that you size your traces appropriately to account for things like voltage drop, temperature increase, and power dissipation. To do that, you will need to factor in length, width, and thickness to control resistance. Because you cannot control the actual physical properties of the metal, you must size the metal (trace) to help combat resistance, heat buildup, and other challenges that might make your circuit board perform poorly. A PCB trace width calculator can help ensure that you’re creating traces that are wide and thick enough for the job.

Print It to Test It

Before doing anything else, complete your design and layout process and then print the board’s layout on paper. Then, use that paper to make sure that everything really does fit. The printout should fit within the housing of the item you’re creating, but you should also make sure that each of the components fits on the board within the design that you’ve created. This single step can save you an immense amount of stress down the road if the space for one component in the layout is just a little bit off.

Place Decouple Capacitors Correctly

Decoupling capacitors play a vital role in your circuit board design, but they need to be placed appropriately. Place them as close as you can to the power and ground pins of your integrated circuits. This will help to improve their efficiency and reduce inductance. Another tip that can reduce inductance is to use multiple vias from the capacitor pin to the ground plane.

Don’t Rely on Your Auto-Router

Your Auto-Router is a handy tool, and it can be a valuable asset that offers a lot of benefits. However, don’t rely on it too much. We offer one of the most robust Auto-Routers in PCB Artist, our free circuit board design software, but it is not a replacement for routing yourself. Only use your Auto-Router in some specific situations, including when you need ultra-precise placement, when you discover bottlenecks that need to be worked around, and when you cannot see where you need to route traces.

Avoid 90-Degree Trace Angles

It might seem like creating 90-degree trace angles is unavoidable. The truth is, you can do better. A 90-degree trace angle can actually be problematic for a number of reasons. One of those is that the outside corner is often going to be narrower than your standard trace width. There is also the possibility of having multiple angles that are only partially traced, leading to shorting and other problems. Instead of 90-degree angles, shoot for 45-degree angles. This ensures that you’re easily able to etch fully and avoid shorting.

PCB Artist Provides the Design Capabilities You Need

Ultimately, circuit board design requires time, patience, and a firm understanding of basic design principles. Our free circuit board design software, PCB Artist, helps ensure that you have the capabilities you need. At Advanced Circuits, we also offer full manufacturing capabilities to bring your boards to life. No matter what the purpose of your boards, we help ensure that you’re able to reach your goals. Contact us today to learn more, or download PCB Artist free of charge.

The FreeDFM check only takes a few minutes and you will receive a detailed report outlining any issues found.  Knowing about the issues in your circuit board design will save you money and time, but the software will also send a discount code for up to $100 off your next PCB order.  So, what’s the catch?  Why would Advanced Circuits create a free tool and basically pay you to use it?  The powerful tool actually saves Advanced Circuits time and makes the front-end planning and CAM for your PCB fabrication job a smoother process.

Below we list some of the most common printed circuit board design rule violations.  Keep an eye out for these in your next printed circuit board design; but don’t worry, Advanced Circuits’ large team of experienced CAM engineers inspect each and every customer’s file prior to production and will quickly notify you if there is a manufacturability issue with your printed circuit board design.

Improper Annular Ring

An annular ring is the portion of conductive material completely surrounding a hole. A minimum of .005″ annular ring for vias or a minimum of .007″ for component holes is required for manufacturing your printed circuit board design. Advanced Circuits requires that vias with connecting traces have a pad that is 10 mils larger than their drill, and component through holes with electrical connections have a pad that is 14 mils larger than their drill. Tooling holes with no electrical connections may have 0 mil annular ring.

Insufficient Copper Trace Width/Spacing

Copper “Spacing” in your printed circuit board design refers to the air gap between any two adjacent copper features. “Trace width” is the width of a copper feature (usually traces) and the proper width for printed circuit board conductors for a given current can be calculated using our online Trace Width Calculator, which uses formulas from IPC-2221.  Advanced Circuits requirements call for the following:

• For 1 oz: finished copper weight (inner layers), the minimum trace width/space is 0.005″.
• For 2 oz: finished copper weight (inner & outer), the minimum trace width/space is 0.006″
• For 3 oz: finished copper weight (inner & outer), the minimum trace width/space is 0.010″
• For 4 oz: finished copper weight (inner & outer), the minimum trace width/space is 0.012″
• A premium is charged for trace width/spacing less than .007″. (We can process .004″ for 1 oz. CU. finished (outer layers) and .5 oz. CU finished (inner layers).

Exposed Copper

Exposed copper on the printed circuit board’s edge or visible on the inside of cut-outs and on the inside of non-plated drill holes are problematic. For single boards, Tab-Routed Arrayed boards and boards with Cut-outs, follow these requirements: Outer layer copper should be at least 10 mils away from the center of the board edge to prevent exposed copper. Copper within 10 mils of the center of the rout line may be exposed and viewable from the board edge. Inner layer copper should be at least 10 mils away from the center of the board edge to prevent exposed copper.

Drill Holes Too Small or Too Close

Drill hits that are small and too close to other small drill hits can be a show-stopper. Advanced Circuits requires a minimum of 10 mil spacing (edge to edge) between drilled holes that have a diameter less than 65 mils. Otherwise drill bits can break during high speed drilling.

For more information about Advanced Circuits’ CAM procedures and ways to avoid production holds, please visit our CAM Procedures page, give us a call at 1-800-979-4722, or contact your Advanced Circuits Representative directly.

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are becoming more and more complex while at the same time more critical to technology. PCBs are a basic building block of not only computers and high-tech communications equipment, but are found in every automotive vehicle, smartphones, lighting systems, and even children’s toys.

As PCBs become more sophisticated and miniaturized, design engineers are challenged to keep up with the evolution of available materials, design and layout software, and manufacturing capabilities. It’s small wonder that there are many opportunities for making mistakes in the development of PCBs.

When avoiding common PCB design mistakes, it’s important to look for:

• Layout issues such as missing traces or vias, incorrect sizing of traces or pads, and noise generation.
• Schematic errors that result in performance issues or total functional failure. With smaller footprints required for some PCBs and multi-layer boards it becomes much easier to generate layouts that will encounter difficulties during manufacturing or during testing.
• Failures due to environmental issues. Designers need to be aware of the anticipated environment their designs will be exposed to, and plan materials and layout accordingly. Every condition the end product will be exposed to should be evaluated for PCB potential failure or conditional issues.
• Not using available tools. Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools are widely available, but they are not all created equal. Evaluate the available applications to determine which best suits the PCBs to be designed. Design tools can improve layout design and generate all files needed for fabrication of the boards.
• No review process. Lack of communications between the electronics engineer and PCB designer (when they are different technicians) can result in boards that do not function as the engineer planned.
• Test planning. A prototype board may pass initial testing for base functionality, but failures can occur when board moves into production and gets installed in the final product. This is a poor time to discover that the PCB does not perform well (or at all) in certain settings. Costs of rework and product recalls become extremely expensive at that point.
• Missing files. It’s not uncommon for manufacturers to come back to designers related to files that are not complete or which may not be labeled/named clearly for them to identify the files for fabrication. This results in faulty boards or manufacturing delays.
• Lack of familiarity with manufacturing requirements. Even the most carefully-designed circuit with the most advanced technical design may not be efficiently manufactured if the designer does not understand the fabrication process. This could include dimensional tolerances that are outside what is necessary, resulting in manufacturing complexity that can increase costs or even alter the footprint of resulting boards.

 Avoiding Common PCB Design Mistakes

Many common PCB mistakes can be easily avoided or at least reduced by implementing some standard procedures and best practices:

• Even the most savvy design engineer can make a mistake – often one that could be readily detected by a second designer. Initiating peer reviews can help capture at least some of these design errors or at least raise questions that may point out design flaws or missing notes and documentation that can result in manufacturing delays.
• Use the sophisticated tools available for design and PCB layout, and learn to use them effectively. Training in using design tools properly can avoid unintentional errors in layout or manufacturing specifications. Do not underestimate the value of thorough training.
• Design for manufacturing. Available layout design software applications have improved by leaps and bounds in recent years, yet it’s only as good as the software developers. Final designs generated by layout design software may provide what appears to be a workable PCB, yet when it gets to the fabricator there may be issues that make the design difficult or even impossible to manufacture. To avoid such issues, implement procedures to utilize design for manufacturing (DFM) software before the design is sent out for manufacturing of the prototype or final product. Such applications detect likely manufacturing issues, missing files, and much more.
• Utilize saved templates. By setting up standard templates that all designers have access to, designs can be completed in a more timely basis with fewer concerns for omissions and obvious errors.
• Collaborate with fabricators. By developing a relationship of good practices and consistent communications with PCB manufacturers, design engineers can resolve problem areas in the least possible time and with the lowest impact on board cost due to early detection.