1. PCB design plays a pivotal role in electronic product development, serving as a crucial substrate for electronic components. A successful PCB must not only meet aesthetic standards but also fulfill criteria such as cost efficiency, optimal electrical performance, reliability, ease of production and maintenance, and compatibility with certification requirements. According to industry experts, proficient PCB engineers should possess the following foundational knowledge:
2. Numerous PCB design software packages are available in the market. Currently, four primary software solutions dominate: CADENCE ALLEGRO, MENTOREE, Mentorpads, and Altium Designer. Among these, CADENCE ALLEGRO boasts the highest market share.
3. ALLEGRO offers various advantages, including a user-friendly interface, swift response times, high operational efficiency, extensive secondary development capabilities, robust rule management functions, specialized features for high-speed design, and strong support for large-scale projects. Notably, ALLEGRO maintains consistent performance even with substantial increases in project scale, making it highly suitable for industries such as telecommunications, commercial servers, industrial control, and military applications.
4. Common electronic components encompass resistors, capacitors, inductors, transformers, diodes, transistors, field-effect transistors, optocouplers (OC), sensors, crystal oscillators, relays, buzzers, rectifier bridges, filters, switches, fuses, and more.
5. Key signal categories include power supply, analog signals, high-speed signals, clock signals, differential signals, synchronous signals, etc.
6. Popular substrate materials include cardboard, half-glass fiber board, FR-4 glass fiber board, aluminum substrates, etc.
7. Essential knowledge areas encompass Surface Mount Technology (SMT), Through-Hole Technology (THT), among others.
8. Weldability testing serves as a vital tool for both qualitative and quantitative assessment of component, printed circuit board, solder, and flux weldability. Given the direct impact of welding quality on overall product quality in electronic assembly processes, rigorous control of process parameters and systematic weldability testing of PCBs and electronic components are imperative.
9. As integrated circuit switching speeds and PCB densities increase, ensuring signal integrity (SI) has emerged as a critical concern in high-speed digital PCB design. Signal integrity issues stemming from component and PCB parameter variations, component layout, and high-speed signal routing can lead to system instability or complete failure. Addressing signal integrity comprehensively during PCB design, including effective control measures, is paramount in the PCB design industry.
10. With the ongoing trend toward high power consumption, high density, high-speed, large current, and low voltage in electronic systems, the challenge of power supply integrity (PI) in high-speed PCB design has escalated. Proficient PCB design engineers must possess a solid understanding of SI/PI principles to facilitate optimization of PCB layouts, enhance power channel designs, and optimize decoupling capacitor configurations.
11. PCB design necessitates a holistic approach, considering factors such as functionality, cost, manufacturing technology, Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), and aesthetics. As electronic equipment experiences higher signal frequencies and processor speeds, it becomes increasingly complex, comprising multiple components and subsystems. High-density layouts and high-speed operations amplify system radiation, while low voltages and high sensitivities diminish system immunity. Consequently, Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) poses significant challenges to the safety, reliability, and stability of electronic equipment. Addressing EMI concerns through meticulous PCB design is essential in electronic product development.
2. Numerous PCB design software packages are available in the market. Currently, four primary software solutions dominate: CADENCE ALLEGRO, MENTOREE, Mentorpads, and Altium Designer. Among these, CADENCE ALLEGRO boasts the highest market share.
3. ALLEGRO offers various advantages, including a user-friendly interface, swift response times, high operational efficiency, extensive secondary development capabilities, robust rule management functions, specialized features for high-speed design, and strong support for large-scale projects. Notably, ALLEGRO maintains consistent performance even with substantial increases in project scale, making it highly suitable for industries such as telecommunications, commercial servers, industrial control, and military applications.
4. Common electronic components encompass resistors, capacitors, inductors, transformers, diodes, transistors, field-effect transistors, optocouplers (OC), sensors, crystal oscillators, relays, buzzers, rectifier bridges, filters, switches, fuses, and more.
5. Key signal categories include power supply, analog signals, high-speed signals, clock signals, differential signals, synchronous signals, etc.
6. Popular substrate materials include cardboard, half-glass fiber board, FR-4 glass fiber board, aluminum substrates, etc.
7. Essential knowledge areas encompass Surface Mount Technology (SMT), Through-Hole Technology (THT), among others.
8. Weldability testing serves as a vital tool for both qualitative and quantitative assessment of component, printed circuit board, solder, and flux weldability. Given the direct impact of welding quality on overall product quality in electronic assembly processes, rigorous control of process parameters and systematic weldability testing of PCBs and electronic components are imperative.
9. As integrated circuit switching speeds and PCB densities increase, ensuring signal integrity (SI) has emerged as a critical concern in high-speed digital PCB design. Signal integrity issues stemming from component and PCB parameter variations, component layout, and high-speed signal routing can lead to system instability or complete failure. Addressing signal integrity comprehensively during PCB design, including effective control measures, is paramount in the PCB design industry.
10. With the ongoing trend toward high power consumption, high density, high-speed, large current, and low voltage in electronic systems, the challenge of power supply integrity (PI) in high-speed PCB design has escalated. Proficient PCB design engineers must possess a solid understanding of SI/PI principles to facilitate optimization of PCB layouts, enhance power channel designs, and optimize decoupling capacitor configurations.
11. PCB design necessitates a holistic approach, considering factors such as functionality, cost, manufacturing technology, Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), and aesthetics. As electronic equipment experiences higher signal frequencies and processor speeds, it becomes increasingly complex, comprising multiple components and subsystems. High-density layouts and high-speed operations amplify system radiation, while low voltages and high sensitivities diminish system immunity. Consequently, Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) poses significant challenges to the safety, reliability, and stability of electronic equipment. Addressing EMI concerns through meticulous PCB design is essential in electronic product development.
