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44 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I JANUARY 2023 As handheld and wearable technology become vital tools for industries ranging from health services to law enforcement, innova- tion increasingly coincides with PCBs getting smaller. For these devices, multi-layered PCBs offer requisite functionality for boards occu- pying a small space. Multilayer PCBs enable more circuitr y, components, and functionality to fit in a smaller space, as com- pared to single-layer or double-sided PCBs. Without them, min- iatur ization would be much more chal- l e ng i ng a n d m a ny of our coolest proj- ects would rapidly become too clunky and unwieldy. ough multilayer PCBs are becoming more com- mon, many designers still have limited experience with multilayer board design. is can make the prospect of attempting such a design seem daunting, but multilayer boards do not have to be a hassle. Demystifying Multilayer PCBs Just think of them as multiple single-layer boards stacked together. Sound design processes for multilayer boards mirror that of single-layer PCBs: Choose the right CAD tool to optimize design capabilities and best support the transition from design to manufacture. Look for design tools that will confirm design integ- rity and perform design rule checks. Following established b e s t p r a c t i c e s f o r design of multilayer PCBs means becom- ing familiar with mult i layer de s ig n tips and guidelines p r o v i d e d b y t h e C A D to o l , ga i n i ng knowledge about tol- e r a n c e s a n d c o m p o - nents unique to multilayer b o a r d s , a n d k n o w i ng t h e manufacturer's requirements for multilayer designs. It is also a good idea to understand how mul- tilayer boards are manufactured. e process, though complex, is easy to explain. Let's break Connect the Dots by Matt Stevenson, SUNSTONE CIRCUITS