OCTOBER 2019 I DESIGN007 MAGAZINE 105
5
Design Rule Checks Cut Down
Board Respins
E
PCB designs commonly un-
dergo multiple respins as a
result of inconspicuous sig-
nal integrity (SI), power in-
tegrity (PI), and electromag-
netic interference (EMI) vio-
lations. At an average cost of
nearly $28,000 per respin, ensuring that a giv-
en design meets its performance, time to mar-
ket, and cost goals is imperative. To help elim-
inate complicated and difficult-to-diagnose
layout violations, some PCB tool suites offer
unique electrical design rule checks (DRC).
6
The Right Approach: A Conversation
With Prototron's Van Chiem
E
Steve Williams recently spoke
with Van Chiem, a process en-
gineer with Prototron Circuits,
about developing in-house
flex and rigid-flex processes
and capabilities at their facil-
ity in Tucson, Arizona.
7
Fresh PCB Concepts: Why Material
Selection Matters
E
When you're designing a PCB,
it's standard to call out FR-4
material, but you could be
holding yourself back or even
exposing your board to risk by
not knowing more about PCB
materials. Let's take a small
look into why. What Is FR-4, exactly? Harry
Kennedy of NCAB explains.
8
Connect the Dots: MakeHarvard
2019—Bigger and Better!
E
Sunstone Circuits was ea-
ger to return to MakeHar-
vard as a sponsor and cre-
ator of a competition catego-
ry this year, also serving as
both mentors and competi-
tion judges. If you were there, you saw us—we
were hard to miss in our bright orange vests.
As mentors, we were out and about helping
students and answering questions.
9
Cadence Launches Celsius
Thermal Solver
E
Cadence Design Systems Inc. has expanded
its presence in the system analysis and de-
sign market with the introduction of the Ca-
dence Celsius Thermal Solver, the industry's
first complete electrical-thermal co-simulation
solution for the full hierarchy of electronic sys-
tems from ICs to physical enclosures.
J
CA Design's Bob Chandler on
Training PCB Designers
E
CA Design owners Bob
Chandler and his partner
Robin Reynolds have worked
together for many years,
preaching the "gospel of
Bob," which is based on the
theory that all PCB designers
need to be properly trained. Part of that train-
ing has to include a complete understanding of
the process of creating PCBs. I caught up with
CTO Bob Chandler about design, training, and
what we have to do to improve the designer/
fabricator relationship.
PCBDesign007.com for the latest circuit design news and information.
Flex007.com focuses on the rapidly growing flexible and rigid-flex circuit market.
Bob Tise
Steve Williams
Harry Kennedy
Bob Chandler
