Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1327102
JANUARY 2021 I DESIGN007 MAGAZINE 29 azine you are currently reading. As you already know, this month's issue is focused on PCB layer stackups, and it is chock full of informa- tion and data from those who know what they are talking about. If you know someone look- ing for a little help with determining the most optimum PCB layer stackup for their design, be sure to point them this way. The good news is that with all of the help available from manufacturers, professional resources, new technologies, co-workers and peers, you have the ability to create the perfect layer stackup for your PCB design. The more I think about it, the more I realize that I was wrong about my first statement. I guess that this is one way that you can have your cake and eat it too. Parden me while I grab a fork. In the meantime, keep on designing, every- one. DESIGN007 First Page Sage: Tim Haag writes technical, thought-leadership content for First Page Sage on his longtime career as a PCB designer and EDA technologist. To read past columns or contact Haag, click here. videos, white papers, and design-related publi- cations that can help. • New technology: One of the more exciting things happening in our industry is the creation of new tools intended to help PCB design and manufacturing work better together. One of those tools is the IPC-2581 data exchange for- mat. Many manufacturers now can take your board information directly from your CAD sys- tem and create a layer configuration that will best fit its needs. Then, using the same data format, they send that layer configuration right back to your CAD system for inclusion in your design. You: One of the best resources to pass along some of these advanced PCB design skills can often be found by looking in a mirror. Yes, I mean you. If you've been laying out circuit boards for any length of time, chances are good that you already have a lot of knowledge that can be extremely valuable to those who are laying out their first designs. Don't be afraid to reach out a helping hand to those who still have a lot to learn. Along with the variety of online resources, I want to mention this edition of Design007 Mag- Traditional electric guitars have a "pickup," a magnetic transducer made with miles of copper wire coiled around magnets via a tedious, time-consuming process. Purdue Polytechnic's Davin Huston, Mark French, and Kathryn Smith (a former graduate student) have created a flexible, printed circuit board that imitates the conven- tional copper wire configurations inside electric guitars. With a conventional electric guitar pickup, string vibra- tions cause the electromagnetic field to oscillate, induce a voltage in the coil, and generate an electric signal. The team's circuit board works the same way. Davin Huston, assistant professor of practice in engi- neering technology, said, "Our circuit boards can be printed in large quantities and fit inside just about any electric guitar, which simplifies the manufacturing process but keeps the sound quality and reliability." "With typical pickups, the coils often produce undesired feedback and need to be potted with wax or a polymer," said French. "Our circuit board provides an alternative that is easier to produce with manufactured consistency." (Purdue Polytechnic Institute) Engineering Technology Team's Printed Circuit Board Design Improves Electric Guitars