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82 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2021 Electronic designs in which the architecture deploys the PCB are also subject to variation, and just like Brunel, when designing a PCB in today's computer simulated environment, it helps to have a thorough understanding of the foundation you are using to build your design. e unsung hero of electronic designs—the PCB—provides the mechanical, thermal, and electrical platform on which 90% of electronic designs are realised. Simulation can only be as good as the source data, so the better understanding you have of the materials in your stack, the better the understanding of the effect of the PCB produc- tion process on those materials. is puts you a step ahead when you are modelling how the finished product will behave. Modeling stack- ups involves a mix of disciplines, the simula- tion tool needs to know the material types, the glass/resin ratios, and the target copper den- sity of the finished design to predict how the materials will press and cure into the final fin- ished height. Locations of drill ends are needed so that plating thickness can be accounted for. Understanding Materials Returning to the civil engineering analogy, when tunnelling it's a matter of life or death, so it is vital to understand the strata you are work- ing in. With PCBs, careful consideration of the substrate materials can yield benefits. Working with spread glass reinforcement as opposed to Figure 2: Virtual or generic materials. (Report: Polar Speedstack) Figure 3: Mandated materials. (Report: Polar Speedstack)