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54 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I JUNE 2024 vent many headaches and costly delays. Lami- nation is a required step in the manufacture of multilayer boards, and preparing for this step requires a basic understanding of the materials and processes used. So far, this column has covered everything from CAD tools to CAM preparation, as well as materials and imaging. is time, I'll dive into the specifics and discuss the stacking and lamination process for multilayer PCBs. Registration and Stacking e goal of the registration process in PCB manufacturing is to accurately align the drill holes to the copper pads across multiple layers of the board. e correct alignment of these layers is critical because the through-holes must align perfectly to connect the intended paths without creating an unreliable connec- As many of you have likely figured out, I am quite passionate about the subject of designing PCBs for the reality of manufacturing. I wrote a book about it and I participate in an I-Con- nect007 On the Line with… podcast series ded- icated to the subject. is companion article will focus on multi- layer lamination, keeping the bigger picture in mind: Realistic PCB designs should prioritize manufacturability and reliability of the PCB as well as meet the other design requirements. So, one must account for the production vari- ables associated with individual manufactur- ing partners. Why the Lamination Process Is So Important W hen designing for manufacturability, understanding the lamination process can pre- Designing for Reality: Lamination and Materials Connect the Dots by Matt Stevenson, SUNSTONE CIRCUITS