IPC International Community magazine an association member publication
Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1544398
The simple rectangular rigid PCB is becoming increasingly infrequent. This reality necessitates designing with concepts well out- side traditional rigid PCB methodologies. For example, the designer of wearable electron- ics may need to implement conductive fibers integrated into the textile material. Heads-up displays, like those in VR/AR headsets and glasses, require transparent circuitry etched into the display glass. The process of design- ing without a rule book usually starts with something other than the traditional board design process. In this process, the complete schematic is sent to the PCB layout tool. The first step is usually to define or import the mechanical board outline from the mechanical design en- gineer's or the customer's specification. Next, you define the board stackup and place all the parts into the design, followed by routing and validation. Finally, you have documentation and manufacturing file generation. In new designs, there are often several steps that differ from this traditional approach. First, when considering modern designs, it may be necessary to select specialty materi- als with properties that may not have been accounted for in the designs' electrical re- quirements. You may need to select materials for thermal, chemical, or mechanical needs. In the case of 3D-printed electronics, there is no reinforcement material (glass) like that used in a traditional PCB design. In this case, conduct a physics study of the materials first, focusing on the conductive Rethinking Stackup, Materials, and Tolerances in Modern Designs F E AT U R E A RT I C L E BY K R I ST I N M OY E R , G LO BA L E L ECT RO N I C S AS S O C I AT I O N 50 I-CONNECT007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2026