Protel PCB was one of the early and widely used printed circuit board (PCB) design software tools for electronic engineers to lay out boards. Originally created by Labcenter Electronics in the UK, Protel became popular in the 1990s for schematic capture and PCB layout. The technology and brand name got … Read more

Designing a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) for Radio Frequency (RF) applications is vastly different from designing a board for typical digital logic applications. Even small changes in layout geometry or component selection can make the difference between a board that achieves the desired performance vs one that underperforms or is … Read more

Radio frequency (RF) printed circuit boards (PCBs) are becoming ubiquitous across industries as wireless connectivity gets integrated into products like smartphones, vehicles, IoT devices, communication infrastructure and so on. However, RF design practices have remained a “dark art” relegated to specialized roles. This article attempts to bridge the gap by … Read more

Rigid flex PCBs rigid flex pcb design guidelines combine rigid printed circuit boards and flexible printed circuit boards into a single interconnected assembly. By incorporating both rigid sections and flexible folds, rigid flex allows conformal adaptation to space constrained 3D enclosures found in products like foldable mobile devices, wearables, medical … Read more

A rigid flex PCB (also known as rigid flexible printed circuit board) combines rigid PCBs and flexible PCB circuits together into one interconnected PCB unit. They provide solutions when dealing with complex interconnections between components in limited spaces and for applications where flexible and dynamic motion or vibration is involved. … Read more

A printed circuit board (PCB) serves as the physical platform that electronically connects components using copper traces etched from laminated sheets. The PCB Layout is designed based on the electrical connectivity described in the schematic diagram. This guide covers the following aspects involved in transforming a schematic into the corresponding … Read more

Shenzhen is known as the electronics and manufacturing hub of China, with a huge ecosystem of companies specializing in PCB (printed circuit board) design and manufacturing. As products continue getting more compact and complex, the PCB design process requires more sophisticated tools and expertise. This makes choosing the right PCB … Read more

As electronics become faster with data rates exceeding Gbps speeds, ensuring flawless signal transmission across PCB interconnects proves imperative for reliable functionality. However, several parasitic electrical phenomenon during high speed signaling can accumulate degrading waveform quality – falling under the discipline of signal integrity. This comprehensive guide covers common signal … Read more

SnapEDA offers a free cloud library containing over 500,000 ready-to-use CAD models for electronic components, including schematic symbols and PCB footprints. This covers common parts like resistors and caps to complex ICs, connectors across all manufacturers serving prototype to production needs. PCB and schematic footprint availability remains one of the … Read more