Technical Insights
Expert insights on PCB manufacturing, assembly excellence, and cutting-edge electronic technologies
Compare SAC305 and Sn63Pb37 solder: melting points, reflow peak, RoHS exemptions, joint reliability, and when leaded solder is still allowed in PCBA.
Identify common circuit board components by look and reference designator (R, C, U, Q, D), and learn which ones drive cost, lead time and sourcing risk.
A step-by-step PCB design guide covering stackup, placement, routing, DFM checks and the files a manufacturer needs to quote and build your board.
How reflow soldering works in SMT: paste printing, placement, preheat, soak, reflow and cooling zones, common defects, and what process records to request.
What RoHS compliant means for PCBs and PCBA: the 10 restricted substances, RoHS 2 vs RoHS 3, exemptions, and which documents to request from suppliers.
Identify cold solder joints, bridges, solder balls and cracked joints: visual signs, root causes, IPC-A-610 acceptance, and which inspection catches each.
Standard PCB thickness is 1.57 mm (0.062 in). See common board thicknesses by layer count, tolerances, and when to choose thinner or thicker boards.
How wave soldering works (flux, preheat, wave, cool), how to set the profile, and when to choose wave, selective or reflow soldering for THT parts.
A Gerber file describes each PCB layer for fabrication. Learn RS-274X vs X2, layer file extensions, what to send with Gerbers and how to check them.
PCB means printed circuit board. Learn what a PCB is made of, its layers and parts, the main board types, and how a bare board becomes a working PCBA.
A PCB via connects copper between layers. Compare through, blind, buried, micro and via-in-pad vias by drill size, aspect ratio, cost and when each fits.
BGA means ball grid array. Learn BGA package types, solder balls, LGA vs BGA, how BGAs are soldered and X-ray inspected, and what they demand of the PCB.
