6 common mistakes in PCB design

6 common mistakes in PCB design

Let us face the reality. People will make mistakes, and PCB design engineers are no exception. Contrary to the general public's understanding, as long as we can learn the lessons in these mistakes, it is not a bad thing to make mistakes. The following is a brief summary of some common mistakes in PCB design.

1. Lack of planning

The common saying: "If a person has no plans beforehand, then there will be corresponding troubles to find you." This of course also applies to the design of the PCB. One of the many steps to make a PCB design successful is to choose the right tool. Today's PCB design engineers can find many powerful and easy-to-use electronic design automation (EDA) software suites on the market. Each has its own capabilities, strengths and limitations. In addition, you should also pay attention to the fact that there is no flawless software, so problems such as component packaging mismatch will definitely occur. There is no single tool that can satisfy all your needs. If you do, you still have to work hard to find the best product that best suits your needs. Some information on the web can help you get started quickly.

2. Poor communication

Although the design of the PCB board is completely packaged by the design company, and it is often very cost-effective, this approach is not suitable for the difficult PCB design, because in this design, the function and reliability are extremely pivotal. . With the increase in design complexity, in order to ensure accurate part layout and line layout, face-to-face communication between engineers and PCB designers becomes very important. This face-to-face communication will help to save future expensive. Rework work.

It is also important to ask the manufacturer of the PCB board for assistance during the early rise of the design. This way they can make good recommendations for your initial design, and manufacturers can improve efficiency based on procedures and processes, which will help you save considerable time and money in the long run. With their understanding and support for you, and their involvement in the early stages of PCB layout, you can avoid any latent problems before the product is put into production, greatly reducing the time it takes for the product to go to market.

3. Early failed to accurately detect the prototype

The prototype board allows you to verify that your design is working according to the original specifications. Prototype testing allows you to verify the functionality and quality of your PCB and its capabilities before mass production. A successful prototype requires a lot of experience and time testing, but a strong test plan and a clear set of goals can shorten the evaluation time and also reduce the likelihood of production-related errors. If any problems are found during the prototype test, a second test is required on the length of the reconfigured board. In the early design phase, you need to consider a variety of high-risk factors, so you can benefit a lot from the testing process, identify any latent problems early, reduce risks, and ensure early planning.

Measuring the signal on a prototype board

4. Use inefficient layout techniques or inaccurate components

Smaller, faster devices allow PCB designers to lay out complex designs that use smaller components to reduce footprint and their proximity is small. Some techniques, such as embedded discrete devices inside the PCB layer, or smaller pin-to-space ball grid array (BGA) packages, will help reduce PCB board size, improve performance, and preserve space for encounters. You can redo after the topic. When used with very small pitch components and high pin counts, it is important to choose the exact board layout technique at design time, so you can avoid problems in the future and minimize manufacturing costs.

In addition, be sure to study the range of values ​​and features of the replacement components you plan to use, even those that are marked as directly insertable. Subsequent small changes in component characteristics are very likely to affect or mess up the entire design.

5. Back up your work

Be sure to back up your important data. This does not require special reminders. At the very least, you should back up your most important work and other hard-to-replace files. Although most companies back up all of the company's data every day, there are some smaller companies that don't, or if you work from home, you won't. Nowadays, backing up data to the cloud is so easy and cheap. There is no excuse for not backing up the data, keeping the data in a safe place, so that it can be stolen, hit fire, and other local disasters.

6. Become a single island

Earlier during my time as an engineering designer, I spent a lot of time on the review of code design. But looking back now, I have to admit that they are really a very important part of the process, and that PCB design is just as important. Although you may think that your design is flawless, and the error will not be your style at all, but many times, your companion sees your design will find some errors you did not notice. Sometimes, even if you are very familiar with the intricate details of design, but for those who have less contact, they will maintain a more objective position and make invaluable opinions. Colleagues with you often review your design, help you find unforeseen problems, keep your plans on track, and keep your budget within budget.