PCB Design
The Threat of ESD to USB Interfaces USB interfaces are vulnerable to damage from electrostatic discharge (ESD) events. ESD is the sudden flow of electricity between two electrically charged objects, which can deliver thousands of volts to electronic components. This can overload and damage sensitive integrated circuits and chips in USB ports and connected devices….
Connecting the Dots: How Chassis Grounding Impacts Signal Integrity and Safety The chassis ground forms the foundation of any system’s ability to reliably transmit signals without interference. Properly bonding the chassis ground to the signal ground creates a low-impedance return path that gives signals a defined path to follow through the system. This helps prevent…
Ensuring Continuity Through Change Electronic components such as integrated circuits (ICs), resistors, capacitors, and transistors are fundamental building blocks of modern electronic systems. As components evolve from one generation to the next, changes in their specifications, packaging, materials, and other attributes are inevitable. Tracking these changes over time is critical for maintaining continuity and traceability…
Spotting Fake Parts Counterfeit electronic components are becoming increasingly common in supply chains. These fraudulent parts can lead to reduced reliability and failures in critical systems. Proactively identifying counterfeits is essential to avoid associated risks. Certain types of components are more vulnerable to counterfeiting including integrated circuits (ICs), capacitors, resistors, inductors, relays, and connectors. Counterfeiters…
Identifying Noise Sources in PCB Designs Unwanted noise in printed circuit boards (PCBs) can arise from various sources, both external and internal to the board itself. Carefully identifying the root cause of noise issues is crucial for applying targeted debugging and mitigation strategies. External Noise Coupling External noise coupling refers to unwanted pickup of electromagnetic…
What are Return Current Paths and Why Control Them? Return current paths refer to the routes that return currents take through reference planes back to their source. As high-speed signals propagate along traces in a PCB, equal but opposite return currents flow back through the ground or power planes. These return current paths are critical…
Proper Grounding Mitigates Noise in Mixed Signal Designs Establishing a low impedance return path for signals is critical in mixed signal printed circuit board (PCB) design. The ground plane provides this return path, allowing signal currents to complete their loop, which minimizes electromagnetic interference (EMI) emissions. Impedance discontinuities in the return path can enable noise…
The Rise of Computer-Aided Design and the Demise of Manual Drafting The advent of computer-aided design (CAD) software revolutionized the field of technical drawing and schematic diagram creation. Over the past few decades, CAD has largely replaced manual drafting techniques that relied on physical tools like pencils, pens, compasses, protractors, and drafting tables. This transition…
The Need for Component Identification in PCB Design Maintaining design intent throughout the manufacturing process requires reliable component identification at every stage. If components are incorrectly identified or substituted, the resulting printed circuit board (PCB) will not function as designed. Component identification ensures each integrated circuit, transistor, connector, passive component, etc. is the correct part…
Determining Component Identity from Abraded Markings When presented with an electronic component that has visual markings that have been degraded over time, the first step in determining the identity of the component is a thorough visual inspection. Using a magnifying glass allows the investigator to closely scrutinize any distinguishing features that can aid identification. Examining…
