6 Common Myths About PCB Design
Are you interested in learning more about printed circuit board (PCB) design but aren’t sure how to separate fact from fiction when it comes to myths about PCB design?
We’re here to do our very own version of ‘Mythbusters” when it comes to PCB design! We want you to be confident that you know what’s true and what isn’t true for electronic circuit design.
These are six of the most common myths about PCB design:
- Acid traps can be a problem with 90-degree angles.
- Trace widths in printed circuit boards can’t be smaller than three mils.
- Printed circuit board design software can’t be used across platforms.
- Your only goal is to get the printed circuit board working.
- All PCB design tools are alike.
- You don’t need more than one PCB component supplier.
When you come to Circuits Central for your Toronto-area electronic circuit design, you’ll get first-rate electronics design and engineering.
Myth 1: Acid Traps Can Happen WIth 90 Degree Angles in a Printed Circuit Board
Many people believe that you need to avoid having any kind of 90-degree angle when designing printed circuit boards because of potential issues with the acid coating. In the past, acid traps could have caused severe problems with 90-degree angles. However, this is no longer something designers need to be worried about, as most PCBs are no longer etched with an alkaline solution.
Myth 2: A Printed Circuit Board Can’t Have a Trade Width Smaller Than 3 Mils
A mil is equal to one-thousandth of an inch, or 0.001 inches. For printed circuit board design, it used to be that a designer could never have a trace width smaller than three-thousandths of an inch. Now, however, trace widths can be even smaller than three mils and not cause issues due to significant developments in semi-additive manufacturing.
Myth 3: Printed Circuit Board Design Software Can’t Be Used Across Platforms
Another common PCB design myth is that PCB design software doesn’t work on more than one platform. While this may be true with some PCB design software, it isn’t true with all of them. Some PCB design software can be adapted to work on more than one platform, such as Linux and macOS.
Myth 4: Your Only Goal is to Get Your Printed Circuit Board Working
You may feel that your only goal with printed circuit board design is to make sure that you design a board that works - and then you’re done! But your job with printed circuit board design goes beyond just achieving basic functionality.
You also want to ensure that your printed circuit board is sleek, efficient, and cost-effective. And you don’t want a buggy printed circuit board either!
Myth 5: All PCB Design Tools Are Alike
When it comes to PCB design, you may feel like you should just go for the least expensive tools, or even a free one if you can find it. Or perhaps you have a favourite PCB design tool and have no interest in working with any other device.
It’s important to be flexible in which PCB design tool you use, as they aren’t all alike. The right PCB design tool for you is one that best suits your design needs. You also need to consider other factors when selecting a tool, such as the size of its content library and how much support the manufacturer offers.
The key to getting the best PCB design tool for you is to determine what you genuinely need and then find a tool that meets your needs and doesn’t disrupt your current setup!
Myth 6: You Don’t Need More Than One PCB Component Supplier
When you’re looking at suppliers for components for your newly-designed PCB, you may think that you only need one supplier. After all, if you’ve found somewhere that supplies the parts you need at a price that works, why would you look elsewhere?
It’s essential to have a backup supplier in case anything happens to your primary supplier. After all, you never know when your primary supplier could have a problem - anything from a fire at the plant to a lack of qualified workers. And a delay in receiving supplies could put your projects at risk!
Why should I choose Circuits Central for Toronto-area electronic circuit design?
At Circuits Central, we want to be your number one choice for electronic circuit design.
When you come to us for Toronto electronic circuit design, we’ll take the time to sit down with you to determine your specific needs when it comes to printed circuit boards. We want to deliver a product to you that will make you stand out amongst your competitors!
With our comprehensive printed circuit board development process, we offer:
- Requirement and specifications gathering
- Generation of a PCB component footprint library
- PCB layout and routing
- PCB verification
- Production readiness testing
We serve a variety of industries, including Communication, Medical, Renewable Energy and even the Aerospace industry. We aim to be your one-stop shop when it comes to Toronto electronic circuit design.
In addition to Toronto electronic circuit design, we also provide electronic prototyping (enabling you to test your design quickly) and small-batch manufacturing (allowing you to test out your product before proceeding to full-blown manufacturing).
PCB Design Myths - Busted!
We hope you feel a little more confident in your PCB design knowledge now that we’ve busted these six myths about PCB design:
- 90-degree angles can be prone to becoming acids traps.
- Trace widths have a minimum size of 3 mils.
- Printed circuit board design software can only ever be used on one platform.
- As a designer, you have no concerns beyond a working PCB.
- It doesn’t matter what PCB design tool you use.
- You don’t need a backup PCB component supplier.
At Circuits Central, we want to be your first choice for electronic circuit design in Toronto. Our comprehensive PCB development process ensures that you’ll get a unique product that you can rely on.
Contact Us About Toronto Electronic Circuit Design
If you’d like to learn more about Toronto electronic circuit design, or any of the other services we offer, contact Circuits Central at 1-888-602-7264 or contact us here.