2022-12-29
Ten golden rules for high-level PCB design
Today, I will tell you what skills are there in high-level PCB design? PCB is the physical platform for PCB design, and it is also the most flexible part of the original component electronic system design. The following introduces to PCB design engineers the most effective design rules that PCB layout design and commercial manufacturing should remember and practice when using design software.
Most of these principles have not changed since the birth of commercial PCB design 25 years ago, and they are widely used in various PCB design projects, which are instructive for young PCB design engineers and more mature PCB manufacturers. Instead of following these rules in chronological order or relative importance, engineers can dramatically change product design by following them all.
Ten golden rules for high-level PCB design
High-level PCB design rule 1
Choose the right grid - set and always use a grid spacing that matches most elements. Although multigrid seems to work, engineers thinking about PCB layout early can avoid spacing difficulties and maximize board utilization. Since many devices are packaged in various sizes, engineers should use the product that best suits their design. Also, polygons are very important for copper coating of circuit boards. Typically, polygon fill deviation occurs when polygon coating multi-gate circuit boards. Although it is not as standard as a single mesh based, it can provide a longer board lifetime than required.
High-level PCB design rules 2
Keep paths shortest and most direct. This sounds simple, but it should be kept in mind at every stage, even if it means changing the layout of the board to optimize trace lengths. This is especially true for analog and high-speed digital circuits, where system performance is always limited in part by impedance and parasitic effects.
High-level PCB design rule 3
Use power planes to manage the distribution of power and ground lines as much as possible. Copper coating for power is a faster and easier option for most PCB design software. By sharing a large number of wires, the most efficient current can be delivered with the least impedance or voltage drop while providing an adequate ground return. If possible, you can also run multiple power lines in the same area of the board to confirm that the connection layer covers most of the PCB, which is good for the interaction between lines on adjacent layers.
High-level PCB design rule 4
Group related components with required test points. For example, the discrete components required for the OpAmp operational amplifier are placed close to the device so that the bypass capacitors and resistors can fit with it, helping to optimize the wiring length mentioned in rule 2 and making testing and fault detection easier .
High-level PCB design rule 5
Copy the desired board to another larger board several times to make the PCB. Choosing the optimal size for a device used by a manufacturer can help reduce prototyping and manufacturing costs. Start by laying out the boards on panels, contact the board manufacturer for preferred size specifications for each panel, then modify the design specifications and try to repeat the design as much as possible within those panel sizes.
High-level PCB design rule 6
Integrate component values. As a designer, you can choose high-value or low-value discrete components that are equally effective. Consolidation within a smaller range of standard values simplifies the bill of materials and reduces costs. If you have a line of PCB products based on preferred device values, it is better to make the right inventory management decisions in the long run.
High-level PCB design rule 7
Most of these principles have not changed since the birth of commercial PCB design 25 years ago, and they are widely used in various PCB design projects, which are instructive for young PCB design engineers and more mature PCB manufacturers. Instead of following these rules in chronological order or relative importance, engineers can dramatically change product design by following them all.
Ten golden rules for high-level PCB design
High-level PCB design rule 1
Choose the right grid - set and always use a grid spacing that matches most elements. Although multigrid seems to work, engineers thinking about PCB layout early can avoid spacing difficulties and maximize board utilization. Since many devices are packaged in various sizes, engineers should use the product that best suits their design. Also, polygons are very important for copper coating of circuit boards. Typically, polygon fill deviation occurs when polygon coating multi-gate circuit boards. Although it is not as standard as a single mesh based, it can provide a longer board lifetime than required.
High-level PCB design rules 2
Keep paths shortest and most direct. This sounds simple, but it should be kept in mind at every stage, even if it means changing the layout of the board to optimize trace lengths. This is especially true for analog and high-speed digital circuits, where system performance is always limited in part by impedance and parasitic effects.
High-level PCB design rule 3
Use power planes to manage the distribution of power and ground lines as much as possible. Copper coating for power is a faster and easier option for most PCB design software. By sharing a large number of wires, the most efficient current can be delivered with the least impedance or voltage drop while providing an adequate ground return. If possible, you can also run multiple power lines in the same area of the board to confirm that the connection layer covers most of the PCB, which is good for the interaction between lines on adjacent layers.
High-level PCB design rule 4
Group related components with required test points. For example, the discrete components required for the OpAmp operational amplifier are placed close to the device so that the bypass capacitors and resistors can fit with it, helping to optimize the wiring length mentioned in rule 2 and making testing and fault detection easier .
High-level PCB design rule 5
Copy the desired board to another larger board several times to make the PCB. Choosing the optimal size for a device used by a manufacturer can help reduce prototyping and manufacturing costs. Start by laying out the boards on panels, contact the board manufacturer for preferred size specifications for each panel, then modify the design specifications and try to repeat the design as much as possible within those panel sizes.
High-level PCB design rule 6
Integrate component values. As a designer, you can choose high-value or low-value discrete components that are equally effective. Consolidation within a smaller range of standard values simplifies the bill of materials and reduces costs. If you have a line of PCB products based on preferred device values, it is better to make the right inventory management decisions in the long run.
High-level PCB design rule 7
Do as many Design Rule Checks (DRCs) as possible. Although it only takes a short time to run a DRC on a PCB, it is a good habit to maintain in more complex design environments where you can save a lot of time by doing checks throughout the design process. Every wiring decision is critical, and DRC can be used to remind you of the most important ones.
High-level PCB design rule 8
Flexible use of screen printing. Screen printing can be used to mark various useful information for future use by circuit board manufacturers, service or test engineers, installers or equipment debuggers. Even though these precautions are printed on the underside of the components used on the board (after the board is assembled), not only are the function and test point labels clearly marked, but the orientation of the components and connectors is as clear as possible. Assembled on the upper and lower surfaces of the circuit board, making full use of screen printing can reduce rework and simplify the production process.
High-level PCB design rule 9
The decoupling capacitor must be selected. Don't try to optimize the design by avoiding decoupling power lines and depending on the limits in the component's datasheet. Capacitors are cheap and durable, so you can spend more time assembling them while following rule 6 and using a range of standard values to keep them in stock.
High-level PCB design rule 10
Generate PCB manufacturing parameters and validate them before committing to production. Most board manufacturers will be happy to download and verify the file directly for you, but it's best to print out the Gerber file yourself and use a free reader to check that the file is as expected to avoid misunderstandings. By checking yourself, you might even catch some careless mistakes, saving you from missing out on following the wrong parameters.
As circuit designs are widely shared and internal teams rely more and more on reference designs, such ground rules will remain a function of PCB design, which we believe is important for PCB design. With these basic rules in place, developers have the flexibility to add value to their products and get the most out of the boards they make. Even for novice board designers, simply keeping these basic rules in mind can speed up the learning process and boost confidence. Some companies require PCB engineers to master 1 or 2 PCB design tools.
High-level PCB design rule 8
Flexible use of screen printing. Screen printing can be used to mark various useful information for future use by circuit board manufacturers, service or test engineers, installers or equipment debuggers. Even though these precautions are printed on the underside of the components used on the board (after the board is assembled), not only are the function and test point labels clearly marked, but the orientation of the components and connectors is as clear as possible. Assembled on the upper and lower surfaces of the circuit board, making full use of screen printing can reduce rework and simplify the production process.
High-level PCB design rule 9
The decoupling capacitor must be selected. Don't try to optimize the design by avoiding decoupling power lines and depending on the limits in the component's datasheet. Capacitors are cheap and durable, so you can spend more time assembling them while following rule 6 and using a range of standard values to keep them in stock.
High-level PCB design rule 10
Generate PCB manufacturing parameters and validate them before committing to production. Most board manufacturers will be happy to download and verify the file directly for you, but it's best to print out the Gerber file yourself and use a free reader to check that the file is as expected to avoid misunderstandings. By checking yourself, you might even catch some careless mistakes, saving you from missing out on following the wrong parameters.
As circuit designs are widely shared and internal teams rely more and more on reference designs, such ground rules will remain a function of PCB design, which we believe is important for PCB design. With these basic rules in place, developers have the flexibility to add value to their products and get the most out of the boards they make. Even for novice board designers, simply keeping these basic rules in mind can speed up the learning process and boost confidence. Some companies require PCB engineers to master 1 or 2 PCB design tools.
