PCB design services require skilled designers who know how to come up with an optimum physical layout for a printed circuit board. They use cutting-edge CAD tools and other PCB design software that helps them create all kinds of board designs. No matter what sort of board and layout is required to be made, it's always going to be a multi-stage designing process starting with schematic capture.
At this point, it would be appropriate to note that the client is usually required to provide the designer with information about at least three basic aspects. One is the aforementioned schematic, although it may also be provided by the client as a netlist file. The netlist is simply a file that contains all the connectivity information for the design, along with descriptions of components used.
Another thing the client is required to provide is the bill of materials (BOM) specifying each component used and its footprint. Designers are sometimes asked to help with component footprint capture. The client is also expected to provide the board outline. Once they have the schematic or netlist, BOM and the board outline, the designer should be able to do the rest.
Designers start with the netlist or schematic and use techniques such as library development, signal integrity checks, thermal simulation, stress analysis, EMI checking, etc. The series of intermediate steps lead to the development of a file in the gerber format. This is the final end product that designers hand over as a complete PCB image that is directly used in the manufacturing process.
Designers must be able to work on complex solutions involving everything from digital and analog to RF circuits and mixed PCBs. The board can be designed as per specifications as a single or double sided board, or a multi-layered one. The size is also likely to vary, and so will other factors such as component quantities and pin densities.
Another important thing that has to be decided in the designing stage is about the characteristics of the board. The most critical thing is deciding the technique used for creating traces and mounting components. The most widely used solution is surface-mount technology.
Under this method, end caps will be soldered on the same side of the board as the component itself. This is a huge improvement over an earlier system that made use of through-hole boards. These older boards required the leads to be inserted from one side and soldered on the traces on the board's other side.
Designing new boards is just one part of the services offered by PCB designers. They may also be asked to perform other functions such as evaluate designs, along with the components used and their footprints. Clients sometimes ask them to assist with procurement of prototypes and check for availability and pricing information against the BOM contents.
There may, in fact, be other PCB design services required even after delivery of the end product. Customers often need to do minor changes to the design right away and on an ongoing basis, and reorders are also on the cards. Designers are sometimes asked to reverse engineer the process, starting with gerber files. Coming up with a netlist or schematic from a gerber file helps the client rebuild the circuit to implement large-scale changes.
At this point, it would be appropriate to note that the client is usually required to provide the designer with information about at least three basic aspects. One is the aforementioned schematic, although it may also be provided by the client as a netlist file. The netlist is simply a file that contains all the connectivity information for the design, along with descriptions of components used.
Another thing the client is required to provide is the bill of materials (BOM) specifying each component used and its footprint. Designers are sometimes asked to help with component footprint capture. The client is also expected to provide the board outline. Once they have the schematic or netlist, BOM and the board outline, the designer should be able to do the rest.
Designers start with the netlist or schematic and use techniques such as library development, signal integrity checks, thermal simulation, stress analysis, EMI checking, etc. The series of intermediate steps lead to the development of a file in the gerber format. This is the final end product that designers hand over as a complete PCB image that is directly used in the manufacturing process.
Designers must be able to work on complex solutions involving everything from digital and analog to RF circuits and mixed PCBs. The board can be designed as per specifications as a single or double sided board, or a multi-layered one. The size is also likely to vary, and so will other factors such as component quantities and pin densities.
Another important thing that has to be decided in the designing stage is about the characteristics of the board. The most critical thing is deciding the technique used for creating traces and mounting components. The most widely used solution is surface-mount technology.
Under this method, end caps will be soldered on the same side of the board as the component itself. This is a huge improvement over an earlier system that made use of through-hole boards. These older boards required the leads to be inserted from one side and soldered on the traces on the board's other side.
Designing new boards is just one part of the services offered by PCB designers. They may also be asked to perform other functions such as evaluate designs, along with the components used and their footprints. Clients sometimes ask them to assist with procurement of prototypes and check for availability and pricing information against the BOM contents.
There may, in fact, be other PCB design services required even after delivery of the end product. Customers often need to do minor changes to the design right away and on an ongoing basis, and reorders are also on the cards. Designers are sometimes asked to reverse engineer the process, starting with gerber files. Coming up with a netlist or schematic from a gerber file helps the client rebuild the circuit to implement large-scale changes.
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