Whether you have a need for a double sided or multi layer cheap circuit boards, Advanced Circuits is your one stop printed circuit board provider. Deciding whether you need to order your printed circuit board as a Standard Spec or as a Custom Spec board is simply a matter of looking at the specs. Standard Spec boards (PCBS)are inspected to IPC Class 2 Standards and Custom Spec Boards are inspected to either IPC Class 2 or Class 3 depending on what option is chosen.

Quantity doesn’t matter. We will make as few as one pcb as either a Standard Spec or Custom Spec order. No order is too small for us!

Quality is the same. All Standard Spec and Custom orders go through the same rigorous fabrication and quality check process.

Turnaround time is the same. We can produce your Custom Spec order, including multi layer PCBs just as quickly as our Standard Specs orders even creating them in one day if needed.

A printed circuit board, or PCB Board, is used to mechanically support and electrically connect electronic components using conductive pathways, tracks or signal traces etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. When the board has only copper tracks and features, and no circuit elements such as capacitors, resistors or active devices have been manufactured into the actual substrate of the board, it is more correctly referred to as printed wiring board (PWB) or etched wiring board. Use of the term PWB or printed wiring board although more accurate and distinct from what would be known as a true printed circuit board, has generally fallen by the wayside for many people as the distinction between circuit and wiring has become blurred. Today printed wiring (circuit) boards are used in virtually all but the simplest commercially produced electronic devices, and allow fully automated assembly processes that were not possible or practical in earlier era tag type circuit assembly processes.

Source:

Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printed_circuit_board
4PCB.com:  PCB Board

Milled PCB Prototyping

Printed circuit board milling (also: isolation milling) is the process of removing areas of copper from a sheet of printed circuit board material to recreate the pads, signal traces and structures according to patterns from a digital circuit board plan known as a layout file. Similar to the more common and well known chemical PCB etch process, the PCB Prototyping milling process is subtractive: material is removed to create the electrical isolation and ground planes required. However, unlike the chemical etch process, PCB milling is typically a non-chemical process and as such it can be completed in a typical office or lab environment without exposure to hazardous chemicals. High quality circuit boards can be produced using either process. In the case of PCB milling, the quality of a circuit board is chiefly determined by the system’s true, or weighted, milling accuracy and control as well as the condition (sharpness, temper) of the milling bits and their respective feed/rotational speeds. By contrast, in the chemical etch process, the quality of a circuit board depends on the accuracy and/or quality of the photomasking and the state of the etching chemicals.

Source:

Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCB_Prototyping
4PCB.com:  PCB Prototyping

An important part of the design process for PCBs is making sure that your boards are scored correctly so that they will work in your final assembly without issue. Scoring for printed circuit boards is a “v” groove that is cut into the top and bottom surfaces of an array configuration of multiple boards or a PCB with a removable frame or rails. When scoring is used, the PCBs are typically set up side by side and end to end with no gape between edges. The result is the v-groove cutting into the area of the boards, so a .015” clearance between the edge of the boards and any conductors is required.

Indicate Scoring Requirements In Printed Circuit Board Order

When you are in the process of placing your order for printed circuit boards that require scoring it is important to indicate your requirement on the order form. The standard scoring angle at Advanced Circuits is 30 degrees, but a 60-degree angle is available for a premium price. Work with your sales representative if you have any questions about scoring on your PCBs and how they will benefit your project. In order to allow the manufacturing and assembly process to go smoothly, be sure to indicate locations of the score line in your fabrication or panel print when submitting your files. This will allow the team to see exactly how your PCBs need to be scored so that you can attain the quality you need from your printed circuit boards.

Over the last four decades, e-glass supported FR-4 laminates have been the material of choice in the manufacturing of printed circuit boards. As the needs of the electronics and engineering fields evolve and require next-generation materials for products and other applications, the capabilities of the PCB industry must also advance. The circuit board has become an integral part of the signal path with controlled impedance and specific transmission line performance specifications, which are essential for the product design. Luckily, high-performance materials in the FR-4 category have emerged. In addition to developing materials and laminates that will perform at a higher level and temperature, PCB designers and manufacturers will need to create circuit boards that are laid out in a way that helps reduce heat and friction so the PCB can thrive under pressure. With new advances in high frequency and RF materials and even more on the horizon, it will be no surprise when new products appear that can do more than we ever thought possible.

Design Printed Circuit Boards with the Future in Mind

When you are designing your printed circuit boards it is important to take all of your application’s needs into account. In addition to any space limitation you may have, you want to make sure that you have enough power for your components so that you do not sacrifice quality. Take a look at the different finishing and laminate options available for your PCBs as well. This will help ensure that you get the high quality board you need. To get started and place an order, contact an expert at Advanced Circuits today.

One of the most common items that you will find if you take apart the electronics in your home is the circuit board. Printed circuit boards, or PCBs, are the brains of your devices and are responsible for making sure that it functions as designed. In order to make sure that your product is going to run as you need it to, you will want to design a PCB from scratch. This is due to the fact that you will be able to layout the board so it can work with the components you need. In addition, by designing a custom board you can be sure that it will fit into the device that you are creating. Once you have come up with a design that works for your needs, you will also be able to easily reorder more PCBs as necessary. Hobbyists and large-scale companies benefit from custom PCBs because it gives you ownership over every step of the production process. To begin with a custom PCB order, create your design with PCB software so your files can be easily submitted to your manufacturer and assembly company.

Steps for Placing Your Order for Printed Circuit Boards

It is the goal of every engineer to get the printed circuit boards they need without any delays in the ordering process. To accomplish this, it is important that the PCB design is free from errors that will result in the order being placed on CAM hold. To place your order, start by designing your PCB and laying out all of your components. Request a quote either instantly or after a more detailed review of your Gerber files.  Once all of your information is received you will be able to place your order and quickly get the PCBs you need for your project. Contact an expert at Advanced Circuits today to learn more.

According to IPC’s World PCB Production Report for the Year 2012, the world market for printed circuit boards reached nearly $60 billion in 2012. This figure represents a 1.7 percent real growth over the previous year. The report contains estimates of production value by product category and country while also giving opinion on trends in the PCB industry from a regional and global perspective. The report found that Asia accounts for 90 percent of the world’s production of printed circuit boards. China leads the way at 42.8 percent while Japan ranks a distant second at 16 percent. The United States stayed even at fifth in the rankings by accounting for just under five percent of the world’s production. Also noted in the report is a detailed looked at PCB production in each country. Rigid flex PCBs saw the highest growth across all categories last year

New Printed Circuit Board Capabilities on the Horizon

Designing products and applications that require the latest in printed circuit board technology will allow you to include all of the components you need and know that everything will work correctly. Whether you need standard or custom spec PCBs, the experts at Advanced Circuits will be able to assist you in your production and assembly stages. There is no need to be frustrated by boards that don’t work or by having to place a large order when you only need a few PCBs. Contact a representative today to learn how you can get the printed circuit boards you need to complete your project.

If you notice that your circuit board is collecting dust or grime that keeps it from functioning normally, you may decide to clean the board before completely replacing it. There are different methods for cleaning printed circuit boards depending on the type of PCB you have and what dirt or buildup exists. Before you begin to clean your PCB, be aware that any time you do so you run the risk of causing damage to the board and components. Therefore, if the board works normally but is just a bit dusty you must decide if attempting to clean the PCB is worth the risk. For PCBs with only light dust, use an old dry toothbrush, dry paintbrush or the upholstery brush from your vacuum to loosen the dust. Then you can use a can of compressed air to blow the remainder of dust off of the board.

Have Harder Grime Stuck to Your Printed Circuit Boards?

The cleaning process becomes a bit trickier if you have grime on your printed circuit boards. Grime is common with monitor chassis boards that deal with higher temperatures and melting wax from components. Be sure to remove any socketed components before applying detergent and scrubbing mildly to loosen whatever is caked onto your PCB. Since this method may not work 100 percent of the time, it is a good idea to consult a PCB expert to see what you can potentially do to clean your circuit board and get it back into working order. If it cannot be fixed, you will need to place an order for a new board. Contact a representative at Advanced Circuits today to learn more.

The 2013 PCB West show recently wrapped up in California and judging by interest in the event the industry has a lot to look forward to in the coming years. Attendance was up 20.3 percent year-over-year, largely due to a 22 percent increase in exhibitors. Printed circuit board designers, fabricators and assemblers all came together to make PCB West the largest technical program in years as conference attendance rose 31 percent from last year, according to UP Media Group. The most popular sessions during the conference included those on common PCB design errors, 3-D IC packaging and signal integrity. This means it is becoming more important than ever to design and produce printed circuit boards that are highly efficient in their intended application. PCB West was held Sept. 24-26 at the Santa Clara Convention Center in California and was sponsored by the UP Media Group publications PRINTED CIRCUIT DESIGN & FAB and CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY.

With the latest in technology making its way into new smartphone and tablet devices every year, it gets more and more difficult for traditional manufacturers to compete. For example, the digital camera industry has had to adjust its strategy for sales and new products by adding more features that are powered by more advanced printed circuit boards due to the availability of high-powered cameras in new phones. The brand new iPhone 5s boasts an 8-megapixel camera with video capabilities that let you record in 1080p HD at 30 frames per second. The Nokia Lumia 1020 has a robust and almost unheard of 41-megapixel camera included. As a result of these new developments and the ability to include advanced technology in new devices, the sales for the digital camera market has shown a decline in recent quarters. These manufacturers are developing new ways to position their products in order to stay competitive in the market and give consumers something new that they didn’t have available before.